CARES Act Funding for SUU Students
Published: May 08, 2020 | Read Time: 2 minutes
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law on March 27, 2020 created education stabilization funds available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). At least half of these funds must provide students with access to emergency financial aid grants to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. In order to be eligible for the funding, students must meet the following conditions:
- Be currently enrolled as a degree-seeking student (associates, bachelors, or masters) in a face-to-face degree program. Students enrolled in an online-only degree program do not qualify for these grants, nor do students who have graduated and are therefore no longer degree-seeking.
- Be eligible to receive Title IV federal aid. This eligibility is evaluated through completion of the 2019-2020 FAFSA. In addition to completing the FAFSA, students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to receive HEERF funding.
- Have experienced expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.
SUU is working hard to disburse these funds to students as quickly as possible. We are currently finalizing our application while continuing to receive additional guidance on the funds usage from the Department of Education. Eligible students will be able to apply for funding through an application in their SUU portal. To maximize helping as many students as possible, SUU will award these emergency grants through several rounds. Therefore, during the initial round of awards we will limit the amount any one student will receive to a maximum of $400. If funds are left after this first application round, SUU will award additional funds to students whose expenses were greater than $400 or who incurred additional expenses in a subsequent semester.
Here are a few steps you can take now to streamline the CARES awarding process:
- Complete your FAFSA. Finishing your FAFSA is the fastest way to determine your eligibility for CARES/HEERF funding.
- Sign up for direct deposit.
- Update your contact information via the Portal
If you have questions regarding the funding or your eligibility, please email HEERF@suu.edu
Tags: Coronavirus