Federal Aid Programs for Students in Need

This is based on information the US Department of Education provided here. For a list of other programs, including non-federal ones, see this page on our site.

Health Insurance Enrollment

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to high quality, affordable health insurance through the ACA health insurance marketplaces, such as HealthCare.gov, and Medicaid.  The American Rescue Plan (ARP) temporarily expanded the financial assistance available for individuals buying their own health insurance through the ACA health insurance marketplaces, saving individuals, on average, $50 per month. Four out of five enrollees will be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month after the ARP’s expanded financial assistance is applied. Individuals who enroll in health coverage through Medicaid will have access to free or low-cost quality healthcare.

SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps)

You can find your local office or State SNAP webpage using the SNAP State Directory of Resources. For more information about student eligibility and other student exemptions, visit the SNAP Students webpage

Affordable Connectivity Program

Students who received a Pell Grant can get up to $30 off their monthly internet bill (or up to $75 per month if the household resides on qualifying Tribal lands). Students can apply here starting on December 31, 2021. Households that were fully enrolled in the EBBP by December 31st will continue to receive their current monthly benefit until March 1, 2022. Some participating providers are also offering an additional one-time benefit of up to $100 off a connected device (desktop computer, laptop, or tablet) supplied by that participating provider.  Households are required to contribute more than $10 but less than $50 toward that connected device. 

Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.

There are three ways for eligible households to apply:

  1. Contact a participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process. If an eligible household is unable to apply directly, it may apply by using option 2 or 3 below, and then contacting a participating provider to select a service plan.
  2. Go to ACPbenefit.org to apply online and to find local participating providers. After applying, contact a participating provider to select a service plan.
  3. Call (877) 384-2575 for a mail-in application or print a copy, and return it along with copies of documents showing proof of eligibility to:

    Affordable Connectivity Program Support Center
    P.O. Box 7081
    London, KY 40742

To receive this benefit, a student will need to provide documentation that the student received a Federal Pell Grant for the current award year. The student may provide along with their application a screenshot from the student’s StudentAid.gov profile that displays their receipt of the Federal Pell Grant or other records provided by the college to serve as that documentation.

Unemployment Insurance

If you have become unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under State law), and meet other eligibility requirements of State law, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.

  • Unemployment insurance payments (benefits) are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers who meet the requirements of State law.
  • Each State administers a separate unemployment insurance program within guidelines established by Federal law.
  • Eligibility for unemployment insurance, benefit amounts, and the length of time benefits are available are determined by the State law under which unemployment insurance claims are established.

You should contact your State Unemployment Insurance agency as soon as possible after becoming unemployed.