Federal HEERF & CARES Grants

HEERF III Applications have now closed and funding for fall 2021 has been exhausted.

Phase 1: Salisbury University students who are Pell Grant-eligible or have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $5,846 or less may be eligible to receive an additional $1,500 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III financial assistance during the 2021-22 academic year.

The additional financial support is available to all undergraduate and graduate students who are eligible to participate in the Federal Title IV Financial Aid Program and who are enrolled at Salisbury University for the Fall 2021 term. The support is available to resident and non-MD resident students. Students can use the grant for any part of the cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to Coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health), and child care. The funds will be awarded in addition to any scholarships, or financial aid students have earned from SU.

Prior HEERF funding was distributed to students during the Spring 2020 (first round) and Fall 2020 (second round) terms. These new funds will be distributed automatically to those who are eligible during the Fall 2021 term. 

Phase 2: The remaining portion of HEERF III funding will be awarded via an application process.  Students with relevant educational and living expenses including tuition, fees, books and supplies, housing, food, internet and computer expenses, personal and transportation expenses, health care, child care and other emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus.

HEERF III Applications have now closed and funding for spring 2022 has been exhausted.

Phase 1: New incoming students for spring 2022 who are Pell Grant-eligible or have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $5,846 or less may be eligible to receive an additional $1,500 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III financial assistance during the 2021-22 academic year.

The additional financial support is available to all undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled at Salisbury University for the Spring 2022 term. The support is available to resident and non-MD resident students. Students can use the grant for any part of the cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to Coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health), and child care. The funds will be awarded in addition to any scholarships, or financial aid students have earned from SU.

Phase 2: The remaining portion of HEERF III funding will be awarded via an application process. Applications will open the week of February 14th, 2022. The maximum amount of HEERF funds a student can receive for 21/22 is $2,500. For example, if a student received $2,000 in the fall 2021 semester, they can request up to $500 in HEERF funds for spring 2022. Students with relevant educational and living expenses including tuition, fees, books and supplies, housing, food, internet and computer expenses, personal and transportation expenses, health care, child care and other emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus. Students will receive an email from Stay Informed when the application becomes available.

Who is Eligible for the HEERF II Grant?

• Must have a valid FAFSA on file at Salisbury University for the 2020-2021 academic year.
• A student must meet all criteria listed to qualify:
• A student who is currently enrolled in an SU degree or certificate program for Spring 2021.
• A student who has been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and has an emergency need.
• Must be a US citizen or must meet the definition of an eligible non-citizen based on federal financial aid requirements.

Who is Not Eligible for the HEERF II Grant?

• Students enrolled in a non-degree program.
• Students that are enrolled in dual and/or concurrent courses (high school).
• International students.
• Students who are not currently meeting the satisfactory academic progress minimum requirements for federal financial aid.

Apply for HEERF II Grant:

• Students need to apply using the HEERF II Grant application.
• Requests for funding assistance will be reviewed by the SU Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
• Students may be asked to provide additional information or documentation to support their request.
• Funding is limited and not all requests will be granted. 
• Funds are limited and are no longer available.

Phase 1:  Salisbury University has already awarded a large portion of the funding based on information already available in our system. Students meeting the following criteria have received a credit posted to their student accounts and refunded through the standard Bank Mobile refund process:

• Currently enrolled for the spring 2021 semester in a degree-seeking program.
• Eligible to participate in Title IV Financial Aid Programs
• Valid FAFSA on file for 2020-2021 academic year.
• Have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the FAFSA result between 0 and 5711

Phase 2: The remaining portion of HEERF II funding will be awarded via an application process.  Students with relevant educational and living expenses including tuition, fees, books and supplies, housing, food, internet and computer expenses, personal and transportation expenses, health care, child care and other emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus.

What is the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)?

As part of the federal government’s Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), it provides funding to allow Salisbury University the ability to award emergency financial aid grants to students to cover certain expenses.

What type of expenses qualify to be covered by HEERF?

HEERF II and III Emergency funding may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus, such as paying for tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.

I have an outstanding tuition/housing balance for the current semester; would these funds be applied to that balance?

Not automatically. You can opt to apply these funds to your outstanding balance in your student account by selecting this option in an email that will be sent to you. If you do not opt in, the emergency funds will be sent directly to you as a refund process via your Bank Mobile refund preference.

