As stated in an email from Marybeth Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Stevens has been awarded about $1.5 million through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) to provide eligible students with financial aid grants based on their level of demonstrated financial need.
On January 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education made $20.5 billion available to public and non-profit colleges and universities and $681 million to proprietary schools. These schools “can use their awards for financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and to cover a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll” as cited in the U.S. Department of Education press release.
In Spring 2020, Stevens was awarded $1.5 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic (CARES) Act to assist eligible students who were facing financial challenges due to the pandemic. All of the awards have been distributed to students, including a $500 disbursement in following an email sent on September 11, 2020. The grants could not be directly applied to tuition and fees or room and board due to federal guidelines.
Similar to the grants provided through the CARES Act, the grants from the HEERF II cannot be used directly towards tuition and fees, or room and board.
There are no enforced student eligibility requirements made by the federal government; however, “institutions are required to prioritize grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Pell Grants.” In the email sent on March 31, Stevens noted the following eligibility requirements:
“To be considered for a grant, students must:
- be eligible for federal financial aid with a valid FAFSA on file and be Title IV eligible,
- be enrolled for the 2020-2021 academic year,
- meet university established financial need guidelines.
- have accepted federal student loans offered.”
Students who are eligible should have received an email from Stevens on March 31 notifying them with the amount of the grant.
Students who have left school for any reason such as academic leave beginning on March 13, 2020, the date of the declaration of the national emergency, may still receive financial aid grants through HEERF II.
If an institution is awarded HEERF II funds, they have one year from the date of the grant’s processing to distribute the HEERF II funds. If the funds are not used within the year, an extension may be requested at no cost.
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