Federal CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III Application Goes Live For Eligible Webster University Students

Eligible Webster University students experiencing a short-term financial need caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) are now able to log into their Connections Account and complete an application for consideration of an emergency student grant from the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief III Fund. These emergency funds can pay for expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare. 

Applications for these funds must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CST, Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. 

The federal CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief III Fund provides money to colleges and universities to distribute to students as emergency grants. The purpose of the money is to provide financial assistance to eligible students for specific expenses which, unlike previous iterations, now includes tuition. This funding is separate from additional financial aid students may receive from Webster University. 

Grant award amount will be determined by the number of eligible applications received and funds available. 

Students who meet all the following criteria are eligible to apply: (1) working towards a degree or certificate at Webster; (2) enrolled in Fall 2021 in at least one on-ground/in-person course; or enrolled on or after March 13, 2020 but may have had to “stop out” of pursuing a degree due to the financial impact of the pandemic, can also choose to apply for this funding to their student account, helping them to register again for classes.   

Additionally, unlike previous federal funding program, this fund is available to all US citizens and to international students who are pursuing a degree at a Webster University campus or site in the United States (Note: international students that are 1) studying at a Webster campus outside of the U.S. or, 2) are studying abroad in the US from an international campus location are not eligible).  

Per the U.S. Department of Education, international students and students enrolled exclusively in on-line courses are now eligible to receive HEERF III funding. Students who are ineligible, or apply but do not receive a CARES Act grant, but still have financial need, will be encouraged to visit webster.edu/financialaid and follow the instructions for “How to Apply for Financial Aid” for the 2021-2022 academic year.