Funds provided through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) are authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021. This represents the third stream of funding appropriated for HEERF, which was initially established by the CARES Act, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
 
Of the HEERF III funds that Texas A&M is set to receive, approximately $54 million has been made available for Emergency Aid to assist students with unexpected expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Students who have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Texas Application for Student Financial Aid (TASFA), or International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) for 2020-2021 if attending Summer 2021 or for 2021-2022 if attending Fall 2021 and/or Spring 2022 will not need to complete a separate application to apply for HEERF III funds.
 
Students who have not completed a FAFSA, TASFA, or ISFAA and are determined to meet the eligibility requirements detailed in the next section will be sent a unique link that will direct them to a HEERF III Application. The information provided will allow Scholarships & Financial Aid to determine whether these students demonstrate exceptional need. 

Much like with HEERF II, authorized by the CRRSA Act, for HEERF III students do not need to have a FAFSA completed or been determined to qualify for federal financial aid in order to receive HEERF III funds.  However, the ARP Act further expands eligibility to now include all students who are or were enrolled during the COVID-19 national emergency.  This includes:

• U.S. Citizens;
• Permanent Residents;
• Refugees;
• Asylum seekers;
• DACA recipients;
• DREAMers; and
• Other undocumented students.

Additional requirements that will be reviewed to determine priority awarding are –

• Current enrollment (on-ground or online) for the term in which funding is being offered; and
• Demonstration of exceptional need, such as being eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.

As with HEERF II, authorized by the CRRSA Act, for HEERF III institutions are required to prioritize students with exceptional need, as related to components of the student’s cost of attendance. While students are not required to have a FAFSA on file, the information provided via the FAFSA will be the primary way to qualify those with exceptional need.
 
Students who have not filed a FAFSA, TASFA, or ISFAA and meet the listed eligibility criteria will receive a unique link to complete an institutional HEERF III Application. The information provided will allow Scholarships & Financial Aid to determine whether these students demonstrate exceptional need. 

These funds will be distributed amongst the College Station, Galveston, and Health Science Center campuses in the following manner:

• College Station:  $51,013,716
• Galveston:  $1,595,405
• Health Science Center:  $1,382,832

Funding has been set aside for each group, and Emergency Financial Aid Grants will be offered to students who qualify until each respective group’s funding has been exhausted.
 
Completing a 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 FAFSA, TASFA or ISFAA, or submitting a HEERF III Application does not guarantee receipt the of an Emergency Financial Aid Grant from HEERF III funds. 

Yes. Students will receive an email notifying them if they qualify for an Emergency Financial Aid Grant from HEERF III funds. The email will explain how the aid will appear on the student’s billing statement and when they can expect to receive the funds. 

No. Funding provided as a result of the ARP Act is considered a grant, so unlike a loan there is no expectation that it be repaid. 

Yes; however, this is at the student's discretion. Beginning with the Fall 2021 semester, students who are enrolled and determined to be eligible for an Emergency Financial Aid Grant from HEERF III funds will be sent a questionnaire explaining that it may be received in one of two ways:

• Applied to current term charges owed to Texas A&M University; or
• Sent directly to the student

If a student chooses to have funds applied to institutional charges, they will apply only towards those current term charges which are normally paid by Title IV aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, etc.), such as:

• Tuition
• Fees
• Housing
• Meal Plans

The preference selected by a student on this questionnaire is final and cannot be changed after submission. 

This depends on how a student chooses to receive their Emergency Financial Aid Grant from HEERF III funds (please refer to the above FAQ). 
 
If a student selects to have the funds sent directly to them, it will not be applied by Texas A&M toward any outstanding balances that may still be owed. As such, receipt of these funds does not indicate the recipient has satisfied their financial obligations to Texas A&M for any charges incurred.
 
If a student instead selects to have their Emergency Financial Aid Grant from HEERF III funds applied to their current term charges, then it is possible that receiving a refund indicates the account balance has been paid.  However, please keep in mind that these funds will only apply to charges which are normally paid by Title IV aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, etc.), such as:

• Tuition
• Fees
• Housing
• Meal Plans

If a student owes for charges that are not normally paid by Title IV aid, such as an orientation fee, then those amounts will still need to be paid. For up-to-date billing information, please check your current student account balance in the Howdy Portal. 

No. Emergency financial aid grants made by a higher education institution to a student because of an event related to the COVID-19 national emergency are not included in the student's gross income. For more information, please see the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) bulletin Emergency aid granted to students due to COVID is not taxable (March 30, 2021), as well as the IRS’ Higher Education Emergency Grants Frequently Asked Questions. 

Yes. Financial aid applications collect income information from two years prior to the academic year for which you are applying. But, if you or your family’s income has been significantly reduced in the past two years due to COVID-19 or other circumstances, you may be eligible to submit a Family Contribution Appeal. Through a Family Contribution Appeal, you have the opportunity to submit documentation showing a loss of income and request that the information on your financial aid application be updated to reflect the actual income received in a more recent or current year.
 
Watch our Family Contribution Appeals video for more information.
 
To see if your circumstances qualify for a Family Contribution Appeal, complete a short questionnaire in your Financial Aid Portal by following the instructions below –

• Log in to the Howdy portal
• Click on the Financial Aid Portal icon;
• In the Financial Aid Portal, click on “Helpful Links” in the menu on the left;
• Under “My FAFSA information has changed” click “Submit Information”; and
• If your circumstances qualify for a Family Contribution Appeal, you will be given further instructions immediately after submitting the questionnaire. Those instructions will be shown on the closing page of the questionnaire after submitting.

Even if your income has changed, it may not result in a change in the amount of financial aid you receive.