COVID-19 Relief Funding Notifications

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate and graduate students awarded ARP (HEERF III) funding in September of 2021 the following message.

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. We know that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring immense hardship to the lives of our students and to our campus.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with federal higher education emergency financial resources to assist with any unexpected costs that have arisen due to coronavirus. Please review the “What does this mean?” section for more information about this funding.

Refund Processing

This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account, and your 2021-22 financial aid awards will not be impacted. As this is not a financial aid award, it will not appear in the Awards section of CalCentral. Instead, you will be able to view the payment in the Transactions page of the My Finances section of CalCentral.

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the funds posting to your student account. You will receive an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

What does this mean?

On March 11, 2021, the federal government signed the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARP) and provided over $36 billion in emergency funding to higher education institutions. Similar to the CARES Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), half of these funds must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants, with the requirement that institutions prioritize providing funding to students with exceptional need.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team consulted with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way and in alignment with federal requirements. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your current 2021-22 FAFSA. We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. Our Family Contribution Appeal form for the 2021-22 academic year is open, and we encourage you to submit a Family Contribution appeal if your family’s current financial circumstances differ significantly from what was reported on your 2021-22 FAFSA. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for emergency funding.

Additional resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns:
COVID-19 Resources and Support
Student Success Toolkit
Graduate Division’s COVID-19 Information page.

For additional support around your basic needs including food, housing and financial needs, please visit the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Center website. The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact us at:

Cal Student Central: https://studentcentral.berkeley.edu/services-areas-support/

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. Please stay safe and take good care.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate and graduate students awarded ARP (HEERF III) funding in December of 2021 the following message.

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. We know that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring immense hardship to the lives of our students and to our campus.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with federal higher education emergency financial resources to assist with any unexpected costs that have arisen due to coronavirus. This is separate from and in addition to any previous federal higher education emergency financial resources you may have received in this or previous academic years.

Please review the “What does this mean?” section for more information about this funding.

Refund Processing

This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account, and your 2021-22 financial aid awards will not be impacted. As this is not a financial aid award, it will not appear in the Awards section of CalCentral. Instead, you will be able to view the payment in the Transactions page of the My Finances section of CalCentral. Instead, you will be able to view the payment in the Transactions page of the My Finances section of CalCentral.

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the funds posting to your student account. You will receive an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

What does this mean?

On March 11, 2021, the federal government signed the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARP) and provided over $36 billion in emergency funding to higher education institutions. Similar to the CARES Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), half of these funds must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants, with the requirement that institutions prioritize providing funding to students with exceptional need.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team consulted with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way and in alignment with federal requirements. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible. Approximately half of the emergency funding for students that UC Berkeley received from the ARP was disbursed to students in September 2021, and remaining funds are being disbursed to students in advance of the semester break.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your current 2021-22 FAFSA. We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. Our Family Contribution Appeal form for the 2021-22 academic year will be open through February 4, 2022, and we encourage you to submit a Family Contribution appeal as soon as possible if your family’s current financial circumstances differ significantly from what was reported on your 2021-22 FAFSA. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for emergency funding.

Additional resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns:
COVID-19 Resources and Support
Student Success Toolkit
Graduate Division’s COVID-19 Information page.

For additional support around your basic needs including food, housing and financial needs, please visit the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Center website. The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact us at:

Cal Student Central: https://studentcentral.berkeley.edu/services-areas-support/

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. We wish you a restful and safe winter break.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate and graduate students awarded ARP (HEERF III) funding in March of 2022 the following message.

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. We know that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring immense hardship to the lives of our students and to our campus.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with federal higher education emergency financial resources to assist with any unexpected costs that have arisen due to coronavirus. This is separate from and in addition to any previous federal higher education emergency financial resources you may have received in this or previous academic years.

Please review the “What does this mean?” section for more information about this funding.

Refund Processing

This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account, and your 2021-22 financial aid awards will not be impacted. As this is not a financial aid award, it will not appear in the Awards section of CalCentral. Instead, you will be able to view the payment in the Transactions page of the My Finances section of CalCentral. 

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the funds posting to your student account. You will receive an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

What does this mean?

On March 11, 2021, the federal government signed the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARP) and provided over $36 billion in emergency funding to higher education institutions. Similar to the CARES Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), half of these funds must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants, with the requirement that institutions prioritize providing funding to students with exceptional need.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team consulted with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way and in alignment with federal requirements. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible. The majority of the emergency funding for students that UC Berkeley received from the ARP was disbursed to students in Fall 2021, and remaining funds are being disbursed to students in Spring 2022.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your current 2021-22 FAFSA. We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. Our Family Contribution Appeal form for the 2022-23 academic year will open on May 1, 2022, and we encourage you to submit a Family Contribution appeal as soon as possible if your family’s current financial circumstances differ significantly from what was reported on your 2022-23 FAFSA. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for emergency funding.

Additional resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns:
COVID-19 Resources and Support
Student Success Toolkit
Graduate Division’s COVID-19 Information page.

For additional support around your basic needs including food, housing and financial needs, please visit the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Center website. The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact us at:

Cal Student Central: https://studentcentral.berkeley.edu/services-areas-support/

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate and graduate student parents awarded ARP (HEERF III) funding in June of 2022 the following message.

