HEERF Grant III (ARP Act)
Emergency Grants under the American Rescue Plan Act
HEERF Grant III Reporting
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2). The ARP appropriated funds for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and represents the third stream of funding appropriated for HEERF to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus. HEERF III allows higher education institutions to use these appropriated funds to support students, and the institution itself, with expenses and financial needs related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Brandeis University is pleased to announce that it has been allotted a third round of funds, designated under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), to assist students with emergency grants. These one-time emergency grants to students may be used for "any component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care."
The main criterion for a HEERF III Grant is the demonstration of a genuine, eligible expense incurred and that the capacity for continued study may be in jeopardy due to financial hardship.
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be an active student (or May 2021 graduate) who was enrolled in a full-time degree program at Brandeis University during the entirety of the spring 2021 semester; students enrolled for the spring 2021 semester in a degree program offered exclusively online (e.g., GPS programs) must have been enrolled in a full-time courseload, as defined by the program.
- Must have experienced a financial hardship related to any component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
- Once grants are posted for eligible students starting in early June, students will need to certify that eligible expenses were incurred when requesting disbursement of the grant in Sage. The request for disbursement must be submitted no later than Wednesday, June 30. The expenses incurred must be equal to, or in excess of, the amount of the HEERF III Grant awarded, plus any HEERF Grant I and II and Brandeis Emergency Fund Grant payments received since March 13, 2020.
The Department of Education did not place any restrictions on these funds, as it did with HEERF I and II, in regards to citizenship or eligibility for Title IV aid except to require that Brandeis prioritize its distribution of HEERF III funds to students with exceptional financial need. Thus, the amount of funds for which each student is eligible is based on the SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) as determined by the 2020-21 FAFSA or, for students not eligible to file the FAFSA, other financial aid applications currently on file. (Please note that students cannot appeal their need category.) Grant amounts will be awarded to eligible students as follows:
HEERF III FAQs
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Brandeis is receiving $4,090,530 to be shared directly with students.
Students who meet the eligibility criteria will receive notification of approval for funding via email starting in early June and the amount for which they are eligible will be posted to Sage. Grants for students who certified incurred expenses will be disbursed in early July.
Yes, students who graduated in May 2021, meet all other eligibility criteria and are eligible for HEERF III funds in accordance with the table above.
Yes, as long as you meet all other eligibility criteria. Unlike HEERF I and HEERF II, the federal legislation that established the HEERF III Grant does now specify that international students, DACA students, and undocumented students are eligible for this funding.
Once you are notified that you have been approved for the grant, you will need to log into Sage and request the grant using the Refund Request link in your Student Center no later than Wednesday, June 30, 2021. As part of the process, you will need to certify that you have expenses equal to, or exceeding, the amount of the HEERF III Grant awarded to you, plus any previously awarded HEERF Grant I, HEERF Grant II and Brandeis Emergency Fund Grant payments received since March 13, 2020.
You are not required to prove or itemize expenses. You may request that the funds be sent to you via direct deposit or check. Checks cannot be picked up on campus.
Eligible expenses are those expenses related to any component of the student's cost of attendance or emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. Applicants are required to confirm that they incurred eligible expenses equal to, or exceeding, the amount of the HEERF II Grant awarded to you, plus any previously awarded HEERF Grant I, HEERF Grant II and Brandeis Emergency Fund Grant payments received since March 13, 2020.
You are not required to prove or itemize expenses. Normal expenses are not eligible. Documentation of these expenses is not required.
If you are eligible to receive the grant, it will be posted to your student account starting in early June and you will have until June 30, 2021, to request disbursement of the grant via Sage. When you request the funds, you will be required to confirm that you incurred eligible expenses. Documentation of these expenses is not required.
You are not required to be a financial aid recipient to receive a HEERF III Grant, however, Brandeis will direct more funding to students with demonstrated exceptional financial need as determined by the FAFSA, or other financial aid application.
These funds are available regardless of whether you have applied for or received a HEERF I, HEERF II or Brandeis Emergency Fund Grant. However, you can only accept the grant if your eligible expenses equal, or exceed, the amount of the HEERF III Grant awarded to you, plus any previously awarded HEERF Grant I, HEERF Grant II and Brandeis Emergency Fund Grant payments received since March 13, 2020.
No, this fund does not negate nor replace financial aid, and it is a one-time grant.
Yes, Brandeis is also receiving $4,090,530 for university purposes. This funding will be used to defray expenses and lost revenue associated with coronavirus (e.g., room and board credits due to the closure of campus).
The only students who are not eligible for this grant are students who were not enrolled at Brandeis for the full spring 2021 semester in a full-time degree program or were not enrolled full time in a degree program offered exclusively online (e.g., GPS programs).