Bard Business Office

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund

HEERF I, II, III
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 has expended all available HEERF III Student Aid Allocation.
As of 4/22/22, the College has distributed approximately $2,630,126 to 2,426 eligible students.
As of 3/31/22, the College has distributed approximately $2,612,977 to 2,406 eligible students.
As of 12/31/21, the College has distributed approximately $2,525,000 to 2,183 eligible students.
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The total amount that the College received under the HEERF II student aid allocation was $1,032,393.
The College has expended all available HEERF II Student Aid Allocation.
As of 12/31/21, the College has distributed $1,032,393 to 1,460 eligible students.
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.
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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

4/22/22 - All remaining HEERF has been issued to students as emergency grants. We will not be issuing new HEERF grants at this time. Any returned funds will be issued to students on the HEERF waiting list.
4/8/22 - Emergency HEERF grants are still available upon request for student experiencing extraordinary financial need.
1/10/22 - HEERF III grants were mailed in December. Due to delays with the US Postal system, please wait until after 1/15/22 to request a new check.
12/15/21 - We are currently awarding HEERF III grants and have notified students via email.

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.

Quarterly Public Reporting Form for (a)(1) Institutional Portion, (a)(2), and (a)(3) Funds

Returning Excess Funds & Unclaimed Grants

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:
  1. Email [email protected] notifying us of the return
  2. 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?
    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?
    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 [email protected].

  • 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?
    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 [email protected] with any questions. If you need to officially update the address on your account, please contact the Student Accounts Office, [email protected].
     
  • 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?
    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…
    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/
  • Who can I contact for more information?
    Please email [email protected] for any HEERF grant-related inquiries.

For More Information

For more information or questions, please email [email protected]

Additional Resources:
Frequently Asked Questions about the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students
Internal Revenue Service FAQs regarding Grants under the CARES Act

Contact Us

Note: The Controller's Office must approve all requests that deviate from the guidelines as stipulated in this website.