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. We know that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring immense hardship to the lives of our students and their families, particularly our student parent population.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) resources to assist with your ongoing dependent care expenses that have arisen due to coronavirus. This is separate from and in addition to any previous federal higher education emergency financial resources you may have received in this or previous academic years.

Refund Processing

This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account, and your 2021-22 financial aid awards will not be impacted. As this is not a financial aid award, it will not appear in the Awards section of CalCentral. Instead, you will be able to view the payment in the Transactions page of the My Finances section of CalCentral.

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the funds posting to your student account. You will receive an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation and the additional dependent care expenses that have arisen as a result, but rather one that allows us to address your continued needs based on your current 2021-22 FAFSA.

We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. If you have not yet done so, please complete your 2022-23 financial aid application for next year. Our Family Contribution Appeal form for the 2022-23 academic year is available until February, 2023, and we encourage you to submit a Family Contribution if your family’s current financial circumstances differ significantly from what was reported on your 2022-23 FAFSA. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for emergency funding.

Additional resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns:
COVID-19 Resources and Support
Student Success Toolkit
Graduate Division’s COVID-19 Information page.

For additional support around your basic needs including food, housing and financial needs, please visit the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Center website. The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact us at:

Cal Student Central: https://studentcentral.berkeley.edu/services-areas-support/

Please know that we will continue to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. We wish you a restful and safe summer break.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent incoming low-income undergraduate transfer students living off-campus who were awarded ARP (HEERF III) funding in August of 2022 the following message.

Welcome to Berkeley! We know that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring enormous challenges to the lives of our students and their families.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) resources to assist with unexpected costs that have arisen due to coronavirus that could be impacting your transition to campus. 

Refund Processing

This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account, and your 2022-23 financial aid awards will not be impacted. As this is not a financial aid award, it will not appear in the Awards section of CalCentral. Instead, you will be able to view the payment in the Transactions page of the My Finances section of CalCentral. 

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the funds posting to your student account. This refund may be provided to you in the same Direct Deposit transaction or paper check as your fall financial aid refund. You will receive an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your and your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address your continued needs based on your current 2022-23 FAFSA.

We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. Our Family Contribution Appeal form for the 2022-23 academic year is available until February, 2023, and we encourage you to submit a Family Contribution appeal if your family’s current financial circumstances differ significantly from what was reported on your 2022-23 FAFSA. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online.

Additional resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns:
COVID-19 Resources and Support
Student Success Toolkit.

For additional support around your basic needs including food, housing and financial needs, please visit the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Center website. The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact us at:

Cal Student Central: https://studentcentral.berkeley.edu/services-areas-support/

Please know that we support you and stand in community with you during your transition to UC Berkeley. We wish you a successful fall semester!

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate and graduate students awarded CRRSAA (HEERF II) funding during the 2020-21 award year the following message.

We hope you and your family are safe and healthy. We know that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring immense hardship to our campus and to the lives of our students.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with federal higher education emergency financial resources to assist with any unexpected costs that have arisen due to coronavirus. This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account, and your 2020-21 financial aid awards will not be impacted

What does this mean?

In December 2020, the federal government signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) and provided over $20 billion in emergency funding to higher education institutions. Similar to the CARES Act, half of these funds must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants, but the CRRSAA also requires that institutions prioritize providing funding to students with exceptional need.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team consulted with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office, to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way and in alignment with federal requirements. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible.

Refund Processing

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the award posting to your student account. You will get an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your current 2020-21 FAFSA. We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. Our Family Contribution Appeal form for the 2021-22 academic year will go live on May 1, and we encourage you to submit a Family Contribution appeal if your family’s current financial circumstances differ significantly from what was reported on your 2021-22 FAFSA. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for emergency funding.

Additional resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns:

COVID-19 Resources and Support
COVID-19 Success Toolkit
Graduate Division’s COVID-19 Information page.

For additional support around your basic needs including food, housing and financial needs, please visit the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Center website. The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact us at:

Cal Student Central: https://studentcentral.berkeley.edu/services-areas-support/

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. Please stay safe and take good care.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate students awarded CARES Act (HEERF I) funding during the 2020-21 award year the following message.

We hope you and your family are taking the necessary measures to stay safe and healthy. We know that the COVID-19 crisis has brought immense disruption to our campus and to the lives of our students.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with financial resources from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to assist with additional expenses you are experiencing during this period of social distancing and online learning. This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account and your 2020-21 financial aid awards will not be impacted.

>What does this mean?

On March 27, the federal government signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law, and established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) which provides emergency funding to higher education institutions. Half of the HEERF dollars must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent graduate students awarded CARES Act (HEERF I) funding during the 2020-21 award year the following message.

We hope you and your family are taking the necessary measures to stay safe and healthy. We know that the COVID-19 crisis has brought immense disruption to our campus and to the lives of our students.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with financial resources from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to assist with additional expenses you are experiencing during this period of social distancing and online learning. This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account and your financial aid awards will not be impacted for the 2020-21 academic year.

>What does this mean?

