Monday, February 15, 2021

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II provides emergency funding to universities to assist students in need during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, this funding was known as the CARES Act Funding.

UNCW has received HEERF II funding and has established the HEERF II CRRSAA Emergency Relief Fund to distribute grants ranging from $300 to $900 to eligible students to help cover expenses related to the cost of attendance (i.e., food, housing and utilities, health insurance including mental health care, transportation, or child care) or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus. 

Funds from the HEERF II CRRSAA Emergency Relief Fund are not considered financial aid and do not affect a student's current or future financial aid eligibility. Per guidance from the federal government, these grants will be distributed to our students with exceptional need, which will be identified by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), beginning this week. For those with a direct deposit account, grants will be processed as such. The rest will be processed and mailed via check. A separate email notification will be sent to each student who is receiving funding. 

Eligible students will meet the following requirements: 

• You must be an enrolled graduate or undergraduate student for spring 2021 
• You must be a U.S. citizen 
• You must qualify for need, which is measured by the 2020-21 FAFSA. The family income capacity will be $150,000, mirroring that of the new stimulus payment income capacity.

  
Students not eligible for CRRSAA HEERF II funding and in need of financial support can reach out to their financial aid counselor to see what additional financing resources exist for them. 

* Additional program information is available here.