EIU Media Relations

EIU shares details of CARES Act assistance for students impacted by COVID-19

(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University has recently received information from the federal government regarding the details of its CARES Act emergency financial aid grant funds.

The federal eligibility guidelines are as follows:

• Students must meet Title IV eligibility requirements in order to receive an emergency financial aid grant. This will be determined for Spring or Summer 2020 through submission of a 2019-20 FAFSA and for Fall 2020 through submission of a 2020-21 FAFSA.
• International and undocumented students are not eligible. 
• Students who were enrolled exclusively in online programs on March 13, 2020 are not eligible.  

In addition to meeting those federal guidelines, students must be registered and “degree-seeking” at the university in order to qualify. Qualifying students will be reimbursed up to $30 per credit hour as part of the initial phase of emergency financial aid grants. Additional funds will be available through an application process that will be established after the initial phase of emergency financial aid grants is complete.

The intent of the funding is to support students experiencing a temporary financial hardship for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus. The COVID-19 emergency financial aid grants are limited and not intended to provide ongoing relief. As of the date of this communication, EIU has yet to receive its disbursement of CARES Act funding, but will promptly initiate the first phase of fund distribution upon receipt.

The aid is funded through the federal CARES Act, or the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.