Government Coronavirus Funds FAQs

Below, find FAQs pertaining to:

• American Rescue Plan (ARP - HEERF III)
• Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplmental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA - HEERF II)
• Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES - HEERF)

Latest Reports

ARP - HEERF III FUND FAQs

What is ARP - HEERF III? 

On May 20, 2021 Santa Clara University (SCU) received notice of an allocation of $4,603,451 in federal funds to disburse directly to students who have exceptional financial needs due to the coronavirus pandemic. These funds were made available through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) for disbursement to students in the form of grants.  

Note: These funds are the third such allocation of federal funds SCU has received as part of national legislation for higher education relief and have been fully disbursed to SCU students as of January 31, 2022. The other two allocations, which you will find described below, have also been fully disbursed to SCU students as of December 16, 2020 (for CARES Act - HEERF funds) and May 18, 2021 (for CRRSAA - HEERF II funds).   

The newest allocation of ARP - HEERF III funds were distributed in two ways: 

1. First, To prioritize rapid support of those eligible students known to have exceptional need based on information available to the Office of Financial Aid, on July 15, 2021 SCU delivered grants of $3,000 each to 811 pre-identified eligible students (grants totaling $2,433,000) who did not need to apply for these funds.  On November 4, 2021 SCU delivered grants to an additional group of 848 eligible students pre-identified by the Office of Financial Aid.  This second group of students received grants of $2,000 each (grants totaling $1,696,000) without needing to apply for these funds.
2. On January 31, 2022, the remaining funds were distributed to other students who submitted an application for assistance based on self-identified hardship needs due to COVID-19. The application was available to students from November 29, 2021 to Friday, January 21, 2022.  The final disbursement was made to 453 students, with each student receiving $1,047.35.  

What can ARP - HEERF III funds be used for? 

Funds may be used for any component of a student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, and health care including mental health care.

Which students is the ARP - HEERF III Fund program intended to help? 

SCU’s ARP - HEERF III Fund program is intended to meet the needs of eligible students who have experienced financial hardships due to health or economic impacts of the pandemic.   Past allocations of federal funds (described below) required students to be  eligible for Title IV federal student-aid funds. Such restrictions do not apply to applicants for the ARP - HEERF III Fund program.

As required by the federal legislation, the funds must be prioritized for eligible students who have “exceptional need” due to the coronavirus, such as those who qualify for federal Pell Grants, or undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances. Beyond Pell eligibility, other types of exceptional need could include students who may be eligible for other federal or state need-based aid or have faced significant unexpected expenses either for themselves or that would affect their financial circumstances, such as the loss of employment (for either themselves or their families), reduced income, or food or housing insecurity.  Also, the Department of Education has encouraged institutions to prioritize domestic students, especially undergraduates, in allocating this funding. 

SCU is distributing funds to eligible students according to the guidance and prioritization established by the Department of Education for this program.  

If I previously received a grant from either the SCU CARES Act Relief Fund in 2020 or the CRRSAA funds that were made available earlier this year, could I still qualify for funds under the ARP - HEERF III Fund?  

Yes, if you met the eligibility requirements you could qualify to receive a grant under the ARP - HEERF III Fund.

Will any grant I received from the ARP - HEERF III Fund affect my other financial aid?

No, any amount you received from the ARP - HEERF III Fund will not have any impact on other financial aid you may be eligible to receive.

If I receive assistance from the ARP - HEERF III Fund, is it considered financial aid? 

No, grant funds from the ARP - HEERF III Fund are not considered financial aid awarded to you and will not affect your financial aid cost of attendance. Also, these funds will not show on your eCampus Financial Aid Account.

Is any grant I receive from ARP - HEERF III taxable?

Amounts disbursed to students through the ARP - HEERF III Fund are not considered taxable income.

Is this a loan that I will have to pay back?

No, these funds are not a loan and you will not be asked to pay them back.

Is there other aid available to students related to COVID-19?

SCU undergraduate and graduate students experiencing immediate financial need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid.  Assistance may be available from the SCU Emergency Assistance Fund, or from other sources. 

