October 15, 2021- Supporting Students With the Latest Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds

October 15, 2021

To: UC Santa Cruz undergraduate and graduate students

From: Richard Hughey, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Peter Biehl, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies

Subject: Supporting students with the latest Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds 

Dear students,

Like many universities across the country, UC Santa Cruz has received additional support under the American Rescue Plan (ARP), part of the federal government’s COVID-19 relief funding. Our campus is eligible to receive $50.7 million, with approximately one half awarded to lessen the financial impact of the pandemic on the university and the other half awarded to lessen financial impacts of our students.

Our Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will directly award $25.4 million of the ARP funding to graduate and undergraduate students with exceptional need to help with expenses related to COVID-19 including tuition, housing, food, health care (including mental health care), and child care. 

Financial aid grants will be directly awarded to graduate and undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional need, for example very low expected family contribution levels or student parents with dependent children. Initial determinations will be made based on existing financial aid information. Graduate students who appear eligible but who did not complete an application this year will receive information by email on how to file a Declaration of Exceptional Need to confirm eligibility, a requirement in this round of higher education relief funds.  

Like with the previous rounds of federal relief funding, our Financial Aid and Scholarships Office consulted with campus leaders, and with leadership of the Student Union Assembly and the Graduate Student Association, on how best to award funds within program requirements and regulations. Eligible students will receive a minimum award of $1,200. Students identified for an award will receive an email between October 20 and November 10 to ensure direct-deposit information is current. Funds will be disbursed soon afterward. The ARP awards are one-time grants that do not need to be paid back. 

Eligible students with exceptional need include those eligible for federal aid and undocumented students. 

Any student experiencing a financial emergency, regardless of aid eligibility should contact the Slug Support team. 

We are pleased to be able to provide these financial resources in order to help students address in part the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery.