CARES Act: Emergency Funding - Student Financial Services

Student Financial Services

North Foundation Hall, Room 120
318 Meadow Brook Road
Rochester, MI 48309-4454
(location map)
(248) 370-2550
Have your Grizzly ID ready
finservices@oakland.edu
M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
OU school code: 002307

Student employment contact: studentempl@oakland.edu

**All CARES Act funding has been exhausted. Please view information HEERF III Emergency Funding.**

We know the COVID-19 pandemic has caused financial hardships for many students and their families. Please be assured that we are committed to making sure your journey through Oakland University is affordable, especially during this difficult time.

OU received funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grants to eligible students. Read below to learn more about these emergency grants.

PHASE III - Fall 2020 Recipients

Eligibility:

Title IV federal aid eligible
- completed the 2020-21 FAFSA
- awarded some type of federal aid/loans
- verification complete, if federally selected
Enrolled in the Fall 2020 semester in at least one (1) credit hour
Not enrolled in one of Oakland University's 100% online programs

Grant amount:

$500
- application required
- distributed in the same manner as financial aid refunds
- does not need to be repaid

Application deadline:

October 15, 2020

If you received the grant for Winter or Summer 2020 and need additional assistance: You should consider applying for the Student Emergency Relief Fund.

Phase II - Winter & Summer 2020 Recipients

The second wave of funding was disbursed to eligible students via an application process.

Eligibility:

Must be Title IV federal aid eligible
- completed the 2019-20 FAFSA by June 30
- awarded some type of federal aid/loans
- verification complete, if federally selected

Grant amount:

$500
- application required
- distributed in the same manner as financial aid refunds
- does not need to be repaid

Application deadline:

August 22, 2020

If you received the grant for Winter 2020 and need additional assistance: You can still apply for more CARES Act HEERF emergency funding. You should also consider applying for the Student Emergency Relief Fund.

Phase I - Winter 2020 Recipients

The first wave of funding was disbursed to eligible students who were enrolled in the Winter 2020 semester. These grants were automatic; no application process was necessary.

Eligibility:

Must be Title IV federal aid eligible
- completed the 2019-20 FAFSA
- awarded some type of federal aid/loans
- verification complete, if federally selected
Must be enrolled in the Winter 2020 semester in at least 1 credit hour as of March 13
Must not be enrolled in exclusively online courses as of March 13 for the Winter 2020 semester

Grant amount:

$500
- automatic grant (no application process)
- distributed in the same manner as financial aid refunds
- does not need to be repaid

If you are eligible: You were notified about the award via your OU email. To date, 10,681 Oakland University students were notified and received instructions on how to receive the money.

If you are not eligible: Title IV eligible students may still apply for emergency CARES Act HEERF grants to help with expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you received the grant and need additional assistance: You can apply for more CARES Act HEERF emergency funding. You should also consider applying for the Student Emergency Relief Fund.

FAQs

How did OU decide who will receive the grants?

With guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, a committee collaborated with OU leadership to establish the following criteria:

Students must be Title IV federal aid eligible (2019-20 FAFSA, awarded some type of federal aid/loans, verification complete if federally selected).
Students must be enrolled in the Winter 2020 semester in at least 1 credit hour as of March 13.
Students must not be enrolled in exclusively online courses as of March 13 for the Winter 2020 semester.

When will money be deposited to bank accounts?

If you signed up for non-payroll direct deposit by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13, funds will be received in your bank account beginning on Friday, May 15.
If you sign up for non-payroll direct deposit by 8 a.m. on Monday, May 18, funds will be received in your bank account beginning on Wednesday, May 20.
If you sign up for non-payroll direct deposit by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20, funds will be received in your bank account by Friday, May 22.
If you did not sign up for non-payroll direct deposit, checks will be mailed starting on Friday, May 22.

I’m having trouble setting up non-payroll direct deposit, what should I do?

For assistance, please contact sbstech@oakland.edu.

I don’t want to set up direct deposit, can you mail a check instead?

To receive your funds in the safest and fastest way, we strongly encourage you to sign up for non-payroll direct deposit. If you do not sign up, paper checks will be mailed to eligible students beginning on May 22. Please note that mailing time can add several additional days before payment reaches your home address.

My friend got an email about being eligible so why didn’t I get an email?

Only eligible students received the email.

I graduated in April, will I still receive this grant?

Students who attended Winter 2020 semester and have now graduated were deemed by OU to be eligible for the grant, since they met the criteria for the funds and were included in the number of eligible students the OU funding allocation was based on.

I’m an international student, can I receive this grant?

Unfortunately, international students are not eligible. Please learn more about scholarships specifically for international students as well as the Student Emergency Relief Fund.

FAQs

Do these grants count as financial aid?

No, they do not count as estimated financial assistance and are not added to or included in a student’s financial aid package.

Do I have to pay them back?

CARES Act HEERF grants are not loans and do not have to be paid back.

Are these grants taxable?

CARES Act HEERF grants are not included in your gross income, therefore they are non-taxable. You cannot claim any deduction or credit for expenses paid with the grant including the tuition and fees deduction, the American Opportunity Credit, or the Lifetime Learning Credit. See section 139(h) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Why is the grant limited to $500?

The grant was limited to $500 in order to distribute the funds to as many OU students who met the federal criteria as possible.

I’m attending OU in the fall, will I receive this grant?

You may be eligible for a CARES Act HEERF grant, if you are impacted by the campus disruption due to COVID-19. Students enrolled in one of Oakland University’s 100% online programs are not eligible. Please learn more about how to apply for an emergency grant. You should also consider applying for the Student Emergency Relief Fund. And, if you’re having trouble making your tuition payments, please contact us immediately at (248) 370-2550. We are ready to work with you to make sure you have a plan in place to afford your education.

How can I become eligible for the grants?

To establish eligibility, you must file a 2020-21 FAFSA, then you can apply for a CARES Act HEERF grant.

Do I have to be registered for Fall courses to receive the grant?

Yes, you must be registered for fall courses. Make sure you have filed a 2020-2021 FAFSA, then you can apply for a CARES Act HEERF grant.