Office of Student Financial Services

HEERF Grant II (CRRSAA) Reporting

Go to the HEERF II Informational Webpage

CRRSAA Act — Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II Grants to Students Required Report (posted April 7, 2021; updated May 20, 2021; updated with final data Oct. 6, 2021)

On Dec. 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed the Coronavirus, Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021. This provides emergency relief funds to organizations and individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II), found in Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act, allows higher education institutions to use certain funds allocated by the Department of Education to support students and higher education institutions with expenses and financial needs related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The following information is provided by Brandeis University as required by the Department of Education (ED) to comply with the reporting requirements under the CRRSAA Act. The first report is required to be posted within 30 days of the first disbursement of the funds, which occurred on March 9, 2021; subsequent updates are required no more than 10 days after each quarter thereafter, ending with the date on which all funds are expended.

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1. Acknowledgement that the institution has used, or intends to use, the same amount of HEERF II funds for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students as offered to students for HEERF I under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act

Institutions who received HEERF I Grant funds under the CARES Act were not required to submit an application for the HEERF II Grant. Brandeis University received its HEERF II Grant award notification on Jan. 21, 2021. In keeping with the terms of acceptance of these funds, Brandeis University will use no less than $1,599,233, as stated under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act, to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants directly to students.

2. Total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act

Brandeis University is slated to receive a total of $4,452,457 under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act, of which $1,599,233 will be provided directly to students with expenses related to the COVID-19 crisis.

As of April 16, 2021, the university received $1,599,233 of the student portion of this award and $2,853,225 of the institutional portion of this award.

3. Total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day report and every quarter thereafter)

As of April 16, 2021, Brandeis University had 2,334 HEERF-eligible students. All enrolled students were notified of the availability of this grant via email on March 8, 2021. Students were notified that they could apply for these funds by filing a FAFSA no later than April 1, 2021 and that eligible students could request the Grant via the Sage until April 9, 2021. Eligible students who had not yet requested the funds were sent weekly reminder e-mails with instructions.

As of April 16, 2021, 2,334 awards were offered, in an amount of $1,200, $600 or $300, depending on the student's FAFSA SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC); 2,167 awards were requested and distributed as of this date. All funds were expended as of April 16, 2021.

As of March 31, 2021, $1,516,800 had been disbursed and $1,642,500 had been disbursed by April 16, 2021.

As of Oct. 6, 2021, $1,638,600 had been disbursed (seven students had not cashed their checks and did not respond to outreach to do so.)

4. Estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act

5. Total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act

6. Method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 314(1)(a) of the CRRSAA Act

Brandeis University used the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as the application to apply for a HEERF II Grant. Any currently enrolled student, enrolled in a degree program during the spring 2021 semester (for exclusively online degree programs, students must be enrolled full time), with a 2019-20 or 2020-2021 FAFSA filed by April 1, 2021, that confirmed their U.S. citizen or permanent resident status, was determined to be eligible for a HEERF II Grant.

As of the April 9, 2021, deadline to apply, 2,334 students met the criteria for the grant. Students with a FAFSA SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) of $10,000 or below qualified for a grant of $1,200; students with an SAI between $10,001 and $25,000 qualified for a grant of $600; and students with an SAI above $25,000 qualified for a grant of $300.

As of April 16, 2021, the entirety of the $1,599,233 allotment for students was expended and the university expended $39,367 of its own funds as well.

7. Instructions, directions or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants

An email was sent to all enrolled students on March 8, 2021, explaining the eligibility requirements and indicating the April 1, 2021, deadline to submit the FAFSA and the April 9, 2021, deadline to request the funds via Sage. The email also directed students to the university’s HEERF II website. This website includes eligibility requirements for the grant, deadlines and timelines, and FAQS.

Eligible students who had not yet requested the funds were sent weekly reminder emails with instructions.

HEERF Grant II (CRRSAA) Reporting

Reports