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Important Updates

  • In observance of Cesar Chavez Day, Financial Aid and Scholarships will be closed on Friday, March 29, 2024. 
  • The priority filing date for the 2024-25 FAFSA and CADAA has been extended to May 2, 2024. Visit Apply for Financial Aid for details.
  • The Department of Education has announced they will send information from the 2024-25 FAFSA to schools in mid-March. This may result in a delay in financial aid packaging and offers for the 2024-25 academic year. While awaiting your financial aid offer, we encourage you to utilize the UC Davis Financial Aid Estimator to estimate your potential aid.

CARES Act FAQs

As of now, UC Davis has not received any additional CARES Act funding and the previous distribution that we received in the spring quarter of 2021 has been fully awarded to students.

The following information is in reference to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund I (HEERF I), which includes the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. All awards from this first round of funding have been distributed to eligible UC Davis students.

For information on HEERF II, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), and HEERF III, the American Rescue Plan (ARP), visit Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds.

  • What is the CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant?
  • The CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant Fund provides emergency financial aid assistance to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus as stipulated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act was signed into law March 27, 2020. Awards will be distributed to eligible UC Davis undergraduate students based on need as determined by the 2019-20 FAFSA with an emphasis on providing additional support to the neediest populations. Funding for Title IV eligible graduate/professional students will be distributed equally amongst the population.
  • