Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding (HEERF)

Baylor College of Medicine signed and returned a Funding Certification and Agreement to the Department of Education (DE) agreeing to use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency financial assistance to students in degree-granting programs who have incurred expenses directly related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.

In March 2020, Baylor was awarded $253,002 of CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) to use toward emergency assistance for students. As of this update on March 2nd 2021, Baylor has issued CARES Act HEERF grant awards to 419 students totaling $253,002.00 and has drawn these funds.   

• As of the Spring 2020 academic term, 475 Baylor students met the criteria to be eligible for CARES Act HEERF grant funding – an eligible student is one who was enrolled in a Baylor degree-granting program on March 13, 2020, was Title IV eligible, and had a current, valid FAFSA on file at the College.
• Students were informed of the opportunity to submit an application to request financial assistance during the period July 9 through July 22, 2020.  Baylor received and reviewed 69 applications  and, based on the documentation of eligible expenses in each application, allocated $77,672.00 to 63 of the applicants for expenses incurred as a result of the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.
• CARES Act HEERF awards vary by applicant. As students submitted HEERF applications, Baylor personnel became informed of the types and amount of expenses generally incurred related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. Amounts requested by students in certain expense categories may have been reduced to reflect a more equitable distribution of available funds, as well as, to ensure compliance with the Department of Education’s guidance on eligible expenses.
• $175,330 of CARES Act HEERF funds were also awarded to 394 students, each of whom was actively enrolled in a Baylor degree-granting program, had a FAFSA on file at Baylor and was receiving financial aid under Title IV.  Each student was awarded $445. For students submitting applications who were already receiving financial aid under Title IV, this amount was given in addition to any amounts awarded based on application and documentation of expenditures.

On Dec. 27, 2020, Baylor was awarded $610,941 under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA). Of this amount, $253,002 was required to be used for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students and $357,939 was allocated for institutional uses as defined by the act.  

As of May 18, 2021, Baylor distributed CRRSAA HEERF grant awards to 247 students totaling $253,002 and has drawn these funds. Distribution of these grants were prioritized for students with exceptional need.

• Of these recipients, 243 acquired significant student loan debt during the 2020-21 Academic year, had no other source of income, and relied exclusively on financial aid for living expenses.  The remaining recipients had outstanding tuition and fees account balances or incurred expenses related to COVID-19. Each student was awarded $935.23, totaling $231,002.
• Twenty-two of the recipients who met additional criteria of significant financial need received additional distributions of $1,000 each. These students participated in the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP), a program created by the Texas Legislature to support and encourage highly qualified, economically disadvantaged Texas resident students to pursue a medical education. The total amount of grants awarded to these students was $22,000.

As of this reporting update, Baylor is determining the amount of institutional funds that will be expended.

On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) appropriated approximately $39.6 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and represents the third stream of funding appropriated for HEERF to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. At least half of an institution’s allocation under ARP (a)(1) must be used to make Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students (the Student Aid Portion); the remainder may be used for institutional purposes (Institutional Portion).

Baylor College of Medicine (“Baylor” or “the College”) was allocated a total of $1,131,511 under the ARP. Of this amount, $565,756 was awarded to distribute Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students and $565,756 was awarded for institutional purposes as defined by the Act.  

As of Sept. 30, 2021, Baylor has distributed Emergency Financial Aid Grants under ARP to 167 students totaling $503,000 and has drawn $462,000 of these funds. The College utilized an application process to determine which students were to receive an Emergency Financial Aid Grant and the amount they would receive under ARP.  

• Approximately 1670 students were notified by email to complete an application during the application period of July 29 through Aug. 4, 2021.  
• All students who were currently enrolled in a Baylor College of Medicine degree-granting program and who submitted an application were eligible to receive a financial assistance grant award.
• Students were informed that the Emergency Financial Aid Grants could be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arose due to COVID-19.
• Baylor received and reviewed 175 applications and determined, based on the expression of need, the allocation of awards ranging from $2,000 to $6,000.  

Baylor will continue to process Emergency Financial Aid Grants using the remaining Student Aid Portion of the ARP funding. The College will expend the Institutional Portion on additional student grants and to cover costs the College incurred due to coronavirus. The Act stipulates that if the Institutional Portion is not used entirely for emergency financial grants to students, a portion of funds is to be used to: (a) implement evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with public health guidelines; and (b) conduct direct outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial aid adjustment due to the recent unemployment of a family member or independent student, or other circumstances. The College is evaluating the measures it has taken to ensure compliance with these requirements.