April 8, 2021
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II
Ursuline College has been awarded an additional $336,656 in HEERF funds from the U.S. Department of Education through the Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). These funds are to assist students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue their education.
Institutions are required to prioritize HEERF II emergency grants to students with exceptional financial need (such as those that receive Pell Grants). The grants are available to cover costs such as tuition and fees, food assistance, housing assistance, health care (including mental health care) emergencies, childcare emergencies, and other educational-related expenses that arose due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Eligibility
Students who meet the following criteria may be eligible to receive funds from this emergency grant:
- Enrolled in the Spring 2021 semester as of March 8, 2021
- Have a 2020-21 FAFSA on file with the Financial Aid Office as of March 8, 2021
- Have accepted financial aid awards as of March 8, 2021
- Exceptional financial need
- Are a US citizen or resident alien
Based on the criteria listed above, approximately 800 students may be eligible to be considered for funds.
Awarding Process and Disbursement
Ursuline will award funds from HEERF II in a different manner than the HEERF I funds. There will again be two rounds of awards with these funds, but the initial round will not require an application. Awards to students will be reviewed/awarded by the HEERF Grant committee. All decisions of grant awards are final.
First Round Awards - No application required
All students who meet the eligibility criteria listed above will be reviewed, taking into consideration family income and FAFSA results to determine exceptional need. Based on the guidelines set forth by the HEERF Grant review committee, automatic block grants to students will be determined by mid-April.
Once awards are determined, students awarded will be notified via their Ursuline email account and checks will be mailed to the home address we have in our computer system.
Students can use these grant funds in the following categories:
- Any component of their cost of attendance, including unpaid tuition and room/board expenses. (Students choosing to do this can endorse their check and return it to the Student Service Center (Mullen 203) for payment on their account.)
- Emergency costs that arise due to the pandemic, such as:
- Tuition
- Food
- Housing
- Health care
- Child care
Second Round Awards – Application Required
After initial block grant awards have been determined, the remaining HEERF II funds will be available to students who did not qualify in Round 1. The same eligibility requirements apply for this round of awards:
- Enrolled in the Spring 2021 semester as of March 8, 2021
- Have a 2020-21 FAFSA on file with the Financial Aid Office
- Have accepted financial aid awards offered
- Financial need as defined by FAFSA
- US citizen or resident alien status
To be considered for a grant in the second round, you must:
Complete an emergency grant application (application to be open online after Round 1 awards are made).
Certify the request for funding is due to COVID-19 circumstances (via signature on the application).
Grant funds awarded through this application process will not exceed $400. The amount will be determined based on remaining funds after round 1 and the number of applications received in round 2. Funds may be very limited in this round. Please remember that students who receive a grant in round 1 are not eligible to apply for additional emergency funding in this application round. Applications received from students who have already received funding will not be considered.
Please watch your Ursuline email for notification of award in Round 1 or for notification of the online application availability and deadline.
