Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund 3 (HEERF III)
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As required by the CARES, CRRSAA, and ARP; and, in compliance with guidance from the US Department of Education (the "Department"), Columbia University reports here its use of the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. The Department's May 6, 2020 guidance (as updated by 85 Fed. Reg. 53802-53804) identified seven topics on which each institution receiving funding must report. The Department's requirements appear in bold below and the University's response to these is immediately afterward.
*The Department's requirements appear in bold below and the University's response to these is immediately afterward.
An acknowledgment that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under the ARP (a)(1) program to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
The University hereby acknowledges that it signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 2003(a)(1) of ARP to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
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 Students under the ARP (a)(1) program.
Columbia University has been awarded $16,527,678 from the Department pursuant to the institution's Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under the ARP (a)(1) program as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the initial report and every calendar quarter thereafter).
For the period ending June 30, 2021, Columbia University has not distributed HEERF III ARP funding to eligible students. Programs will launch soon and be communicated to students.
For the period ending September 30, 2021, Columbia University distributed $876,285 in Emergency Financial Aid grants to eligible students. For the period ending December 31, 2021, Columbia University distributed $13,654,749 in Emergency Financial Aid grants to eligible students. For the period ending March 31, 2022, Columbia University distributed $1,635,233 in Emergency Financial Aid grants to eligible students.
The estimated total number of students at the institution that is eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the ARP (a)(1) program.
Enrollment at the University changes by term and year. For illustrative purposes, fall 2020 enrollment was 31,455.
The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under the ARP (a)(1) program.
For the period ending June 30, 2021, Columbia University has not distributed HEERF III ARP funding to eligible students.
For the period ending September 30, 2021, a total of 279 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid grant. For the period ending December 31, 2021, a total of 9,916 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid grant. For the period ending March 31, 2022, a total of 2,299 students have received an Emergency Financial Aid grant.
The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under the ARP (a)(1) program.
For the period ending June 30, 2021, the University has not allocated the HEERF III ARP funds and more information will be provided at a later date.For the period ending September 30, 2021, the University is in the process of allocating the majority of the funds to a program designed to target its neediest full-time students in schools that do not have a “meet need / no-loan” or fully funded” financial aid policy as well as allocating funds for each school's financial aid office to disburse through programs available to all students. All funds will be disbursed in compliance with the terms of ARP. As of December 31, 2021, the University allocated a majority of the funds to its neediest students through a central initiative. Further details of the initiative can be found in the HEERF III Program Details page. The remaining portion of the award was allocated to each school's financial aid office to disburse the funds in compliance with the terms of ARP.
Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Schools launched programs and detailed information was provided to students by their home school, including instructions on eligibility, how to apply, how funds will be disbursed, what funds can be used for, and other pertinent information. Students should direct questions to the financial aid office of their home school.
In addition, the University has signed and returned a certification agreement for the Institutional portion of the funding. Quarterly reporting can be found on the following pages:
Frequently Asked Questions
For HEERF CARES ACT funding, eligible students must be US citizens and eligible non-citizens who are eligible to participate in US Federal Financial Aid. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants. Your school's financial aid office will contact students who are being invited to apply for funding, although the information will be coming after the New Year, the week beginning January 4, 2021. Disbursements, accordingly, will not occur until after this date.
For HEERF CARES ACT funding, eligible students must be US citizens and eligible non-citizens who are eligible to participate in US Federal Financial Aid. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants. Your school's financial aid office will contact students who are being invited to apply for funding, although the information will be coming after the New Year, the week beginning January 4, 2021. Disbursements, accordingly, will not occur until after this date.
Your school's financial aid office will contact students who are being invited to apply for funding, although the information will be coming after the New Year, the week beginning January 4, 2021. Disbursements, accordingly, will not occur until after this date.
No. The funds provided by the CARES Act are grants, so they do not need to be repaid.e
No. According to the Internal Revenue Service, “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.” For more information please visit: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-higher-educationemergency-relief-fund-and-emergency-financial-aid-grants-under-the-cares-act.
Emergency financial aid grants to students can be used for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student's cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).
Funds will be paid directly to students via direct deposit or check. We strongly encourage students to register for direct deposit to avoid delays. Instructions to do so are available here. Students not registered for direct deposit will have checks mailed to their mailing address in SSOL.
The intent of this funding is to provide emergency assistance to students. The funding will not be applied to any balance you may have on your Columbia account. The funding will be provided directly to you by direct deposit or check.
No, this funding will not affect your current or future financial aid eligibility.
If you are an international student in need of emergency financial assistance because of unanticipated expenses that you incurred as a result of the pandemic, please contact your school’s financial aid office.