CARES Act - Part 1

Beginning on May 6, 2020, students were able to apply for emergency assistance by completing the CARES Act Student Emergency Assistance Form.  All requests for assistance were processed on a first-come, first-served basis until allocated funds for Spring 2020 were disbursed.


Emergency Financial Aid Grants Awarded

As of July 9, 2020, there were 5,176 awards made amounting to $3,625,940.00.  At that time, Rowan University had approximately 14,000 students that were eligible to apply for assistance.

Students May Apply For Federal Relief Funds Starting May 6

Rowan University is committed to providing financial aid to students in need, and all the more during the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The most immediate source of aid is Federal funding, which began with the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Starting May 6, 2020, students were able to apply for assistance by completing the CARES Act Student Emergency Assistance Form.  All requests for assistance were processed on a first-come, first-served basis until all the funds were disbursed.

Distribution of Grants

The maximum emergency assistance grant was $2,000 per student. A team of professionals from the Bursar’s and Financial Aid offices were reviewing requests.  Funds were disbursed to students through direct deposit to personal accounts on record or through a check mailed to the address on record. It may have taken up to three weeks from the date of each student’s submission to receive payment.

Process and Evaluation

In alignment with Federal recommendations, Rowan developed a point system to help evaluate who was in most need and helped determine how to distribute the funds based on a rubric that measures six (6) components of award. Students self-disclosed their “need” by answering a series of questions. The point system allows for 100 maximum points based on the following categories:

• Financial Aid Classification
• Food Insecurity
• Housing Security
• Childcare
• Health Care
• Course Material/Technology
  
  

Eligibility

As per the federal requirements, all enrolled students at that time who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens with a valid social security number were eligible for the Higher Education Emergency Relief funding under the CARES Act.  Students who were enrolled exclusively in an online program on or before March 13, 2020 were not eligible for this funding.  International, undocumented, and DACA students were ineligible, as well as students who were in a SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) denied status, students who had not registered for Selective Service (male only), and/or students who had defaulted on federal student loans. Additionally, Rowan University employees (except those hired as student workers) were also ineligible.  At that point in time, funding from the CARES Act was limited to those students who were registered for Spring 2020.

We are committed to helping you make the most of the investment you have already made in your education. We encourage you to take advantage of the support available to you as soon as possible.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact our staff:

Office of Financial Aid by e-mail at financialaid@rowan.edu or by way of chat at rowan.edu/financialaid

Office of the Bursar by e-mail at bursar@rowan.edu or by way of chat at rowan.edu/bursar

Sincerely,

Leonardo T. Freyre
Director for Business Affairs & University Bursar

Pamela D. Gordy
Director of Financial Aid