CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)

As of March 23, 2021, Saint Joseph’s University is no longer accepting applications for the student assistance portion of the Federal CARES (HEERF I) or HEERF II (The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act).   When and/if funds become available to the University through HEERF III  (The American Rescue Plan), we will notify students that are eligible to apply via their SJU email account. This may not be during the 2020-2021 academic year and may be for the 2021-2022 academic year (fall 2021/spring 2022) depending on timing of receipt of funds.

CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Grants:  HEERF I

Other Financial Relief for the 2021-22 (fall 2021/spring 2022) Academic Year

Financial aid packages for returning students that apply will be released in mid-to-late June. Information on available financing options can be found at sju.edu/financial-aid/undergraduate.

If a student (or his/her parent in the case of a dependent student) experienced a severe financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 or other circumstances, and the 2019 calendar year income listed on the 2021-22 FAFSA will actually be significantly higher than what the projected 2021 calendar year income (1/1/21-12/31/21) will be, the student (or parent) should contact the Financial Aid Office at 610-660-2500 or via email at finaid@sju.edu to request a 2021-2022 Special Circumstances Form. This will enable the Financial Aid Office to recalculate the income information on the 2021-2022 FAFSA to determine if any additional federal or state aid is available. If it is not anticipated that a student will qualify for additional federal or state grant aid, but the student (or family) has experienced a significant financial hardship, the student may submit a request through the Student in Need Fund. It should be noted that this fund has very limited resources available. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@sju.edu for additional information on how to apply.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), as part of the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), provided money to colleges and universities to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19.  A portion of these funds are earmarked for distribution as emergency student grants for costs that arose due to COVID-19, including: tuition, food, housing, healthcare or child care. Saint Joseph's University signed and returned the Certification and Agreement to receive such funds to the U.S. Department of Education, agreeing to provide $1,398,162 in HEERF II funds.

Unlike the CARES Act (HEERF I), institutions are required to prioritize grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as those who receive federal Pell Grants (need-based grants).  Unlike CARES funds, the HEERF II funds can be awarded to online students as well and, can be applied to a student’s outstanding account balance if the student provides written (or electronic), affirmative consent.  Students must meet the following criteria for consideration for HEERF II funds:

• Demonstrate significant financial need with preference given to Pell-eligible students (to determine this, Saint Joseph’s University required all students be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and have a 2020-2021 FAFSA on file)
• Be enrolled in an on-campus or online program for the spring 2021 semester.

Please note that, by federal guidelines, international and undocumented (DACA) students are not eligible to receive HEERF II funds.

Application and Awarding process:

All Pell-eligible students were invited to apply for HEERF II funds, via an email sent on March 10, 2021 to their SJU email account and to parent(s) email (as listed on the 2020-21 FAFSA) if a dependent student, via submission of an online application, due by March 22, 2021. 

332 applications were received.  Five were duplicates.  All, except for two that were not enrolled for the spring semester, were each awarded $3,000 HEERF II grants.  Those that opted in on the online application to have it applied to their existing account balance had it applied accordingly. Others were awarded the funds as direct grants/refunds, via checks mailed to their permanent address or via direct deposit.  Student recipients (and parents of dependent student recipients) were notified via an email sent on March 29, 2021.

Additionally, 341 students demonstrating financial need and experiencing financial hardship were awarded direct grants/refunds of $2,095 or $2,096.  These students (and parent(s) of dependent students) were notified via an email sent on March 29, 2021.

As of March 29, 2021, $1,625,002 ($1,398,162 HEERF II funds + $226,840 remaining CARES funds) were awarded, leaving $12,286 for the Student in Need appeals fund to administer. As of June 15, 2021, 668 students have been awarded a total of $1,390,971.

As of October 1, 2021, Saint Joseph University has awarded its entire HEERF2 student grant allocation, $1,398,162, to 573 students.

Q1: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3), if applicable.
Q2: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3), if applicable.

President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) into law on March 11, 2021.  The Plan appropriated funds for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), providing a third round of funds for higher education institutions to support students with financial need, while also assisting with institutional expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saint Joseph’s University was allocated and has accepted funds through HEERF III to assist students with emergency grants, signing the Department’s Certification and Agreement.  The University has not yet, but will receive $3,746,257 to be awarded as one-time grants to students. These one-time grants may be utilized for any component of the student’s cost of attendance, including being directly applied to an existing student account balance with student consent, or for emergency costs that students may have encountered due to COVID-19, such as: tuition, food, housing, course materials, healthcare (including mental healthcare) or child care. 

Eligibility:

The U.S. Department of Education, and the policies established in the ARP, indicate that, “in making such financial aid grants to students, grantees must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Federal Pell Grants. This determination of financial need will be made using information the student provided on the 2021-2022 FAFSA.  Additionally, only students who were enrolled for the fall 2021 semester will be considered, using financial need as the primary qualifier.

Timeline:

August 23, 2021: Following the director of the U.S. Department of Education, 566 Pell eligible students registered for the fall 2021 semester were awarded direct HEERF3 grants in the amount of $2,000.  Funds were issued to the students in the form of a direct refund, issued either by check or direct deposit if the student was enrolled. Student recipients and, in the case of dependent students, the student’s parent (via parent email address on the FAFSA) were notified via email of their awards. 

September 10, 2021: 1,160 2021-22 FAFSA filers, consisting of both undergraduate, adult learner and graduate/professional students registered for the fall semester, demonstrating financial need and having an existing balance with the University, were sent an email inviting them to apply for a HEERF3 grant of up to $2,000, provided that they encountered expenses, as noted above, in relation to COVID-19. Students (and a parent of dependent students) were sent a link to an online application, due October 2^nd. Awards will be made by October 26, 2021, if not before. Students may opt to have the grant directly applied to their account balance, indicating this on the online application.  

October 1, 2021: 564 students have been awarded $1,129,000 in HEERF3 grant funds to date.

October 2, 2021: HEERF3 applications were due from those invited to apply based on meeting specific criteria and the online application is now closed.

Q3: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3), if applicable.
Q4: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3), if applicable
Q1: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF I, II, and III (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3), if applicable

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF III, Student Portion (9-30-21).

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF III, Student Portion (1-10-22)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF III, Student Portion (3-31-22)

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF III, Student Portion (6-30-22)

This information was created prior to University of the Sciences' merger with and into Saint Joseph's University and does not reflect the current, combined institution. References to programs, offices, colleges, employees, etc., may be historical information.

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