Cocky CARES (Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Program - CARES Act)
Jacksonville State University students are eligible to receive emergency financial assistance grants through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF3), made possible through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. These grants do not need to be paid back, but students must complete an acknowledgement to receive a grant.
In addition to the requirements outlined in the FAQ below, all grant recipients must be enrolled Fall Semester 2021 and includes all students. The amount received is calculated based on Expected Family Contribution as determined by a student’s FAFSA completed for the 2021 – 2022 academic year, but a FAFSA is not required to receive an award.
Acknowledgments will be accepted and processed in the order they are received.
View emails sent to students about the application process.
For questions not covered in the FAQs, please contact the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund contact team at cockycares@jsu.edu.
FAQs for Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
The American Rescue Plan which was passed by Congress and signed into law, provides additional funding to colleges and universities through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF3). These funds allow institutions to provide emergency financial grants to students for the cost of attendance, and other emergency expenses due to the national COVID-19 pandemic.
We know that many of our students are struggling financially through this global health crisis. JSU is currently developing a plan to equitably distribute these funds, following Department of Education guidelines. This emergency aid will become available for students that meet the HEERF3 eligibility guidelines and who were enrolled at JSU at the time of disbursement. These funds are meant to assist students with their unexpected expenses and stay on track to earn their degree as planned.
To be eligible students must:
- have been an undergraduate or graduate student) during Fall 2021 semester;
JSU will distribute the HEERF funding in a way that prioritizes students with the greatest demonstrated need, enrollment status, and ensures that funds are distributed as widely as possible.
JSU will distribute the HEERF funding in a way that prioritizes students with the greatest demonstrated need and ensures that funds are distributed as widely as possible.
No. These funds were determined by the FAFSA information on file as of October 1, 2021.
2021 Cocky CARES Grants
2021 Cocky CARES grants do not require an application but do require acknowledgement by the student. Several thousand eligible JSU students have already been selected to receive this grant funding, based on the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) reported on their 2021 - 2022 FAFSA. The amount of this award varies from student to student, depending on the EFC. Students eligible for these funds will receive an email notification from the university by August 20, 2021. If selected to receive the funds, students must follow the directions in the email notification to complete an acknowledgment form before funds can be distributed. Once this form has been received, students can expect funds to be disbursed within 7-10 business days. Students must accept these funds by October 1, 2021 or lose eligibility of the funds.
- Students will receive an email to their my JSU email account.
- Log in to your My JSU
- Select "Student Acceptance of Emergency Grant Aid" from Featured Links
JSU was provided with an allocation relative to the proportion of Pell Grant applicants at higher education institutions, as well as the number of students enrolling for both undergraduate and graduate programs. These expenses may include any component of the student’s cost of attendance such as: housing, food, course materials, health care, child care, and technology-related expenses.
No, this is not a loan. The funds are given to students in need, to use towards basic or academic needs.
No, these funds are exempt from the maximum financial aid amount students may receive.
If you were online only Fall Semester 2021, you qualify for the HEERF3 funding and should receive an email with your award amount.
If you have questions about the HEERF program not covered here, please contact us at cockycares@jsu.edu