CARES Act Funding

The federal government has provided some emergency relief funds to support students. The purpose of the funds was to be divided to support campus operations and students. MD Anderson has made the decision to provide 100 percent of the funds to provide emergency support to the School of Health Professions Students. The goal is to distribute the received funds as widely as possible to eligible students based on the federal guidelines.

With the approval by Congress of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, funds were appropriated to assist institutions of higher education and their students. Included in the CARES Act are emergency grant funds for students. The U.S. Department of Education's only statutory requirement for use of the emergency grant funds is that “the funds be used to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).”

Emergency grants will be available for eligible students impacted by COVID-19 for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations for eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, i.e. food, housing, course materials, technology needs, childcare and health care. According to Federal guidelines, students in the following categories are not eligible to receive these emergency grants.

Students exclusively enrolled in online programs before March 13
International students
Students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program

Approved grants will be disbursed through the UT Health Financial Aid office. Federal guidelines advise that only Title IV eligible students may submit an application for the CARES Act funds.

All eligible students must have an active Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSFA) account.
All students will need to submit a completed FAFSA application.

CARES Act Compliance

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocates funds to support individuals and businesses/organizations, including colleges and universities, affected by the pandemic and economic downturn. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions has received funds under the CARES Act and is working to provide emergency assistance to as many students as possible to help them meet their emergency financial needs during this challenging time.

1. Acknowledgment

An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions will award $706,604 (100%) of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act (HEERF I, II and III) to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

2. Total Amount Received

The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

The total amount of funds that The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions has been awarded in HEERF I, HEERF II and HEERF III from the U.S. Department of Education is being proposed to be distributed to students for a total of $1,815,131. All 100% of the funds will be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to students.

3. Total Amount Distributed to Students

The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).

The total amount of emergency grants distributed to students under section 18004(a)(1) and 18004(a)(3) of the CARES Act (HEERF III) for the Fall 2021 semester is $836,227.

4. Estimated Total Number of Eligible Students

The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

The estimated total number of students at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions eligible to participate in programs under section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive emergency grants under section 18004(a)(1) and 18004(a)(3) (HREEF III) of the Cares Act is 227.

5. Total Number of Student Recipients

The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

The projected number of students enrolled in the Fall 2021 semester at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions who will receive an emergency grant under section 18004(a)(1) and 18004(a)(3) (HREEF III) of the CARES Act is 169.

6. Method Used to Determine Eligibility

As authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) signed into law on March 11, 2021, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) received an allocation of funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) for student emergency financial aid grants that students in attendance at the institution are eligible to receive.

The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

Approved grants will be disbursed through the UT Health Financial Aid office.

Per the (ARP), institutions of higher education are directed to prioritize students with exceptional financial need. As a result, MD Anderson developed a sliding scale award structure based upon the following criteria:

PELL eligibility and/or demonstrated need per federal need analysis.
The application should be for the current year with previous year financial information provided. Link to website www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Enrollment classification, i.e. Full-time (100%), Three Quarter time (75%), Half-time (50%), and less than half-time.
The UT Health Financial Aid office will sort qualified students based on PELL recipient, zero EFC, and date of FAFSA application to establish first-come, first-served basis for most-need.

The School of Health Professions is proposing a distribution plan as follows.

Eligible students can be awarded up to a maximum of $6,000 per academic year, based upon the number of applications received and available funds.
Disbursements are being prioritized first for the students demonstrating the most financial need. Eligibility to receive a HEERF III student emergency financial aid grant is open to all US citizens, permanent residents, and those living in the US under protected status. Disbursements to eligible students are expected to take several weeks to complete.

7. Information and Application Instructions for Students

Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.

Information regarding the application for, and awarding of, the CARES Act emergency aid grants was published on the MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions’ website at https://www.mdanderson.org/education-training/degrees-programs/school-of-health-professions/current-students/cares-act-funding.html. Pell grant eligible students were sent an email directing them to the CARES Act information as well as instructions with the CARES Act application.