CARES Act

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help/donate additional funds to help students?
The Panther Protection Fund assists students facing difficulties threatening to interrupt their education. Grants cover needs not covered by other resources, including tuition, temporary housing, living expenses, food and car repairs.
The FIUstrong Fund supports the greatest emergency needs of students, faculty and staff when other funding options cannot meet their specific needs. You can give to either fund.

Faculty/Staff

Where do I refer a student that needs help?
If a student needs financial assistance, they should complete the aid request form. Students should submit an emergency aid request form at go.fiu.edu/eaidrequest.

You can also send an email to eaid@fiu.edu with the name of the student and a staff member will reach out to the student to assist him or her in completing the request form.

Report and Disclosure

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting
Section 18004(a)(1) Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students -
Florida International University
Thirty Day Report - May 11, 2020
Forty Five Day/FINAL Report - June 25, 2020

Florida International University (FIU) acknowledges it signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement on April 11, 2020, and gives the assurance that FIU has used more than 50% of the funds received under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

The total amount of funds FIU received on April 22, 2020, from the U.S. Department of Education for distribution to students is $19,150,979.00.
The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of June 25, 2020, is $19,150,979.00.
The estimated total number of students at FIU 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 under section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act is 34,024.
The total number of students who received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 9,552.
The methods used to determine which and how much students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants are as follows -
- A currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student for term of disbursement
- Eligible for funding under a Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965
- Maximum total award per student is $6,195 (largest Pell award).
- Awards are prioritized based on student type and individual as explained below:
  - Student Type Prioritization Hierarchy
    - Pell eligible undergraduate students;
    - Undergraduate students within two (2) terms of graduation;
    - Retention/persistence; and
    - Graduate students.
  - Need Type Prioritization Hierarchy
    - Food;
    - Housing;
    - Educational Technology;
    - Health Care;
    - Child Care;
    - Other (books, transportation, etc).
- The amount of need type awards are based on FIU’s official cost of attendance as outlined in the chart below. For spring term requests, students may receive up to two (2) months of each individual need category and for the summer term students may receive up to three (3) months of each individual need category.

One (1) Month Living Expenses	UGRD	GRAD
ROOM (Housing)	383	766
BOARD (Food)	316	316
TRANSPORTATION	172	172
PERSONAL (utilities/medical/internet)	145	145
TOTAL	1016	1399

Financial aid administrators may exercise professional judgment to assist students who have extenuating circumstances which warrant a reevaluation of their CARES/emergency aid award.
The instructions, directions, or guidance provided by FIU to all students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants were sent via University email, published on the University website, and announced on the Student Portal. Instructions on how to complete our CARES Fund Application are provided on the FIU Emergency Aid application: go.fiu.edu/eaidrequest

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting
Section 18004(a)(1) Institutional, (a)(2) and (a)(3) Funds
Florida International University
March 13 – September 30, 2020 Report – October 29 , 2020

October 1 – December 31, 2020 Report – January 10, 2020

January 1 - March 31, 2021 Report - April 9, 2021