Are HEERF funds taxable and included on a 1098T?

No. These grants are exempt from 1098-T reporting and exempt from taxation.

I am enrolled in an online program; am I eligible to apply for HEERF funds?

Yes, you are eligible for HEERF funds.

Are undocumented, DACA and international students eligible for HEERF funds?

Yes, guidance released by the Department of Education on May 11, 2021 provides clarification to allow for undocumented, DACA and international students to access the emergency grants.

When can I apply for the latest HEERF III student emergency grants?

The application process will open in early September 2021 on the SU Scholarship website CLICK HERE .  We will email all SU Students from the stayinformed@salisbury.edu email once the application process is open.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, recently signed into law, provided funding to allow Salisbury University the ability to award emergency financial aid grants to students to cover expenses related to the disruption of normal campus operations due to the coronavirus.

Expenses that qualify for coverage through the CARES Grant include housing, food cost, travel, technology, health care, childcare and other costs related to the disruption of campus operations as a result of the coronavirus. The grant is not to be used for tuition and related fees.

No, the full amount of the CARES Grant will be given directly to the student and will not pay an outstanding balance owed to SU. Any outstanding balance owed to SU remains the responsibility of the student.

Recipients of the CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grant must meet these minimum requirements for consideration:

• Must be enrolled for the Fall 2020 semester in a degree program.
• Must be eligible to participate in Title IV Federal Financial Aid Programs:
  • Must have a valid FAFSA on file at Salisbury University for the 2020-2021 academic year.
  • If selected, must have completed all necessary verification requirements.
  • Must be enrolled in a program leading to a degree.
  • Must be meeting satisfactory progress standards.
  • Must not be in default on a Title IV loan.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, or other eligible non-citizen.
• Must have expenses related to the disruption of campus operations as a result of the coronavirus.

Salisbury University is awarding the CARES Emergency Student Grant funding in a two-phased process:

Phase 1: Salisbury University has already awarded a large portion of the funding based on information already available in our system. Students meeting the following criteria have received a credit posted to their student accounts and refunded through the standard Bank Mobile refund process:

• Currently enrolled for the fall 2020 semester in a degree-seeking (non-online) program.
• Eligible to participate in Title IV Financial Aid Programs (see above).
• Valid FAFSA on file for 2020-2021 academic year.

Phase 2: The remaining portion of CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grant funding will be awarded via an application process. Qualified students can apply for emergency funding to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations as a result of the coronavirus even if they received an initial allotment through the automated process. Students are required to be current/continuing students to apply, therefore, students graduating in spring 2020 do not qualify for consideration for these additional funds. The application is available through SU’s Academic Works Website.

Emergency grants will be processed based on your existing Bank Mobile refund selection. Funds will be directly deposited into bank accounts for students who are enrolled in the direct deposit option. Please allow 5-7 business days for your refund to process via bank mobile. To speed up your payment, we strongly encourage you to select a refund option if you have not done so by going here. Please select “ need a code” at the bottom of the page, or go here and enter “Salisbury University” and your student email address.

Yes. The following groups of students are not eligible to receive CARES Emergency Student Grant funding based on guidance from the Department of Education:

• Students enrolled in a non-degree program.
• Students who are enrolled in dual and/or concurrent courses. Ex: high school students enrolled in college courses.
• Students who were enrolled exclusively in a fully on-line program on or before March 13, 2020.
• International students.
• Students who are not currently meeting the satisfactory progress minimum requirement for federal financial aid.

Applications received by September 15 will receive priority consideration for funding. The application will remain available until funds are exhausted.

Grant amounts will vary based on the needs of each student. The maximum grant amount is $1,000. Students who have received funding through the automated award process are eligible to receive additional funding through the application process.

Decisions about grants awarded through the application process will be made on a rolling basis. Students who apply should expect notification via email with 14 days.

No.  Emergency financial aid grants under the CARES Act for unexpected expenses, unmet financial need, or expenses related to the disruption of campus operations on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as unexpected expenses for food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, or childcare, are qualified disaster relief payments under section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code. This grant is not includible in your gross income.

Students can submit questions to finaid@salisbury.edu. A Salisbury University staff member will respond as soon as possible.