In late March 2020, federal legislation was passed to provide economic relief to individuals and organizations dealing with the ramifications of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This legislation, titled the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (or CARES Act), established a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) for colleges and universities in the United States.

On May 6, 2020, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the certification and agreement to receive funding that will be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science was allotted $328,294 in CARES funding through HEERF under Section 18004(a)(1). The CARES Act directed that 50% of allocations ($164,147) must go toward emergency student financial assistance for expenses related to the coronavirus.

Realizing that students have been affected by the coronavirus interruptions in a variety of ways, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science will distribute funds to eligible students* using both direct grant payments for students in Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences programs with a delayed graduation and application-based awards for students who have additional expenses. Emails were sent to Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences program directors and Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences administration asking them to share the application with their students.

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science will issue emergency student financial assistance payments to eligible students starting June 8, 2020. The CARES Act funding is limited and the maximum amount a student can receive is $6,000. Eligibility criteria for CARES Act funding was determined based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science estimates 570 students met basic eligibility requirements to be considered for this funding (Section 484 Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965), thus eligible to be considered for CARES Act emergency funding.

If you are attending more than one college or university, you can only receive CARES Act funding from one school. If Mayo Clinic is not your home school, please check with the other school for funding information.

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science has disbursed the full allocation under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to students. As of Oct. 2, 2020, 160 students have received $328,294 of CARES Act emergency financial aid grants. This is the final report covering HEERF fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion of funds.

In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s CARES Act reporting requirement, quarterly reports for HEERF funds under Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(3) are available:

• Quarter ending March 31, 2021 (final report)
• Quarter ending Dec. 31, 2020
• Quarter ending Sept. 30, 2020

*Eligible students must have been enrolled and actively participating in courses during the spring term, enrolled in a financial aid-eligible program, and completed a FAFSA.