Dear students:

You have likely heard about the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and its provision of Emergency Financial Aid grants for students. We are writing to provide you with important information about CARES Act funds that Temple will be distributing to eligible undergraduate, graduate and professional students in the coming weeks and steps you need to take to receive the funds.

Temple University received about $14.4 million for students through the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) as part of the CARES Act. Per federal requirements, only students who are Title IV eligible based on their 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—meaning those who are eligible for federal student financial aid—may receive these grants.

While we understand that each and every one of you has experienced an upheaval of your day-to-day life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to ensure that students with the most urgent need are the first to receive these emergency funds. For this reason, students who are currently enrolled and received Federal Pell Grants for the spring 2020 semester will be automatically awarded CARES Act grants. Please note that, based on federal guidelines, this does not apply to Pell Grant recipients who were enrolled in online-only programs prior to the suspension of in-person teaching.

Pell Grant recipients who are eligible for CARES Act funding but who are not currently signed up for direct deposit are urged to sign up, and will receive additional communication from the Bursar’s Office with instructions on how to set up direct deposit to receive the funds online. Please act quickly if you are in this group in order to receive your funds expediently.

Other students who did not receive Pell Grants for the spring 2020 semester but who qualify for federal student financial aid (Title IV) based on their current FAFSA will have the opportunity to request consideration for a CARES Act grant online. If you meet eligibility criteria, a form to request consideration for funds will be available to you on TUportal. Students who meet eligibility criteria will also receive an email notification from Student Financial Services. Students must submit a request for CARES funding via TUportal by May 15, 2020, in order to be considered for a CARES Act grant. Per federal guidelines, students who were enrolled in online-only programs prior to the suspension of in-person teaching are not eligible to receive these funds.

CARES funding is intended and should be used for student expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child-care expenses.

A list of frequently asked questions about CARES Act grant eligibility and the request for funds process will also be made available on Temple’s COVID-19 updates page.

Temple students who are in need of financial support to continue their degrees are able to access funding through a number of avenues. If a student is not eligible for a CARES Act grant, but is still facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some support is available through the resources listed below.

• The Student Emergency Aid Fund provides short-term financial assistance to students who have faced unforeseen circumstances and need support to continue their education.
• The Broad Street Finish Line Grant program provides grants of $500 to $5,000 to students with demonstrated financial need to ensure they can complete their degree programs.
• The Cherry Pantry remains open and accessible in its temporary location in the Temple University Police Morgan Hall Substation at 1601 Park Ave., on the side of Morgan Hall South.

If you have any questions, please contact Student Financial Services at sfs@temple.edu.

We understand that this has been a difficult and uncertain time, and we are grateful for the strength and dedication of everyone in the Temple community.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Englert
President

JoAnne A. Epps
Executive Vice President and Provost