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June CARES Act Updates

June 29, 2021

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 included additional COVID-19 relief through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. 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.

The University of Central Florida CARES Act allocation for student emergency financial aid grants totaled $25,535,625. Therefore, UCF will be awarded this same amount in emergency grant funding.

The quarter ending June 30, 2021, budget and expenditure report for HEERF funds was updated July 19, 2021.
Read the entirety of the quarterly report.

HEERF II Application (Round 1)

An online application period opened February 11, 2021 and remained opened through 11:59 pm on February 20, 2021. To date the following number of awards have been made:

First CARES Act Application period FEBRUARY 11-20, 2021
Number of Applications Received 17,974
Number of Awards as of April 9, 2021 16,911 Awards
Total Amount Disbursed to Date $16,668,000 – Undergraduate/Graduate Students
$216,000 – Med Students
$16,884,000 – Total
Estimated Number of Eligible Students 63,708
Grant Award $1,000

For the first HEERF II emergency grant fund application cycle, the university assessed eligibility for this funding as outlined below.

  • 2020-2021 FAFSA on file at the time of award selections.
  • Degree seeking and enrolled in Spring 2021 classes
  • Students in exclusively online programs were eligible.
  • Not an international or undocumented student

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 any current term outstanding balance.

A full review of HEERF II applications was conducted. Awards were posted and distributed directly to students via direct deposit or paper check. Students were notified via their official UCF email accounts.

The instructions informed students of eligibility requirements for receipt of HEERF II emergency grant funding. UCF expressed a desire to have students submit a FAFSA if they had not already done so. Students were provided information and instructions here.

NOTE: Prior to launching the 2nd HEERF II emergency grant application, additional HEERF II guidance was given that included non-degree seeking students as eligible for funding. UCF reviewed students from the HEERF II application who were denied for being admitted in non-degree seeking programs. Students however in non-degree programs through Continuing Education and Concurrent Nursing program would remain ineligible. Additional emergency grant funding awards were made to students in non-degree seeking programs, outside of Continuing Education non-degree programs and those in the Concurrent Nursing program.

HEERF II Application (Round 2)

UCF opened a 2nd HEERF II emergency grant application on April 1, 2021. The application will close at 11:59 pm of April 11, 2021. The application asked to students to select the emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus attendance (i.e., tuition, fees, housing, food, health care (including mental). Students were also allowed to select if they wanted the emergency funds to be applied to any current term outstanding balance. Eligibility criteria are listed below:

  • 2020-2021 FAFSA on file at the time of award selections
  • Degree seeking and enrolled in Spring 2021 classes.
  • Also including most non-degree seeking student as eligible.
    • Students enrolled in Continuing Education non-degree programs and Nursing Concurrent students are ineligible.
  • Not an international or undocumented student

An email notification was sent April 1, 2021 to all students enrolled in Spring 2021 classes, informing them of the online application. The notification included a link by which to apply.

UCF will maintain the maximum one-time award amount of $1,000. Students who already received the maximum $1,000 HEERF award in March will not receive an additional award. Pell-eligible students who have not received CARES or HEERF funding will be prioritized. Non-Pell eligible students who did not receive CARES or HEERF funding will be the next priority group along with Pell and Non-Pell students who did not receive funding from the first HEERF round and received less than the maximum CARES award. Awards were made based on additional criteria until the funds are exhausted. Funds were awarded beginning late April.

Second HEERF II Application Period APRIL 1–11, 2021
Number of Applications Received 13,704
Number of Awards as of June 29, 2021 5,661 Awards
Total Amount Disbursed to Date 5,206,000 – Undergraduate Students
$372,000 – Graduate Students
$83,000 – Med Students
$5,661,000 – Total
Estimated Number of Eligible Students 63,708
Grant Award $1,000

Over 7,000 students completed both HEERF II applications (1 and 2). Application #2 advised them to not complete the Qualtrics form if they had previously received the $1,000 HEERF award. Those students were denied an increase in HEERF funding.

The instructions informed students of eligibility requirements for receipt of HEEERF II emergency grant funding. UCF expressed a desire to have students submit a FAFSA if they had not already done so. Students were provided information and instructions here.

HEERF II Application (Round 3)

A third application was launched June 28, 2021, with an end date of July 16, 2021, to students enrolled Spring 2021 and/or Summer 2021. The amount of remaining HEERF II Emergency Grant funding is $2,790,625. The application was limited to domestic students who continue to meet the above eligibility criteria.

UCF launched a separate application July 7, 2021, for international, DACA/TPS, and other undocumented students. An email communication was sent to students that included the link to apply: https://www.ucf.edu/coronavirus/apply-now-for-emergency-financial-aid/ and https://www.ucf.edu/coronavirus/heerf-funding-now-available-to-more-students/. UCF Global will receive, review, and select students for this funding and Student Financial Assistance will place the awards on the system for disbursement. This separate application will close July 30, 2021.

CARES Act Updates