USD CARES Act
Education Stabilization Fund
The CARES Act includes the Education Stabilization Fund, which provides states with $30.75 billion to support K-12 and higher education. The amounts each state will receive are largely based on the number of students from lower-income families attending school in that state. The Education Stabilization Fund has three major recipients: K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and emergency relief for governors to use toward education. South Dakota will receive approximately $82 million under the Education Stabilization Fund.
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)
The higher education portion of the Education Stabilization Fund is titled the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), of which South Dakota colleges and universities will receive approximately $34 million. The first half of the funding authorized by the HEERF is designated exclusively for emergency grants to students and the second half of the funding is designated to help institutions. For more detail on HEERF, visit the Department of Education (DoED) website.
The University of South Dakota was allocated a total of $3,634,766 under Section 18004(a)(1). Pursuant to the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students, at least $1,817,383 will be distributed directly to eligible students impacted by campus disruptions due to the coronavirus. The Certification and Agreement for the Institutional Portion states that the remaining $1,817,383 may be used to cover institutional costs associated with the coronavirus.
USD CARES Act Reports
Eligibility
To qualify, you must meet all the following eligibility requirements to qualify for a USD CARES Act grant, including:
- Classify as a USD student taking the majority of classes at a physical USD campus or remote site (i.e., USD Community College for Sioux Falls). This includes students whose on-campus classes transitioned to remote instruction due to COVID-19.
- Demonstrate the expenses related to disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, health care and child-care expenses. (Note: coronavirus was declared a national emergency on March 13, 2020).
- Be in good academic standing and maintaining satisfactory academic progress with the university.
- Be otherwise eligible for Title IV aid as required by the CARES Act, which is determined by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have not yet filed a FAFSA, you will need to complete one in order to verify eligibility.
Applications should take approximately five minutes to complete. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide:
- Name and Student ID
- Brief descriptions on how you have been impacted related to food, housing, course materials, health care and child-care expenses.
- Demonstrate the expenses related to disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, health care and child-care expenses (Note: coronavirus was declared a national emergency on March 13, 2020).
Qualifying students/families with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $8,500 or less may receive up to a $1,500 grant per student. Qualifying students/families with an EFC of more than $8,500 may receive up to a $750 grant per student.
Information Provided by the University of South Dakota to Students Regarding the CARES Act Funding
- Students were notified of the availability of CARES Act funding through an email communication to their official university account. The communication outlined the purpose and amount paid and provided a link to the application.
- Students were reminded of CARES Act funding availability through texts in partnership with the Academic & Career Planning Center through Coyote Connections.
- Faculty and staff were also notified through an email communication to their official university account.
- USD announced the CARES Act program to the public through a press release.
- The University of South Dakota signed and returned the Certification and Agreement for the Institutional Portion of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the CARES Act to the Department of Education on May 8, 2020. These funds were awarded to the college on May 12, 2020.
- The University of South Dakota was allocated a total of $3,634,766 under Section 18004(a)(1). Pursuant to the Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students, at least $1,817,383 will be distributed directly to eligible students impacted by campus disruptions due to the coronavirus. The Certification and Agreement for the Institutional Portion states that the remaining $1,817,383 may be used to cover institutional costs associated with the coronavirus.
- As of December 31, 2020, the University of South Dakota has drawn down funds from the HEERF Institutional Portion. $837,536 has been spent in the areas of technology, lost travel costs and student travel costs, refunds to students, and testing costs.
- Beginning April 6, 2020, the University of South Dakota refunded more than $2,240,059 of room and board charges to students who needed to leave campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The HEERF Institutional Portion ($1,817,383) provides a partial recovery of these funds.
- In addition to the $1,817,383, the University of South Dakota received funding for Strengthening Institutional Programs (P425M200626 & P425M200626 – 20A) in the amount of $183,555. As of December 31, 2020, the University of South Dakota has drawn down $149,963, to meet technology hardware needs for students.
- The University of South Dakota was allocated a total of $5,238,415 in Institutional and Strengthening Institutional Programs under the CRRSAA or the HEERF II program.
- The University of South Dakota was allocated a total of $6,270,907 in Institutional and Strengthening Institutional Programs under the ARPA or the HEERF III program.
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USD has received additional student emergency grant funding through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) HEERF II allocation. USD will distribute the funding among all eligible students to assist with educational costs and other financial challenges related to COVID-19. Each eligible USD student should receive approximately $1,500.
In order to qualify, students must be U.S. citizens or noncitizens eligible to receive federal student aid enrolled in at least one credit hour for the spring 2021 semester. Students do not apply for this funding; those who are eligible will be notified via their USD e-mail. Funding will be disbursed via direct deposit or a check.
It is important to note that these financial aid grants for students are intended for any component of the student’s cost of college attendance — or for emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus pandemic — such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
As a reminder, last year USD disbursed over $1.8 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) student emergency grants.
USD has received additional student emergency grant funding through the American Rescue Plan (HEERF III) allocation. USD is distributing the funding among all eligible students to assist with educational costs and other financial challenges related to Covid-19. Each eligible USD student will receive $2,000 in the Fall 2021 semester and at least $1,250 in the Spring 2022 semester.
Students eligible for an emergency grant will be notified via their USD e-mail and the funds will be applied to students’ accounts through SDePay. These emergency grant funds will not be applied to any outstanding balances. It is important to note that these federal aid grants for students are intended for any component of the cost of college attendance — or for emergency costs that arise due to COVID-19 — such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
University of South Dakota ARP Report as of 10-10-21
