The new UNLV Tuition+ Award Program will provide eligible Nevada residents a grant for 12 undergraduate credit hours of tuition and fees each semester, plus $1,000 for books for the school year.

Pell Grants (federal subsidies for college students in financial need) already enable thousands of undergraduate students to attend college. The new program at UNLV aims to further facilitate students going to school with fewer financial burdens.  

“The UNLV Tuition+ Award will help students fill the gap that Pell Grants and other forms of financial aid or scholarships don’t cover,” said Norm Bedford, UNLV’s executive director of financial aid and scholarships, in a press release Monday. “It goes a long way toward helping students focus on their studies without worrying as much about the financial side of attending the university.”

The office of the provost said the money for the program will come from undergraduate access funds and a portion of student fees. UNLV financial aid officials estimate $12 million will be available for the new grants.

Candidates for the UNLV Tuition+ Award must have an expected family contribution that falls within federal Pell Grant eligibility, which is at or below $5,140 for the 2019-2020 academic year. Potential beneficiaries will be considered based on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Alternate Need Determination Form, which is used for those not eligible for FAFSA, without need for a separate application.

Applicants for Fall 2020 must be admitted to UNLV by the Dec. 1 deadline and be enrolled in 12 credit hours each semester to qualify. Applicants also must have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher each semester and cannot exceed 135 completed credit hours. 

Currently, 33 percent of undergraduates at UNLV and 41 percent of first-year students receive Pell Grants. Resident undergraduates pay $3,336 per semester; tuition is $4,452 for non-residents.