Bard College signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement. The College intends to use no less than fifty percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
The total amount that the College received under the HEERF III student aid allocation was $2,630,126. The College is currently determining an equitable method to distribute emergency aid due to recent citizenship changes to eligibility criteria.
The total amount that the College received under the HEERF II student aid allocation was $1,032,393. As of 9/30/21, the College has distributed approximately $985,000 to 1,460 eligible students. As of 6/30/21, the College has distributed approximately $971,378 to 1,453 eligible students. As of 3/31/21, the College has notified approximately 1,440 eligible students of $948,500 in grants.The total amount that the College received under the HEERF I student aid allocation was $1,032,393. The College has expended all available HEERF I Student Aid Allocation. As of 6/30/21, the College has distributed approximately $1,032,393 to 1,300 eligible students. As of 3/31/21, the College has distributed approximately $1,024,788.28 to 1,294 eligible students. As of 12/31/20, the College has distributed approximately $1,021,662.94 to 1,294 eligible students. As of 9/30/20, the College has distributed approximately $1,018,662.94 to 1,294 eligible students. As of 8/17/20, the College has distributed approximately $1,010,662.94 to 1,290 eligible students. As of 7/2/20, the College has distributed approximately $988,917.94 to 1,290* eligible students. As of 5/22/20, the College has distributed approximately $903,984.97 to 1,287 eligible students.
*The increase is a result of non-title IV eligible US students receiving HEERF I grants during the window they were granted eligibility as part of the Department of Education's May 21st update.
Announcements
10/8/21 - We will begin awarding HEERF III automatic grants in late October through November.
Methodology
Eligibility for HEERF III grants includes current Bard College students at the time the grants are issued. Bard College will prioritize students with exceptional need, as determined by Pell and Title IV eligibility.
By accepting these funds, students certify that they will use the funds for any component of their cost 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. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.
HEERF III Tiers:*
To Be Determined
*Awards were based on the student's status at the time of calculation. If you are experiencing extraordinary financial need, please consider an emergency grant through the Bard Student Emergency Fund.
Quarterly Public Reporting Form for (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3) Funds
If you received funds in excess of your eligible expenses or wish to decline aid, you can return the funds to the College by doing the following:
Email StudentHEERF@bard.edu notifying us of the return
Send a check payable to Bard College, noting "HEERF" and the Bard Student ID in the memo OR send the uncashed, original check from Bard College to:
Attn: Controller's Office Bard College PO Box 5000 Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
All returned funds will be redistributed to eligible students who apply for Coronavirus-related expense relief through the Bard Student Emergency Fund.
HEERF checks that are not cashed within a reasonable timeframe will be voided and the funds redistributed to eligible students who apply for Coronavirus-related expense relief through the Bard Student Emergency Fund. Students will be notified via their Bard email address prior to check cancellation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a HEERF grant?
How do I apply for a HEERF grant?
The Cares Act HEERF I grants were distributed automatically to Title IV eligible students, per the original guidelines of the CARES Act. These checks were mailed on Friday, May 15 to the address Student Accounts had on file at the time.
The CRRSAA HEERF II grants were awarded in April to students notified through the end of March 2021. Checks were mailed to the address Student Accounts hae on file unless the student opted to apply their grant to their student account balance.
The ARP HEERF III grants will be awarded in October and November. Students will be notified via email and have the option to receive a paper check or opt in to apply their grant to their student account balance.
Who is eligible for a HEERF grant?
Who is eligible for a HEERF grant?
HEERF I: Students are eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants from the HEERF if they are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
On May 21, 2020, the Department of Education announced that they will not enforce Title IV eligibility as an eligibility factor for student grants. However, international students, undocumented students, and DACA students remain ineligible according to current guidelines.
On June 17, 2020, the Department of Education published an interim final rule to define eligibility of students to receive emergency financial aid grants under the CARES Act:
For purposes of the phrases “grants to students” and “emergency financial aid grants to students” in sections 18004(a)(2), (a)(3), and (c) of the CARES Act, “student” is defined as an individual who is, or could be, eligible under section 484 of the HEA, to participate in programs under title IV of the HEA. We add this definition to 34 CFR 668.2.
Bard College will adhere to the Title IV eligibility as an eligibility factor for HEERF grants until official DOE guidelines remove this criterion.
As of December 27, 2020, Title IV eligibility is no longer an eligibility factor for HEERF grants.
HEERF II: Students who are US Citizens are eligible to receive HEERF grants. Update: Non-US citizens are now eligible to receive HEERF grants.
HEERF III: All current Bard College students can be eligible to receive HEERF grants. Bard College will prioritize students with exceptional need. Students unsure whether they can receive a grant should email studentHEERF@bard.edu.
I haven’t received a check, what do I do?
I haven’t received a check, what do I do?
HEERF III checks will be issued in late October and November.
