EDINBURG — The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley announced Friday that it’s paying students to receive their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The university is using federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) to encourage students to get boosted and update their vaccination status with $100 incentivization, a release from the university says.

To qualify for the cash, students must be boosted by April 8, update the Vaccine Portal with their updated vaccination status and card, and must be enrolled for the spring semester.

“This is our way of thanking our Vaqueros for doing their part in preventing the spread of COVID-19,” UTRGV President Guy Bailey wrote. “We know how much everyone wants to get back to campus, and we want everyone to be safe and healthy as we do that.”

Students who are already boosted and enrolled, including Accelerated Online Program and online students, just have to update the info in their vaccine portal to get their hands on the dough.

UTRGV students looking to get their booster/third dose can do so by appointment with UT Health RGV Student Health.