The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020. On December 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) was signed into law providing additional funding to distribute to institutions of higher education through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II). On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) was signed into law, which provides further funding to distribute to institutions of higher education through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III). The following information is provided to comply with the U.S. Department of Education’s CARES Act Reporting requirements under Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act.
Report Date: April 8, 2022
Download PDF: 00178100_HEERF_Q12022_040822
Activity through March 31, 2022
- Wheaton signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement on April 23, 2020. As required by the Certification and Agreement, Wheaton has used no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants (HEERF I) to students. Wheaton College distributed at least the same amount of student aid grant from HEERF II funds as from HEERF I and intends to use no less than the required amount of funds received to provide HEERF III grant to students.
- Wheaton College will receive or has received $4,637,353 from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement designated for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP.
- Wheaton College has distributed $4,413,050 Emergency Financial Aid Grants dollars to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP as of the date of this report.
- Wheaton College estimated that 4,822 students have been eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP. Per recent Department guidance, all students—not just students eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 —are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
- 3,333 Wheaton College students have received Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP as of the date of this report.
- Wheaton is using the following methodology to determine which Title IV eligible students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act and CRRSAA:
- For CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants:
- An email was sent on June 5, 2020 to all Wheaton College degree-seeking students who remained enrolled for the spring 2020 semester in an on-campus or approved off-campus study abroad program and who are eligible to participate in Title IV programs under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Students were directed to complete a certification regarding expenses incurred related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.
- After completing a certification, Wheaton students received the following standard grants:
- Title IV (Non-Pell) Eligible Students, defined as those students who have completed a FAFSA for the 2019-20 academic year, received a grant of $300.
- Title IV & Pell Grant-Eligible Students, defined as those students who have both (a) completed a FAFSA and (b) are recipients of the Federal Pell grant for the 2019-20 year, received a grant of $900.
- Additional grants were available for students in Fall 2020: (a) Title IV eligible students who did not have the technology needed for the flexible learning environment due to COVID-19 were eligible to receive $500 grants for certified technology expenses; and (b) Title IV eligible students could receive reimbursement for campus mandated COVID-19 testing.
- For CRRSAA Student Aid Grants:
- Wheaton identified nine standard levels of awards for Title IV eligible students:
UG/Grad Full-Time/Part-Time PELL/Non-Pell Award Level UG Full-Time PELL $1,200 Full-Time Non-PELL/With Need $675 Full-Time Non-PELL/No Need $300 Part-Time PELL $600 Part-Time Non-PELL/With Need $300 Part-Time Non-PELL/No-Need $150 Grad Full-Time With Need $675 Full-Time No Need $300 Part-Time With Need $300 Part-Time No Need $150 - For ARP Student Aid Grants
- Through an appeal process, Wheaton identified and awarded 33 students who had exceptional need from COVID related financial hardships the maximum Federal Pell Grant amount of $6,495 in student emergency financial aid grant to be used towards their costs of attending college.
- Through an appeal process, Wheaton identified and awarded 21 students who had exceptional need from extraordinary COVID related financial circumstances $12,000 in student emergency financial aid grant to be used towards their costs of attending college.
- Wheaton identified nine standard levels of awards for enrolled students:
UG/Grad Full-Time/Part-Time PELL/Non-Pell Award Level UG Full-Time PELL $1,800 Full-Time Non-PELL/With Need $1,000 Part-Time PELL $1,000 Part-Time Non-PELL/With Need $500 FT or PT Non-PELL/Without Need $250 Grad Full-Time With Need $1,000 Full-Time No-need $250 Part-Time With Need $500 Part-Time No-Need $125 - Through an appeal process, Wheaton identified and awarded 33 students who had exceptional need from COVID related financial hardships the maximum Federal Pell Grant amount of $6,495 in student emergency financial aid grant to be used towards their costs of attending college.
- For ARP Student Aid Grants
- For Emergency Financial Aid Grants under the CARES Act, eligible students received an email informing them of their eligibility for and the process for submitting the required certification of expenses. Payment information was also provided. For Student Aid Grants under the CRRSAA, eligible students received an email informing them of their eligibility and the process for obtaining the grant payments, including an option to receive the funds as a credit in their student account.