I relocated temporarily/permanently and have not updated my address with Student Accounts. What do I do?
I relocated temporarily/permanently and have not updated my address with Student Accounts. What do I do?
If your check has already been mailed, it may still reach you without delay especially if you have mail forwarding se up with the USPS. If your check is returned as undeliverable to our office, we will contact you via your Bard student email address for an updated address.
Please contact StudentHEERF@bard.edu with any questions. If you need to officially update the address on your account, please contact the Student Accounts Office, sao@bard.edu.
How can I use the grant money I received?
How can I use the grant money I received?
HEERF III: Emergency financial aid grants may be used by students for any component of their cost 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. Students determine how they may use their emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.
HEERF II: Financial aid grants for students may be used for any component of the student’s cost 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.
HEERF I: The purpose of the HEERF I grants is to help defray the expenses related the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student's cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care). You are not required to prove your expenses to Bard College. HEERF I grants issued after December 27, 2020 can be used like HEERF II grants, above.
Does the grant money count as income?
Does the grant money count as income?
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).
I received a HEERF grant, but I am still struggling…
I received a HEERF grant, but I am still struggling…
If you have experienced extraordinary expenses in excess of this grant, you can apply for further aid through the Bard Student Emergency Fund. If these expenses are related to coronavirus, please be sure to indicate Yes to that question on the form. The form is located here: https://www.bard.edu/covid19/students/emergency-fund/
3/24/21 - We are currently in the process of notifying students of their awards. The deadline to opt in to apply your funds to your student account balance instead of receiving a check is Wednesday, March 31.
3/17/21 - We are happy to announce the second round of HEERF student emergency grants will be issued soon.
1/19/21 - The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) signed on 12/27/2020 removes the restriction on eligibility to Title IV eligible students for both CARES Act HEERF I and CRRSAA HEERF II. We are working on a method to distribute the HEERF II funds to students as quickly as possible. Bard College has not received CRRSAA HEERF II funds or a notification of funds availability yet.
1/14/21 - We are monitoring incoming information regarding future assistance possibilities. In the meantime, we still have funding available for emergency grants.
10/30/20 - We continue to award emergency grants to eligible students. If you are unsure whether you are eligible, please contact StudentHEERF@bard.edu. Eligibility for emergency grants is based on Title IV eligibility.
7/2/20 - We are still accepting requests for HEERF grants for eligible students. You can apply for relief through the Bard College Student Emergency Fund.
6/23/20 - The Department of Education has issued an interim final rule, published 6/17/20, to define eligibility of students to receive emergency financial aid grants under the CARES Act. The interim final rule is under a comment period lasting one month, ending 7/17/20. Our FAQs section has been updated to reflect the final ruling.
5/21/20 - The Department of Education, in an update on 5/21/20, has announced it will not enforce Title IV eligibility as an eligibility factor for HEERF grants. International students, undocumented students, and DACA students remain ineligible according to current guidelines.
5/20/20 - If you have eligible expenses in excess of the funds you were already awarded, you can apply for further funding up to $500 through the Bard College Student Emergency Fund.
Archived Grant Methodologies (HEERF I, II)
Archived Grant Methodologies (HEERF I, II)
Eligibility for HEERF I grants is limited to Title IV students (until December 27,2020). For those without Pell grants, Title IV recipients will receive $330 for eligible expenses incurred as the result of the Covid pandemic. For Pell-eligible students, the relief funds will map to the percentage of the Pell grant that an individual is eligible for up to $1,385 maximum check. For example, a student who is receiving a maximum Pell grant, will receive $1,385; whereas a student who receives a 50% Pell award will receive a check of $692.50 (50% of $1,385).
By accepting these funds (prior to December 27, 2020), students certify that they will use the funds for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare. Funds received in excess of such eligible expenses should be returned to the College.
Emergency grants funded by HEERF I after December 27, 2020 can be used for any component of the student’s cost 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.
Eligibility for HEERF II grants is limited to US Citizens. Grants are tiered based on financial need, as determined by Pell and Title IV eligibility and also based on whether the student is on-campus or remote.
HEERF II Tiers:*
Campus
Remote
Federal Pell Grant Recipients
$1,200
$600
Title IV Eligible Students
$450
$225
Non-Title IV Eligible Students
$200
$100
Emergency Grants
$500
$500
*Awards were based on the student's status at the time of calculation. If you are experiencing extraordinary financial need, please consider an emergency grant through the Bard Student Emergency Fund.
Notice on Automatic Award Checks
Notice on Automatic Award Checks
Check Memo Line: “Grant for COVID-19-related expenses”
Check Stub: “Distributed to students to cover expenses incurred as the result of campus disruption due to COVID-19. By accepting these funds, you certify that you will use the funds for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and/or childcare. Funds received in excess of such eligible expenses should be returned to the College.”
