COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Disclosures

Report and Disclosure

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting
Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students –
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (00262900)
Thirty Day Report and Disclosure
August 31, 2021

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Rutgers) acknowledges it signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement on April 10, 2020, and certifies that Rutgers has used 50% of the funds received under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

1. The total amount of funds Rutgers received on April 27, 2020, from the U.S. Department of Education for distribution to students is $27,080,320.
2. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of August 31, 2021, is $27,080,320.
3. The estimated total number of students at Rutgers 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 under section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act is 40,673.
4. The total number of students who received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of August 31, 2021 is 25,389.
5. The methods used to determine which and how many students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants are as follows –
   • A currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student for term of disbursement
   • Eligible for funding under a Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965
   • Maximum total award per student is $1,500
6. Awards are prioritized based on student type and individual as explained below:
   • Student Type Prioritization Hierarchy
     • Pell eligible undergraduate student
   • Need Type Prioritization Hierarchy
     • Food;
     • Housing;
     • Educational Technology;
     • Health Care;
     • Child Care;
     • Other (books, transportation, etc.)
7. The instructions, directions, or guidance provided by Rutgers to all students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants were sent via University email and published on the University website.
8. The grant appears with the following name CARES Award.
9. The grant will be awarded through financial aid and disbursed directly to students via electronic deposit to the student’s bank account or via paper check.
10. The grant will be processed through Accounts Payable and will not be applied to or used to offset any charge, debt, tuition, fees, or other balance in a student account, nor will it be encumbered in any manner by Rutgers University.
11. Students who enroll in direct deposit via the Bank of American Zelle process will have access to the funds in approximately three business days from the date of disbursement. For those not enrolled in direct deposit, Accounts Payable will issue a check which may take up to fourteen business days from disbursement.

Previous Disclosures

• September 15, 2020
• October 31, 2020
• November 30, 2020
• December 31, 2020
• January 31, 2021
• February 28, 2021
• March 31, 2021
• April 30, 2021
• May 31, 2021
• June 30, 2021
• July 31, 2021

Quarterly Reports

• September 30, 2020
• December 31, 2020
• March 31, 2021
• June 30, 2021

DOE Frequently Asked Questions:

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfstudentfaqs.pdf.pdf

IRS FAQ Information:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-higher-education-emergency-relief-fund-and-emergency-financial-aid-grants-under-the-cares-act

NASFAA COVID-19 Reference Page:

https://www.nasfaa.org/covid19_heerf

The funds have been allocated to chancellors’ offices at Rutgers-New Brunswick, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden. Awards to students will be made by each chancellor-led unit on a first-come, first-serve basis. Funding amounts will vary based on a student’s demonstrated needs and required documentation.

HEERF 2 (Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund) Funding Update

In mid-April Rutgers began awarding HEERF 2 funding to students demonstrating “exceptional need” as required by the US Department of Education.  For purposes of HEERF 2 funding, Rutgers will be defining exceptional need as a smaller subset of those students who are currently receiving Federal Pell Grants.  In the initial round of distributing HEERF 2 funds, this subset of Pell recipients will receive their awards as a direct grant and will not be required to apply for funding.  

Remaining funds will be distributed via an online application process that will ask for detailed information about the individual student’s COVID-19 disruption and their need for funding. Students will be alerted through email when the application is available for their use.   

For all students receiving HEERF 2 funding, note that you may opt-in to using the funds to pay any outstanding charges on your student account, or you may choose to receive the funds as a direct payment via check. 

As of August 31, 2021:

1. The total amount of funds Rutgers received from the U.S. Department of Education for this distribution to students is $27,080,320.
2. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under section 18004(a)(1) of the CRRSA Act as of August 31, 2021, is $26,770,008.
3. The estimated total number of students at Rutgers 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 under section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act is 40,673.
4. The total number of students who received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under section 18004(a)(1) of the CRRSA Act as of August 31, 2021 is 29,688.

Previous Disclosures

• May 31, 2021
• June 30, 2021
• July 31, 2021

Quarterly Reports

• June 30, 2021

The funds have been allocated to chancellors’ offices at Rutgers-New Brunswick, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden. Awards to students will be made by each chancellor-led unit on a first-come, first-serve basis. Funding amounts will vary based on a student’s demonstrated needs and required documentation.