Rowan University is participating in the third round of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III) aid that was authorized under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, which was signed into law on March 11, 2021.  Rowan received $40,808,150.00 in HEERF III funds of which $20,506,216.00 will be disbursed to students in need of emergency assistance.    

Students May Apply For Federal Relief Funds Starting July 12, 2021

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 begins with the third round of HEERF III aid that was authorized under the ARP Act of 2021.

Starting July 12, 2021, students registered for summer will be able to apply for assistance by completing the HEERF III - Student Emergency Assistance Form.  All requests for assistance will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until the application closes at 5:00 pm on July 27, 2021.  Students can also access the form by logging into Self-Service Banner (using their Rowan Network ID and password).  Once logged in, go to the "Student" tab, select the link “Submit Electronic Forms”, and then select the “HEERF III - Student Emergency Assistance” form.


Distribution of Grants

The maximum emergency assistance grant is $1,500.00 per student, with "low resourced" students receiving a multiplier of 1.5x.  A team of professionals from the Offices of the Bursar and Financial Aid will be reviewing requests.  Funds will be disbursed to students through direct deposit to personal accounts on record or through a check mailed to the address on record.  It may take up to three (3) 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 five (5) 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:

• Food Insecurity
• Housing Security
• Course Material/Technology
• Unemployment/Reduction in Hours
• Low-Resourced Students 1.5x

Eligibility

As per the federal requirements, all currently enrolled students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens with a valid social security number are eligible for HEERF III relief funds, regardless of whether they completed a FAFSA or are eligible for Title IV.  Additionally, students who fall in any of the following categories are eligible for HEERF III funding:  

• Non-degree seeking, non-credit, dual enrollment, and continuing education students;
• Students exclusively enrolled in distance education; and
• Refugees, asylum seekers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients, other DREAMers, and similar undocumented students.

Rowan University employees (except those hired as student workers) are ineligible.

 

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, or you can reference our FAQ page here.

Total Number of Awards to Date

As of August 3, 2021, there were 1,275 awards made amounting to $1,115,500.00.  At that time, Rowan University had approximately 5,300 students that were eligible to apply for assistance.