Students may also contact the Office of Financial Aid and submit an SCU Appeal Request Form if there are special circumstances that affect their ability to pay college costs. Both applications and additional information are available at SCU’s Financial Aid site .

If you do not have reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food, you can request the “Food Insecurity” form from the Bronco pantry.

When were applications for ARP - HEERF III available to students?

Applications were available through eCampus (SCU login required) from Monday, November 29, 2021 at 9 a.m. PST to Friday, January 21, 2022 at 5 p.m. PST. 

I have received an ARP - HEERF III Fund grant without having to apply.  Could I apply for additional aid using the application in e-Campus?

No, if you received funds from the ARP - HEERF III Fund, you could not apply for additional aid using the ARP - HEERF III Fund application form.

What is the deadline to apply for assistance from the ARP - HEERF III Fund?

The application submission deadline ended on January 21, 2022 at 5 p.m. PST, and no further applications can be accepted or reviewed.

I submitted my request for assistance from the ARP - HEERF III Fund.  When can I expect to hear about my application?

On January 31, 2022, students received an email message with additional information and instructions about how to enroll in direct deposit in eCampus.

How will I receive these funds?

If your ARP - HEERF III Fund request was approved, the grant would be posted to your student account and a refund issued through direct deposit into the bank account listed in eCampus. In order to process your refund, valid banking information and a current address in eCampus is required. To enroll in Direct Deposit, please log into eCampus, select the “Financial Account” tile, and under “Refund” choose the “Enroll in Dir Dep'' option.  

I am a student employee paid by direct deposit. Do I need to sign up for direct deposit in eCampus to receive my refund from the ARP - HEERF III Fund?

Yes, you still need to sign up for direct deposit in eCampus. The student payroll is processed in a different operating system. In order to receive the refund, you must sign up for direct deposit through eCampus and have a current address in that system. Read directions on how to enroll in direct deposit (PDF). 

If I pay my student account bill online through the SCUPay site, can I receive funds from the ARP - HEERF III Fund through that site?

No, the SCUPay site is unable to process student account refunds. In order to receive assistance through the ARP - HEERF III Fund, you must sign up for direct deposit through eCampus and have a current address in that system. Read directions on how to enroll in direct deposit (PDF). 

Can you send the funds to me in a paper check? 

No, we require direct deposit to issue funds from the ARP - HEERF III Fund. You must sign in to eCampus and enter valid banking information and confirm you have a current address in that system. Read directions on how to enroll in direct deposit (PDF).

Is there any other way I can get funds from the ARP - HEERF III Fund? 

No, the University will post the funds to your student account and issue your refund for the full amount through direct deposit into your bank account. Sign up for direct deposit through eCampus and ensure you have a current address in the system. Read directions on how to enroll in direct deposit (PDF).

Can I apply funds I received from the ARP - HEERF III Fund directly to outstanding charges on my student account?

No, these funds will not apply towards any student account charges. The full amount of the grant you receive from the ARP - HEERF III Fund will be refunded to you. In order to receive your refund from the ARP - HEERF III Fund, you must sign up for direct deposit through eCampus and have a current address in that system. Read directions on how to enroll in direct deposit (PDF).  

If my request for funding has been granted, do I then need to request a refund through eCampus in order to receive the funds from my student account?

No, the University will automatically issue your refund for the full amount you receive from the ARP - HEERF III Fund. However, in order to receive your refund, you must sign up for direct deposit through eCampus and have a current address in that system. Read directions on how to enroll in direct deposit (PDF).

What other federal funds were previously made available for students with exceptional financial needs due to the pandemic? 

Prior to receiving ARP - HEERF III funds (described above) Santa Clara University was allocated approximately $3.5 million in federal funds to disburse directly to students who have exceptional financial needs due to the pandemic. The funds, made available under two federal acts, have already been fully disbursed to students in the form of financial aid grants. You can read more information about the two completed programs below. 

1. $1,771,339 in funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was fully disbursed as of December 16, 2020. 
2.  $1,771,339 in funds under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) was fully disbursed as of May 18, 2021.

CRRSAA - HEERF II FAQs

CARES Act Relief Fund FAQs