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On March 27th, 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was passed by Congress. Allowing students at the University of Evansville to receive a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). The estimated total number of enrolled students at UE who are eligible for this emergency grant is currently 1900. Last year, International students were not eligible to apply for HEERF.
New regulations were changed under President Biden administration. Opening it up to all students to receive HEERF including the 265 international students at UE. Iyen Enaruna, senior International student at UE, expressed that he is extremely grateful to receive the HEERF grant. In the previous years , Enaruna has tried to apply for multiple grants led by the Federal Government but was not due to the fact “ I was not eligible to file FAFSA and receive federal aid from the government”. Enaruna stated the money he received assisted with purchasing things for school and groceries.
The bill granted $2.2 trillion to provide fast and direct economic aid to the American people negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately, 14 billion dollars is put towards HEERF for all students across the United States. It is confidential information on how much the University of Evansville received.
With such an uncertain economic future and recovery from a pandemic, students need relief. Expanding the information about HEERF would allow students to get an infusion of cash that is greatly needed to pay for rent, bills, groceries, or if needed to pay off any students debts.
Becky Hamilton, Director of Student Financial Services, stated that the University funding of the HEERF grant is “ based on level of need. We look at a student’s needs based on what they filed on their FASFA and because International students could not apply for FASFA we came up with a set amount for International students”.
At the University of Evansville several students home countries had extreme lockdown measures such as Spain, United Kingdom, Canada , Israel, and Germany. Leaving many international students stranded in Evansville and losing their part-time summer jobs back home due to Covid-19. That put international students in a vulnerable position. The Federal Government played a beneficial role in granted HEERF to international students assisting them back to their normal way of living.
According to reported data by the University of Evansville, this semester a total of 1,241 students received an emergency grant. Hamilton strongly suggested that all students at the University of Evansville should know that the Financial aid office is asking students who haven’t applied yet to submit an authorization that says they want to receive their money. There is about  “ 500 students who haven’t submitted an authorization”. It is important to spread the word to both International and domestic students that have yet not file their authorization form. Giving the Financial aid department permission to release their money to them.
With such an uncertain economic future, students need relief. Expanding the information about HEERF would allow students to get an infusion of cash that is greatly needed to pay for rent, bills, groceries, or if needed to pay off any students debts.
At UE they issued all students to file for HEERF before September 10th, , 2021 for the September disbursement. It is not too late for students to file that had missed the previous deadline. October 15th will be the last day to submit an authorization to get funding for fall semester. There will be another round granted in the spring if you unfortunately missed both deadlines in the fall. It’s encouraged highly encouraged that all students apply for the HEERF grant as all the school needs is your authorization.

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