On March 27, the federal government signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law, and established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) which provides emergency funding to higher education institutions. Half of the HEERF dollars must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team collaborated with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office, to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible.

Action Required

Review your CalCentral account.
Sign up for direct deposit if you have not done so already, so these funds can be deposited directly to your bank account.
Visit CalCentral, “Profile” and update your local address if you are not able to sign up for direct deposit to ensure this funding reaches you.

Refund Processing

Please monitor your student account for any recent award payments. Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the award posting to your student account. You will get an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed to you.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your most recent FAFSA application and demonstrated financial hardship.

For resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns, visit the Graduate Division's COVID-19 Information for Graduate Students page. You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for CARES funding.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact Cal Student Central (CSC):

Online: studentcentral.berkeley.edu/open-case

For additional service options please visit our CSC Contact Center.

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. Please stay safe and take good care.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team collaborated with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office, to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible.

Action Required

Review your CalCentral account.
Sign up for direct deposit if you have not done so already, so these funds can be deposited directly to your bank account.
Visit CalCentral, “Profile” and update your local address if you are not able to sign up for direct deposit to ensure this funding reaches you.

Refund Processing

Please monitor your student account for any recent award payments. Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the award posting to your student account. You will get an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your current 2020–21 FAFSA application and demonstrated financial hardship.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact Cal Student Central (CSC):

Online: studentcentral.berkeley.edu/open-case

For additional service options please visit our CSC Contact Center.

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. Please stay safe and take good care.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent undergraduate students awarded CARES Act (HEERF I) funding during the 2019-20 award year the following message.

We hope you and your family are taking the necessary measures to stay safe and healthy during this challenging time. We know that the COVID-19 crisis has brought immense disruption to our campus and to the lives of our students.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with financial resources from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to assist with additional expenses you are experiencing during this period of social distancing and online learning. This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account and your 2019-20 financial aid awards will not be impacted.

>What does this mean?

On March 27, the federal government signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law, and established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) which provides emergency funding to higher education institutions. Half of the HEERF dollars must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team collaborated with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office, to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible.

Action Required

• Review your CalCentral account.
• Sign up for direct deposit if you have not done so already, so these funds can be deposited directly to your bank account.
• Visit CalCentral, “Profile” and update your local address if you are not able to sign up for direct deposit to ensure this funding reaches you.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your current 2019–20 FAFSA application. We are here to support you so that a change in your family’s financial circumstances does not become a roadblock to your ability to pay for school. Our 2020–21 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) appeal form went live on May 1, and we encourage you to submit an EFC appeal if your family’s financial circumstances have changed since you filed your 2020–21 FAFSA application. Before submitting an appeal, please review our Expected Family Contribution flyer to see if this is the right step for you.

You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for CARES funding and changes to Satisfactory Academic Progress.

If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact Cal Student Central online or by phone:

Open a case online: studentcentral.berkeley.edu/open-case

Phone: (510) 664-9181, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. Please stay safe and take good care.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent graduate students awarded CARES Act (HEERF I) funding during the 2019-20 award year the following message.

We hope you and your family are taking the necessary measures to stay safe and healthy during this challenging time. We know that the COVID-19 crisis has brought immense disruption to our campus and to the lives of our students.

This message is to inform you that we are providing you with financial resources from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund to assist with additional expenses you are experiencing during this period of social distancing and online learning. This funding will go directly to you; it will not apply to any outstanding balances you may have on your student account and your financial aid awards will not be impacted for the 2019–20 or 2020–21 academic year.

>What does this mean?

On March 27, the federal government signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law, and established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) which provides emergency funding to higher education institutions. Half of the HEERF dollars must go directly to students in the form of emergency grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Your Financial Aid and Scholarships Office team collaborated with campus partners, including the Division of Equity and Inclusion, the Graduate Division, student government leaders, and the Student Advocate’s Office, to ensure relief funds are awarded and distributed in an equitable and inclusive way. Our goal is to maximize all available sources of relief funding to award as many eligible students as possible, as quickly as possible.

Action Required

• Review your CalCentral account.
• Sign up for direct deposit if you have not done so already, so these funds can be deposited directly to your bank account
• Visit CalCentral, “Profile” and update your local and permanent addresses to reflect your current mailing address if you are not able to sign up for direct deposit. This will ensure this funding reaches you in a timely way.

Refund processing

Refunds are processed within 5 business days of the award posting to your student account. You will get an email letting you know when your refund is available either via Direct Deposit or as a paper check that will be mailed to you.

Additional Resources

We know this is not a solution to address potential longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on your family’s financial situation, but rather one that allows us to address immediate needs based on your most recent FAFSA.

For resources to address other COVID-19 related questions or concerns, visit the Graduate Division's COVID-19 information page. You can find COVID-19 related financial aid service and support updates online, including the awarding guidelines for CARES funding.
If you have questions, please do not reply to this email; the email address from which this message was sent is unmonitored. Please contact Cal Student Central online or by phone:

Open a case online: studentcentral.berkeley.edu/open-case

Phone: (510) 664-9181, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

Please know that we are here to support you and stand in community with you during this incredibly challenging time. Please stay safe and take good care.