Consumer Information and Disclosures

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is federal legislation which provides a variety of financial support to individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) in the spring of 2020 to provide emergency financial aid grants. At that time, Colleges were required to award a portion of these funds as grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law in December of 2020. As with the CARES Act, a portion of the funds colleges receive are required to be awarded to students. The grants may be used for any component of the student's costs of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or child care.

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2). The ARP appropriated additional funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and represents the third (i.e. III) stream of funding appropriated for HEERF to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Taken together, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), and the ARP represent HEERF I, HEERF II, and HEERF III, respectively.

All students enrolled at Champlain College in the Fall 2021 semester are eligible to receive these funds. This includes students enrolled in a program with Champlain College Online. The legislative language specifically states that colleges are required to prioritize students with exceptional need. Eligibility determinations and grant amounts are based on the amount of funds received by Champlain College and on your Expected Family Contribution as determined when you completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Students who are eligible for a grant at this time will be notified via their MyMail email account. Funds will be distributed automatically unless a student has a current account balance with the College. These students have the option to use the HEERF III funds towards this balance but are not required to in order to receive the funding. Students with account balances will receive additional instructions in their email on how to notify the college of their choice.

Champlain is allocating HEERF III funds to eligible students in accordance with the federal legislation and Department of Education guidance. Individual grants are based on the level of funding received by Champlain College and on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students that did not complete a FAFSA will be eligible for the same grant as students with an EFC above $30,000.

Champlain students eligible for HEERF III funding will be notified via their MyMail email account. The College intends to begin posting the funds the week of November 29 and all funds should be disbursed by the end of December.

HEERF III funds may be used for any component of a student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health costs), or child care.

Students are not required to certify their expenses and will not be asked to provide receipts.

HEERF III funds are grants, not loans, and do not need to be paid back.

No. HEERF III funding is not considered financial assistance under federal statute, nor Department of Education regulations. As such, these funds will not impact your eligibility for regular financial aid (e.g., grants, scholarships, loans).

No. Emergency financial aid grants made by a federal agency, state, Indian tribe, higher education institution or scholarship-granting organization (including a tribal organization) 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).

Changes to Your Family's Financial Situation

If you or your family's financial situation has changed significantly from what is reflected on your 2019 federal income tax return (for example, if you've lost a job or otherwise experienced a drop in income), you may be eligible to have your financial aid adjusted. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss how your current financial situation has changed. If the information on your FAFSA is reviewed and updated by our office you may be eligible for additional institutional, federal, and/or state aid. If processed prior to when HEERF III grant amounts are finalized (week of November 15) you may receive additional HEERF III grant assistance as well.

Note that the school's decision is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.