Common to all COVID-19 Stimulus and Relief packages, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Act legislation contains the requirement for UAA to offer this assistance to the neediest students, therefore based on federal methodology, use of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is critical in determining need for those without anecdotal or documented proof of economic hardship. Consistent with past practices, any funds that become available due to the requirement to resolve checks uncashed by students, UAA may apportion this money in two separate and distinct means to make distribution as equitable as possible while meeting the spirit of the regulation for financial need.
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law. This provided an additional $10 million dollars in emergency financial assistance to award to students for COVID-19 related hardships experienced on or after December 27, 2020. HEERF III funds must prioritize grants to students with exceptional financial need, such as those who receive Federal Pell Grants. Due to a return of uncashed checks from prior distributions, UAA had a total of $65,827.38 to reallocate in HEERF III monies. This total was awarded on December 14, 2022 to 531 students who attended during the 2022/2023 Fall semester. At this time all HEERF monies have been fully expended. This notice serves as the University of Alaska Anchorage's final FY23 second quarterly report.
If you are struggling to cover your college expenses, UAA's Office of Financial Aid is here to help. To speak with a financial aid representative or to schedule an appointment, please call 907-786-1480, and select Option 4 from the main menu.
The University of Alaska Anchorage has received an institutional funding allocation of CARES Act funding from the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $ 21,427,950 from CARES Act Section 18004(a)(1) and $ 1,672,598 .00 from CARES Act Section 18004(a)(2).* As of the December 31, 2021 quarterly billing cycle end, these funds continued to have been used to provide additional emergency financial aid grants to students, reimbursements for tuition, housing, room and board, other fee refunds, or to purchase faculty and staff training in online instruction.
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund - CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3)
* * This serves as acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used the full amount of the student funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. The estimated total number of students at the institution 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 to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, under ARP in AY 22/23, is 10,530 based on our Fall 2022 unduplicated student population as of the Fall semester freeze date, as provided by Institutional Research.
