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January 2022 CARES Act Updates

January 10, 2021

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) 2021 4th Quarterly Report encompasses both HEERF II and HEERF III funding.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 included additional COVID-19 relief through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, also known as, HEERF II funding. The CRRSAA requires that institutions spend at least the same dollar amount on student grants as they were required to spend under the CARES Act. In addition, the allowable uses of funds are more flexible than in the CARES Act, meaning the funds may be used for any component of the cost of and emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus attendance [i.e., tuition, fees, housing, food, health care (including mental)]. Additionally, any unused CARES Act funds that an institution did not spend prior to December 27, 2020, may be spent in accordance with the allowable uses of the HEERF II Funds.

HEERF III funding is authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law on March 11, 2021, providing additional financial funding in support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. UCF received $79,252,544 in HEERF III funding to award as emergency grant funding.

ARP funds are in addition to funds authorized by the CRRSAA, Public Law 116-260 and the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136. Emergency funds available to institutions and their students under all emergency funds.

The quarter ending December 31, 2021, budget, and expenditure report for the Institutional and Minority Serving Institute (MSI) shares of HEERF funds was updated January 11, 2022.

Read the entirety of the quarterly report.

HEERF II – Disbursement/Refunds

During this quarter, UCF had 10 awards canceled due to stale dated checks. The amount totaled $8,794.40. These funds will be awarded and disbursed before the May 2022 federal deadline.

  • 8 – undergraduate students
  • 1 – graduate student
  • 1 – medical students

The remaining amount of HEERF II to award and disburse is $1,669,205.60.

HEERF III Applications

Two HEERF III applications were made available to students beginning August 18, 2021 and remain open until further notice. One application is for domestic students and the other for international, DACA, and other undocumented students. Below is a summary for the number of applications received, awards made, and disbursements for the timeframe October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021.

HEERF III Application – Domestic Student Awards 10/1/2021 – 12/31/2021
Total Number of Applications Received as of 12/31/21 39,583
Number of Awards 10/1/21 – 12/31/21 9,894
Total Amount Disbursed as of 12/31/2021 18,528,000 – Undergraduate Students
1,510,000 – Graduate Students
38,000 – Med Students
20,076,000 – Total
Estimated Number of Eligible Students 67,897
Grant Award $2,000
  • 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) recommended but not required.
  • Degree seeking and non-degree seeking are eligible
  • Almost all students enrolled during any semester impacted by COVID-19 — since Spring 2020 — will be eligible to apply.
  • Students enrolled in Fall 2021 classes were given first consideration and all others will be reviewed and awarded based upon remaining funding.
  • Students in exclusively online programs are eligible.
  • International or undocumented student are eligible and will complete a separate application for further consideration.
  • Concurrent nursing students are eligible.
  • Students can apply for funding even if they have received funding from CARES and/or HEERF II.
  • Each eligible student can apply for up to $2,000 for the term.
  • UCF students who are U.S. citizens, permanent U.S. residents or eligible non-citizens should complete this application.
  • International students and/or students who are classified as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) should complete this application.

The application asked students to select how COVID has negatively impacted them financially, thereby created emergency costs. Students were also allowed to select if they wanted the emergency funds to be applied to an outstanding balance.

A full review of HEERF III applications is done on a weekly and/or bi-weekly basis. SFA continues to review and select domestic student’s awards. UCF Global continues to review and select international, DACA, and other undocumented students. Awards are posted and distributed directly to students via direct deposit or paper check. Students are notified via their official UCF email accounts.

The instructions informed students of eligibility requirements for receipt of HEERF III emergency grant funding. UCF expressed a desire to have students that are eligible to complete the FAFSA to do so if they had not already done so. Students were provided information and instructions here. The HEERF III applications were also made available on the home pages of the financial aid website and UCF Global website: https://www.ucf.edu/financial-aid/ and https://global.ucf.edu/ respectively.

HEERF III Application – International, DACA, & Other Undocumented Student Awards 10/1/2021 – 12/31/2021
Total Number of Applications Received 10/1/21 – 12/31/21 1,592
Number of Awards 10/1/21 – 12/31/21 1,256 – UCF Global
Total Amount Disbursed as of 10/1/21 – 12/31/21 2,511,000 – Undergraduate Students
510,000 – UCF Global Non-Degree
3,021,000– Total
Estimated Number of Eligible Students 3,346
Grant Award $2,000

As stated above a full review of HEERF III applications are done on a weekly and/or bi-weekly basis. SFA continues to review and select domestic students awards. UCF Global continues to review and select international, DACA, and other undocumented students. Awards are posted and distributed directly to students via direct deposit or paper check. Students are notified via their official UCF email accounts.

CARES Act Updates