Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act FAQs
Please also read our CRRSAA announcement.
Q. Am I eligible to apply for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. Based on the Department of Education’s guidance, students who: 1) are enrolled in the spring 2021 term (Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses) or the January or February 2021 terms (Worldwide campus); and 2) are not international, undocumented or DACA students are eligible to apply for a financial aid grant.
Q. What types of expenses can the grants be used for?
A. These funds will provide financial aid grants to students which may be used for: 1) any component of the student’s cost of attendance; or 2) emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.
Q. What would be examples of components of the University’s cost of attendance?
A. Cost of attendance (COA) includes tuition, room, board, books, supplies, fees, and miscellaneous expenses (student's living costs while attending school). The COA is determined by the University, using federal guidelines.
Q. What would be examples of emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus?
A. Emergency costs may include, but are not limited to, emergency travel, unreimbursed health care expenses (including mental health care), storage/shipping costs, technology needs, child care and personal protective equipment.
Q. How will the amounts be determined, and how will the University determine who receives them?
A. The University will prioritize students with the greatest unmet financial need. Not every eligible student may receive funding, and selected students may receive only a portion of their eligible expenses.
Q. I am a new, incoming student for a future term (residential campus, summer or fall 2021 or Worldwide campus, March, April or May); am I eligible to apply for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. No, only students enrolled in the Spring 2021 term (Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses) or the January or February 2021 terms (Worldwide campus) are eligible to apply.
Q. I didn’t file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); may I apply for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. Yes, if you meet all other eligibility requirements. However, students will be prioritized based on unmet financial need. Therefore, filing a FAFSA is recommended if you are seeking additional financial assistance for any component of the cost of attendance. You can file for the current school year: 2020-2021 FAFSA. If you are applying for a financial aid grant for unmet financial need related to the cost of attendance and the claim is not supported by your current FAFSA (or if you do not have a FAFSA on file), you will be asked to document your unmet financial need.
Q. Can international students apply for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. No, international students are not eligible for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant, but are eligible to apply for the University’s Eagles Care Student Emergency Assistance Fund.
Q. If I am a Worldwide student, do I qualify for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. Yes; you qualify if you are currently enrolled as a Worldwide student taking at least one class in the January or February 2021 terms and meet all the other requirements for eligibility.
Q. COVID-19 has impacted my personal financial situation (e.g., I am concerned about my ability to continue my education at Embry-Riddle due to financial challenges, etc.) – can the University assist?
A. The new CRRSAA grants can be used for cost of attendance, and at the student’s request, can be applied to outstanding account balances. The University’s Office of Financial Aid is always willing to look at each student’s unique situation and may be able to offer some assistance through federal funds (e.g., CRRSAA funding, University funds/loans, external scholarships, or other sources); please refer to the Financial Aid webpages for the Daytona Beach, Prescott, and Worldwide campuses, or contact them using the information provided at the bottom of this FAQ.
Q. Can I apply for the CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant if I don’t have documentation for my expenses?
A. Yes, but if you are applying for a grant for emergency expenses, determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis, and receipts will help support your claim. You will be asked to include on the application a brief statement regarding the emergency costs that have arisen due to the coronavirus.
Q. I am a graduate student, can I apply for a CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. Yes, graduate students who meet all of the criteria are eligible to apply.
Q. If I do not receive a CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant, or did not receive the full amount of the expenses I submitted, can I appeal the amount of my CRRSAA Financial Aid Grant?
A. Unfortunately, due to the limited amount of funding, you were awarded the highest amount available. You may reach out to the Financial Aid Office to see if you are eligible for other assistance.
Q. If I have an additional question (e.g. is a particular expense allowable?) that is not answered in the FAQs, who should I contact?
A. Please contact the University’s Office of Financial Aid; please refer to the Financial Aid webpages for the Daytona Beach, Prescott, and Worldwide campuses, or contact them using the information provided at the bottom of this FAQ.
Q. When should I submit my application?
A. For priority consideration we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. Based on funding availability, the application process will close when all funds have been disbursed.
Q. When will I find out if my application has been approved, and when/how will I receive my grant award?
A. The University will begin reviewing applications as they are received and will prioritize students with the most financial need. Disbursements will begin as funds are awarded and will be processed weekly. We ask for your patience as awards will be made after reviewing applications and submitted documentation, and they will be made over time based on volume and need. Grants will be awarded until the allocated funding is exhausted.
Q. If there are funds available, could I receive more than I did in the initial grant award?
A. Initial grants may be capped to ensure the University can meet the needs of a significant number of students. If there are remaining funds, eligible students may receive an additional grant – this will be communicated via email; the timing of the notification is yet to be determined.
Q. If I receive a grant and have an outstanding student account balance, will the funds be applied to those charges?
A. You will receive an email giving you access to select the option for use of the funds. You may select the option to pay toward charges on your student account or receive a direct disbursement.
If you select the option to apply the grant toward your outstanding account balance, any excess funds, once the balance is paid in full, will be refunded to you.
If you have not already signed up for Direct Deposit, we encourage you to do so at: https://ernie.erau.edu/Departments/bursar-daytona/Pages/Making-Payments.aspx.
Q. Aside from the grant, am I eligible to receive any additional assistance from the recently passed CRRSA Act?
A. The CRRSA Act does provide some relief to students, borrowers and parents. As each student’s specific situation may be different, we encourage you to visit the Federal Student Aid website at https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus.
Please contact the University’s Financial Aid offices with questions regarding the CRRSA Act Financial Aid Grants or other financial aid assistance:
Daytona Beach Campus
dbfinaid@erau.edu
(800) 943-6279
M-F / 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST
Prescott Campus
prfinaid@erau.edu
(833) 783-0397
M-F / 8 a.m.-5 p.m. MST
Worldwide Campus
wwfinaid@erau.edu
(866) 567-7202
M-F / 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST