May 7 CARES Emergency Student Grant

5/07/2020 12:09 p.m.

Members of the SU Community:

In March, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included funding to assist students through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. SU has been granted a pool of CARES Act Emergency Grant funds to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office has identified approximately 4,000 students meeting federal eligibility criteria to receive immediate CARES Act assistance based on enrollment, U.S. citizenship, satisfactory academic progress and level of need as determined by their current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information. These students each will receive a credit of $450 or $550 to provide reimbursement for travel and technology expenses they may have incurred as residence halls were closed and SU classes moved online earlier this semester. Funding should appear in students’ accounts by Friday, May 15.

Additional CARES Act funding has been allocated for SU emergency aid applications. Students meeting enrollment, U.S. citizenship and satisfactory academic progress requirements who are Title IV eligible and have incurred an economic hardship or expenses due to the disruption of campus activities directly related to COVID-19 may apply for reimbursement through this fund. Applications will be available soon on  SU's Academic Works Website.

While federal restrictions do not permit the use of CARES Act funding for those not identified as U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, non-degree students or online-only students, SU provides a resource for individuals in those categories through the Student Emergency Fund. Current students struggling to attend SU due to COVID-19-related expenses or other essential needs, including those who do not meet CARES Act eligibility, are encouraged to apply for assistance at the SU Emergency Fund Website.

For more information about the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief fund, visit the U.S. Department of Education CARES Act Website. For more information on SU’s CARES Act funding, please email finaid@salisbury.edu.