ARP (HEERF III) Student Portion and Institutional Portion Emergency Fund Report
View the full ARP (HEERF III) Student Portion and Institutional Portion Emergency Aid Fund Report Here.
Status – Student Portion
On 7/6/2021, JMU began the process of awarding HEERF III funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP). As of 9/30/21, all of the funds have been awarded, which means no additional appeals can be accepted at this time.
Overview – Student Portion
As a result of Congress passing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), JMU has been allocated $15,914,548 in emergency student aid. This aid will be awarded as HEERF III Grants.
Who Will Receive Funds? – Student Portion
Summer 2021 - A block grant of $2,000 will be awarded to all students enrolled on an at least a half-time basis of courses during the Summer 2021 term, and who received a Federal Pell Grant during that term. No appeal options will be available for students enrolled in this term. Pell Grant recipients in Summer 2021 defined as exceptionally needed.
Academic Year – Awarding will be conducted for two groups.
Group 1: Fall 2021 students enrolled in an at least a half-time basis of courses at the time the award is made with an EFC from the FAFSA less than $26,001. These students will be offered a $2,000 award. Students not meeting the Group 1 criteria when those offers were made will not automatically be offered an award if they later meet the criteria. Instead, those students will need to follow the Group 2 instructions to be considered for funds.
Group 2: Students enrolled in an at least a half-time basis of courses during the term in which they are appealing, and who were not awarded in Summer 2021 or Group 1 during the Fall 2021 term, may submit an individual appeal for up to $2,000. Students are not required to submit a FAFSA and/or be U.S. Citizens to submit an appeal for HEERF III funds.
Awards will be made as long as funding remains to do so. Funds are limited, and once all funds have been expended, no additional appeals can be accepted.
Students may not receive more than $2,000 in total from HEERF III funding, so individual appeals will not be accepted for any student who has already received that amount.
Timeframe and Process for Awarding – Student Portion
Summer 2021 awards occurred during the summer term.
Academic Year awarding will take place in two phases:
- Group 1 Students: The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will post a HEERF III Grant for the student in MyMadison. Once the awards are loaded, students will be sent an e-mail Award Notice to their JMU e-mail account directing them to MyMadison to view the award.
The next steps for these students are:
- No action is needed on their part if the student meets the criteria outlined in the Award Notice. The grant will automatically disburse without the need for the student to do anything else.
- If students determine they do not meet the criteria outlined in the Award Notice, they should e-mail us at fin_aid_covid@jmu.edu and request it be canceled.
- Students have the option to e-mail us at fin_aid_covid@jmu.edu if they would like to reduce the amount of the award, which would make funds available for another student.
By accepting the refund a HEERF III award will generate, students are acknowledging they have a need for these funds to help with your educational costs, or that they have incurred emergency costs arising due to Coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.
- Group 2 Students: As of 9/30/21, all of the funds have been awarded, which means no additional appeals can be accepted at this time. Therefore, the link to the appeal form has been removed.
ARP HEERF III Emergency Aid FAQ’s – Student Portion
As a result of Congress passing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), JMU has been allocated $15,914,548 in emergency student aid. This aid will be awarded as HEERF III Grants.
Summer 2021 – Students enrolled on an at least a half-time basis of courses during the term, and who received a Federal Pell Grant during that term. No appeal options are available for students enrolled in this term.
Academic Year - Any student enrolled on at least a half-time basis who has faced significant unexpected expenses, such as the loss of employment (either for themselves or their families), reduced income, or food or housing insecurity. These emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.
Awards will be made as long as funding remains to do so. Funds are limited, and once all funds have been expended, no additional appeals can be accepted.
Students enrolled on at least a half-time basis in the term in which they are submitting an appeal, and who have not already received a $2,000 HEERF III Grant in Summer 2021 or any other time during the 2021-22 award year. This includes all continuing education, undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, DACA (or other undocumented students), and international students.
Students should check the Financial Aid section of their MyMadison account to see if a HEERF III Grant has been awarded before submitting appeal. If a grant was already awarded, then an appeal will not be accepted.
As of 9/30/21, all of the funds have been awarded, which means no additional appeals can be accepted at this time. Therefore, the link to the appeal form has been removed.
Summer 2021 – Yes, as grants will only be awarded during this term to students who are enrolled at least half-time and receiving a Federal Pell Grant.
Academic Year - Students are not required to submit a FAFSA and/or be U.S. Citizens to submit an appeal for HEERF III funds.
These emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.
Any student enrolled on at least a half-time basis who has faced significant unexpected expenses, such as the loss of employment (either for themselves or their families), reduced income, or food or housing insecurity would be considered “needy” for the purposes of receiving a HEERF III award. These emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.
In addition, students who submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) have the opportunity to following the Professional Judgment instructions to have their FAFSA and other aid eligibility reviewed.
Unfortunately, no. Awards will be made as long as funding remains to do so. Funds are limited, and once all funds have been expended, no additional appeals can be accepted.
Unfortunately, no. Students may not receive more than $2,000 in total from HEERF III funding, so individual appeals will not be accepted for any student who has already received that amount.
While we cannot give you a specific timeframe on when you will receive your funds, we can say that the refund to you will be generated as quickly as possible.
Students will receive their award through the refund process established in the University Business Office. If you have questions about setting up the refund process, please review the website at www.jmu.edu/ubo. These funds will not be held and applied to any JMU charges. Once received, students may use the funds to assist with the designated expenses, including using them to make a payment to JMU for tuition charges. These are grant awards, with no expectation of being repaid.
No, the funds will be refunded directly to you. JMU will not apply these funds to any outstanding charges. Once received, students may use the funds to assist with the designated expenses, including using them to make a payment towards their JMU charges.
Yes, students in certificate programs may submit an appeal at HEERF III Emergency Aid Appeal Application to apply for assistance.
Awards will be made as long as funding remains to do so. Funds are limited, and once all funds have been expended, no additional appeals can be accepted.
As of 9/30/21, all of the funds have been awarded, which means no additional appeals can be accepted at this time. Therefore, the link to the appeal form has been removed.
No, HEERF III Grant awards will not reduce your financial aid package.
Yes, students undocumented and international students may submit an appeal at HEERF III Emergency Aid Appeal Application to apply for assistance.
Awards will be made as long as funding remains to do so. Funds are limited, and once all funds have been expended, no additional appeals can be accepted.
As of 9/30/21, all of the funds have been awarded, which means no additional appeals can be accepted at this time. Therefore, the link to the appeal form has been removed.
It is our understanding based on information from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that HEERF III Grants awarded to students under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) are not treated as taxable income. The same is true for HEERF I and HEERF II funds awarded under the CARES and CRRSSA acts.
According to the IRS website, "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."
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