JULY 7, 2021 — UTSA disbursed more than $11.7 million in relief funding in June to the university’s students as part of ongoing efforts to support students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which was established through the CARES Act, provides emergency financial aid grants to students who have faced significant unexpected expenses and are experiencing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund helps eligible students cover the cost of tuition, food, housing, technology, health care, child care and course-related expenses.
“We recognize that our Roadrunner students and their families continue to experience unmet financial needs from COVID impacts.”
To date, UTSA has disbursed over $35 million in HEERF emergency financial aid grants via more than 50,000 individual awards to help students cover pandemic-related expenses.
“Even as we emerge from the pandemic and enjoy a significantly improved public health outlook, we recognize that our Roadrunner students and their families continue to experience unmet financial needs from COVID impacts,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “UTSA is committed to supporting these students as they persist in their education and progress toward their degrees.”
The grants this month were distributed to more than 10,000 students who are enrolled in summer 2021 classes and have a FAFSA or TAFSA financial aid application on file with the university. All impacted students were notified earlier this month.
Additionally, UTSA has opened a HEERF aid application form to support currently enrolled students who do not have a FAFSA or TAFSA financial aid application on file. Students who have not previously received HEERF or CARES federal assistance and who have pandemic-related educational expenses can submit the HEERF aid application form for funding consideration. All eligible students will receive an email detailing the new application process.
