For some HBCU students, October’s rent could come with a little less stress thanks to John Legend. The EGOT-winning singer is partnering with Bilt and Scholarship America for Bilt’s October Rent Day initiative to help students cover off-campus housing costs. The program will support students at three HBCUs, as well as Legend’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

Through the initiative, Legend and Bilt will help cover October rent for 50 students facing housing insecurity at Morehouse College, Central State University, Wilberforce University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Eligible students can receive a one-time, need-based award of $850 to help pay for off-campus housing.

For Legend, the initiative connects directly to his own experience as a college student. A native of Springfield, Ohio, Legend enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania at just 16 years old. While in college, he worked multiple jobs to cover his expenses, including working at a church and holding a work-study position.

“I was hustling, and I was doing it so I could pay my rent. … I know what it feels like to be in that position where you’ve got to figure out how to do it yourself,” Legend said. “I’m sure a lot of kids in school right now are in that same position.”

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His college years also helped lay the foundation for the music career that would follow. At Penn, Legend served as president and musical director of Counterparts, the university’s co-ed jazz and pop a cappella group. During that period, he also connected with R&B singer Lauryn Hill and played piano on “Everything Is Everything” from her landmark album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

Legend would go on to become one of the most accomplished artists in the music industry. He has achieved EGOT status, won 12 Grammy Awards, and released eight studio albums, among other career milestones. But despite his success in entertainment, Legend has continued to emphasize the role education played in shaping his life.

“Education has always been such an important thing for me. I know what it meant for me to be able to go to college and get a great education; it set me up for life,” Legend said in the press release. “So, we’re partnering with Scholarship America to launch a Rent Assistance Program for students at several schools. [Many of] these students are at risk of eviction, and they need our help. Together with Bilt, we’re going to help cover off-campus housing costs.”