COVID-19 Relief Funding Notifications

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent incoming low-income undergraduate transfer students living off-campus who were awarded ARP (HEERF III) funding in January of 2023 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 spring 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 3, 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 spring semester!

 

ARP (HEERF III) Funding Notifications
CRRSAA (HEERF II) Funding Notifications
CARES Act (HEERF I) Funding Notifications