What is HEERF III or ARP?

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) is the third stream of funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which provides emergency funding to support students 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 [CFDA 84.425E, Section 314(a)(1),(a)(4)]. Peirce College will refer to ARP as HEERF III.

HEERF III student aid funds that were allocated to the College will be released directly to Peirce students. The funding must be prioritized to provide emergency grants to students with exceptional financial need for qualifying expenses such as tuition, books, food, housing, technology needs, childcare expenses, medical expenses, and other educational related expenses. These funds can also assist with prior tuition and fee balances. 

HEERF III Eligibility Criteria

• Must be currently enrolled at Peirce College.
• Must be a matriculated degree-seeking student.
• Must be directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen

While we understand that each and every student has experienced an upheaval of their day-to-day life as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, we want to ensure that students with the most need are prioritized for the emergency funds. For this reason, students who submitted a FAFSA that yielded an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) range of 0 – 100 will be automatically awarded HEERF III grants. These students will receive an email informing them of the grant. Students receiving an automatic grant will need to:

• Confirm your BankMobile Preferences. Login to BankMobile to confirm or update your information. Learn about your options.
• Have questions about BankMobile? Login to PCFAST (the Peirce College Financial Aid Systems Tool) to check out the Knowledge Center where you can access videos and guides, plus find additional information about BankMobile and your financial aid awards.

Steps for Requesting Aid from HEERF III

Students who did not automatically receive an award may apply for a HEERF III financial aid grant using an online application that opens once a semester. The deadline for applying will be communicated to students. Requests for HEERF III grants will be reviewed following this deadline. Once your request is reviewed and approved, you will receive an email notifying you of the award and you will need to confirm your BankMobile Preferences. All grants decisions are final.

HEERF III FAQs

What is the purpose of the HEERF III grant funding?
The HEERF III grants provide emergency funding to support students 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.

How much can I be awarded in HEERF III funding?
Grants of $1000 per student will be awarded until funds are exhausted.

How will the HEERF III grants be awarded?
Students will automatically receive an HEERF III award if they have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) range of 0-100. Students who did not automatically receive an award may apply using the online form (coming soon).

How may I spend the HEERF III money?
You may spend the money for any component of your 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.

How will I receive the grant funds?
Funds will be distributed through Bank Mobile. Sign up for BankMobile through PCFAST (the Peirce College Financial Aid Systems Tool) found on the My Finances tab of my.peirce.edu. To learn about BankMobile's system, please review their FAQs.

Is there a deadline for applying for HEERF III funding?
If you do not automatically receive an award, the grant application will be open each session. Please check the student portal for dates.

Can I appeal the outcome of the request? 
There are no appeals. All grant decisions are final. 

Do I have to complete a FASFA?
No – the Department of Education does not require a FASFA to be on file to receive a HEERF III grant.

What if I don’t receive financial aid?
Students are not required to be eligible for federal financial aid to receive an award from HEERF III. You may apply for a grant using the online application.

I owe a prior balance to Peirce College. Can I use the HEERF III grant for that?
Yes, HEERF III grants can be applied to prior balances. You will need to complete the HEERF III application, which includes a section for you to indicate how you want to receive your grant fund. For the question "Please indicate how you would like to receive or utilize the funds," select "Apply to prior balance due to Peirce College" from the dropdown.

Am I eligible for HEERF III funding if I received a HEERF I (CARES) or HEERF II (CRRSAA) grant disbursement in the past?
Yes. HEERF III is a new appropriation from the government so any previous HEERF funding you may have received will not be factored into your eligibility for this new funding. You are only eligible for one grant under HEERF III (ARP).

Can I receive more than one HEERF III grant?
No. Students may only receive one HEERF III Grant. The grant process will reopen every session for students who have not yet received a grant, but those who have already received one will not be eligible to receive another.

Who do I contact with questions about the HEERF III grant?
All questions can be emailed to SFS@peirce.edu.