MAY 8, 2020 — UTSA is fast-tracking the distribution of emergency aid from the CARES Act to support students in need. The university received $14,828,444 from the federal government in its first allocation of CARES Act funding, and today is beginning to award grants to more than 2,500 students to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since opening the application process for emergency aid in mid-April, UTSA students have applied for emergency aid totaling more than $4 million so far. The majority of requests are for assistance with housing and course-related expenses.
UTSA expects to receive a total of three rounds of CARES funding from the federal government. In accordance with federal guidelines, the university is distributing this entire first round to students who are struggling financially due to the pandemic.
“The coronavirus pandemic has impacted our students in ways they never could have expected.”
“The coronavirus pandemic has impacted our students in ways they never could have expected,” said Lynn Barnes, senior vice provost for strategic enrollment. “We want students to know that UTSA has efficient processes in place to quickly distribute this emergency funding to eligible students who have experienced additional expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.”
Students may request emergency aid to help with cost of attendance expenses such as food, housing, health care and child care following guidance from the federal government. Students may also apply for funding to cover costs related to technology and course materials for online education. Students who may also be struggling due to income losses should complete the emergency aid application so the university can assist them through other means beyond CARES funds.
According to the federal government, students must have a 2019–2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid on file or be eligible to submit a FAFSA in order to receive emergency funding from the CARES Act. Students who need to submit a FAFSA are encouraged to contact the One Stop Enrollment Center at 210-458-8000 or [email protected] for assistance with the completion of the application.
⇒ Submit an Emergency Financial Aid application to receive CARES Act funding.
“At UTSA, we recognize that many of our students and their families are struggling. We are committed to their success and to helping them through this crisis so they can achieve their goals,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Now that the funding can be disbursed, we can move it quickly into the hands of students who have been impacted by the pandemic.”
UTSA has applied for a second round of funding, $14,828,443, to recover some of the unexpected costs and expenses it’s incurred during the pandemic. Once received, UTSA intends to distribute much of this second round of funding to students as financial aid and scholarships as needed.
Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Education announced that UTSA also would be eligible to apply for an additional $2.1 million in funding as a Hispanic Serving Institution to further support students in need. UTSA is in the process of completing that application, due August 1, 2020.
