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FERG (Closed)
- Application is CLOSED as it applied to 2020 -
CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting
Background
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Pub. L. No. 116-136, makes available funding for UW-Whitewater to provide emergency relief grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations tied to the COVID-19 outbreak. If you have incurred expenses due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for a Federal Emergency Relief Grant. When funding is exhausted, applications will no longer be accepted.
Student Eligibility (as required by the U.S. Department of Education)
- Have completed either the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet all federal Title IV aid eligibility requirements, including but not limited to:
- Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
- Not in default on a Title IV loan or owe an overpayment on a Title IV grant.
- Are a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident, or other eligible noncitizen as defined on the FAFSA.
- Be a degree-seeking student at UW-W at Rock County campus or the UW-W main campus.
- Note however that students who were enrolled exclusively in online programs on or before March 13, 2020 are not eligible for a Federal Emergency Relief Grant.
- Enrolled for at least 1 credit during the spring 2020 term (and not have withdrawn from the spring 2020 term) or be enrolled for at least 1 credit during the summer 2020 term (and not have withdrawn from the summer 2020 term).
- Students who have graduated prior to applying for a Federal Emergency Relief Grant are not eligible for the grant.
- Have incurred expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.
Eligible Expenses
Students who have incurred expenses due to the COVID-19 related disruption of campus operations may apply for expenses in the following categories:
- Food
- Housing
- Additional course materials
- Technology-related
- Health care
- Child care
- Transportation
Common examples: buying groceries or paying for food after campus dining operations closed; additional fees relating to your living arrangements; money spent for unanticipated travel; emergency child care due to extended school closures; and paying for additional technology requirements to complete coursework online, such as internet service or a computer.
Grant Amounts
Eligible students may apply for a Federal Emergency Relief Grant for actual expenses incurred related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. Funding is limited and applications will be reviewed in order of receipt. When funding is exhausted, applications will no longer be accepted.
Award amounts will be subject to the maximum limits listed in the chart below. Based on information provided on the FERG application for incurred expenses and due to limited funding, grants may be approved for less than what was requested by the student.
| EFC from the FAFSA | Half-Time to Full-Time Enrollment* | Less-Than-Half-Time Enrollment** |
| $0 - $5,576 | $1,500 | $375 |
| $5,577 and higher | $1,000 | $250 |
*6 or more credits for undergraduate students and 4.5 or more credits for graduate students
**less than 6 credits for undergraduate students and less than 4.5 credits for graduate students
Application Process - The Application is now closed
- Complete the application, sign the certification statement after entering your information, and submit the form.
- You will need to log in using your UW-W credentials to access the online form.
- If you prefer to complete a paper application, contact the UW-W Financial Aid Office.
- UW-W Financial Aid Office staff will review applications and will send an email to your UW-W email address informing you of the funding decision and amount.
- If your application is approved, the grant will be reflected on your WINS student account the Tuesday or Thursday morning following receipt of the approval email from the UW-W Financial Aid Office.
- The UW-W Cashier’s Office will process your refund within 5-7 business days of the funds crediting your WINS account.
To receive the refund faster, sign up for electronic deposit of refunds if you have not already done so.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be eligible for this grant, the U.S. Department of Education requires that students file the FAFSA and meet all Title IV eligibility requirements. If you have not completed the FAFSA yet, you can still do so online at FAFSA.gov. However please note w hen emergency grant funding is exhausted, emergency grant applications will no longer be accepted.
You can either file the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 FAFSA at fafsa.gov.
This means you have experienced actual expenses as a direct result of UW-W moving from in-person instruction to alternative delivery options. These expenses could include additional costs for food, housing, course materials, transportation, health care, child care, and/or technology-related expenses. Common examples: buying groceries after campus dining operations closed; additional fees relating to your living arrangements; money spent for unanticipated travel; emergency child care due to extended school closures; and paying for additional technology requirements to complete coursework online, such as internet service.
No. Per U.S. Department of Education regulations, past, current, or future tuition is not an eligible expense. Furthermore, we are unable to apply the Federal Emergency Relief Grant toward charges on your UW-W student account. If an award is made, the monies will be refunded to the student to assist in covering expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 disruption of campus operations.
No. You must meet the eligibility requirements and have incurred expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus. Funding is limited and applications will be reviewed in order of receipt. Based on information provided on the FERG application for actual incurred expenses and due to limited funding, grants may be approved for less than what was requested by the student. When emergency grant funding is exhausted, emergency grant applications will no longer be accepted.
You will receive an email at your UW-W email address. We know that these funds are critical to your success, so rest assured we are processing the applications as quickly as we can.
No. Per U.S. Department of Education guidelines, this grant is only for students who incurred expenses related to the disruption of campus operartions due to COVID-19. Currently, that would apply to only students enrolled during the spring 2020 semester or summer 2020.
We know that these funds are critical to your success so rest assured we are processing the applications as quickly as we can. Please allow 7-10 days for us to process your application. You will receive and email to your UW-W email address when a decision has been made.
If you made a mistake on your FERG application, please submit a new application. Be sure to address in your narrative why you are submitting a second application.
Each Federal Emergency Relief Grant, after it credits your WINS account, needs to be reviewed by a member of the Student Financial Services Staff (SFS). This process can take up to 7 business days and you may see a refund hold on your account until it is reviewed. Rest assured, you will receive the full amount of the grant as a refund after it is reviewed by SFS.
Each Federal Emergency Relief Grant, after it credits your WINS account, needs to be reviewed by a member of the Student Financial Services Staff (SFS). This process can take up to 7 business days and it may appear as if it paid your charges until that review is complete. Rest assured, you will receive the full amount of the grant as a refund after it is reviewed by SFS.
If you haven’t completed the FAFSA, you can do so at fafsa.gov. Once the U.S. Department of Education processes your FAFSA, you will receive an email from them. Although the email from the U.S. Department of Education will state your FAFSA has been sent to us, it can still take an additional 7-10 days for us to receive it. Once we do receive your FAFSA at UW-W, you will receive an email directly from us. After you get that email from us stating we have received your FAFSA, you should resubmit your FERG application. However please note when emergency grant funding is exhausted, emergency grant applications will no longer be accepted.