CARES Act Report July 8

Report Date:  July 8, 2021.  This report is for the second quarter of 2021 (April 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021) and reflects the student portion of HEERF II and HEERF III funds only.  Refer to the January 27, 2021 report for the final CARES (HEERF I) report.

  1. An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign signed and submitted the Funding Certification and Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education on April 15, 2020. The University agrees to use these funds to provide emergency financial aid grants to students. A supplemental GAN was received from the US Department of Education on February 26, 2021 that included the HEERF II funds. Another supplemental GAN was received from the US Department of Education on June 8, 2021 that included HEERF III funds.
  2. The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Student.

    $15,724,089 – HEERF II funds
    $39,313,422 – HEERF III funds
  3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).

    $15,724,089 – All HEERF II funds have been fully expended.
    HEERF III funds have not yet been awarded.
  4. The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

    24,822
  5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

    15,265
  6. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

    HEERF II emergency grant funds were awarded to undergraduate students who meet the following requirements:
    • Enrolled spring 2021
    • FAFSA on file with an EFC <$30,000 as of March 8, 2021
    • Citizenship or eligible non-citizen status has been confirmed through the FAFSA application process
    • Award amounts will range based on EFC and may be supplemented by institutional funds based on funding availability:
      • EFC 0-5,711 (Pell eligible) – $1,200
      • EFC 5,712-15,000 – $1,000
      • EFC 15,001-30,000 – $710
    Eligibility of emergency grant funds for graduate and professional students is determined through an application process managed by the Graduate College. Award amounts for graduate and professional students range from $500-$1000.
  7. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

    Undergraduate recipients of the HEERF II funds were sent the following email:

    Dear Student:

    We have awarded you an emergency grant from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II program. The emergency grant does not need to be repaid and will be applied directly to your University Account as the “CARES Grant – Undergraduate” later this week. Please note that it will NOT be applied to any balance currently owed to the University. Application of the grant and your current account balance can be viewed through self-service at https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/.

    This assistance is being provided to you as a result of the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), 2021, that has allocated emergency financial aid grants called Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II to assist students with exceptional need. These grants can be used toward educational costs and other emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.

    If you are enrolled in direct deposit, your emergency grant funds should be available in your checking account in 3-4 days. If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, please enroll before 5 pm tomorrow, March 18. If you do not enroll in direct deposit a paper check will be mailed to you in 7-10 days.

    If you have questions regarding your emergency grant, please contact us. We are available Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm by phone at (217)333-0100 or by email at finaid@illinois.edu.

    Office of Student Financial Aid

    Graduate recipients of the HEERF II funds were sent the following email:

    Dear Applicant for the HEERF II Emergency Grant for Graduate Students,

    The Graduate College has approved your request for an emergency grant through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II program. We hope this will alleviate some of the financial burden you have experienced as a result of the pandemic.

    Your grant will be applied directly to your University Account, which can be viewed through self-service at https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/. If the deposit has not appeared in your account in seven business days, please contact the Graduate College’s Business & Fellowship Processing Office at gradfellowships@illinois.edu.

    We send you our best wishes for safety and good health in these trying times.

    Sincerely,

    The Graduate College