American Rescue Plan and HEERF III Student Funds—Initial Report
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) (enacted March, 2021) provided additional Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF III). A portion of these funds were designated to be spent as emergency funds for students. The HEERF III allocations were in addition to the initial HEERF I and II funds received as part of the CARES Act in April 2020 and the CRRSA Act in December 2020.
SDSU HEERF III Information (as of June 1, 2021)
HEERF III Student Funds: $8,975,737
HEERF III Student Funds disbursed as emergency grants to students: $0
Number of students who have received HEERF III Student Funds: 0
HEERF III Student Emergency Fund Awarding Protocol
SDSU’s HEERF III Student Funds will be awarded to students attending Summer 2021 and Fall 2021 terms.
Summer Grants
Awards will be paid out to Summer 2021 students in July or August, depending on when the student’s first summer course starts. To receive summer 2021 grant funds, students must
- Be degree-seeking at SDSU during the Summer 2021 term working on an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral or professional degree
- For students whose first summer class began on or before July 13, 2021, be enrolled in at least 1 summer credit on July 13, 2021 and not have dropped all summer credits or have withdrawn from summer term before July 13, 2021
- For students whose first summer class began after July 13, 2021, be enrolled in at least 1 summer credit August 17, 2021 and not have dropped or withdrawn from all summer credits before Aug. 17, 2021, and
- Begin attendance in at least one summer 2021 course.
| Financial Need/Credit Load | Less than Half-Time | Half-Time and above |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5846 FAFSA EFC | $250 | $500 |
| 5847 to 11999 FAFSA EFC | $200 | $400 |
| EFC > or = 12000 or no FAFSA | $150 | $300 |
Fall Grants
Awards will be paid out to fall 2021 students based on enrollment the day after the last day to drop and add fall classes. Students who drop all fall classes or withdraw prior to Sept. 3, 2021, will not be eligible for the grant. Additionally, students who receive a fall grant payment and who do not start their fall classes may be required to repay the fall grant funds. To receive a fall grant students must
- Be degree-seeking at SDSU during the fall 2021 term working on an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral or Professional degree
- Be enrolled in at least one (1) fall 2021 credit Sept. 3, 2021, and not have dropped all summer credits or have withdrawn from summer term before Sept. 3, 2021, and
- Begin attendance in at least one fall 2021 course
Fall grant award amounts will be based on enrollment status and financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA. Actual amounts will be determined based on the number of students attending Sept. 3, 2021.
Question about eligibility and award amounts should be directed to SDSU CARES Grant sdsu.CARESGrant@sdstate.edu.
Student Notification of Eligibility
Students who qualified for the HEERF II grants were notified by an email sent to their Jacks email address. A sample of the email follows:
Dear SDSU Student,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been awarded a CARES Grant in the amount of $500. You do not need to complete an application to receive this grant. The grant funds were provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 passed by the United States Congress.
Your grant will be disbursed to you within 10 days through Direct Deposit or, if you have not setup Direct Deposit, by paper check to your Student Refund Address. It may take several days for the funds to show up in your bank account.
You may use the funds to cover any portion of your educational costs and emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus including things like
- Tuition, fees, books, and school supplies
- Housing, utilities, and food
- Health care expenses including mental health
- Child-care costs
- Transportation expenses
Please note that the grant will disbursed directly to you even if you have outstanding charges on your SDSU account. If you choose to use your grant funds to cover charges that you owe to SDSU, you will need to make a payment to your account by visiting the Cashier’s Office or through SDePay. If you fail to start at least one of your summer classes, you may be required to repay the grant.
If you have additional questions about the Grant or your financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office at SDSU.finaid@sdstate.edu or 605-688-4695.
We are here to help, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you need assistance!
SDSU Financial Aid Team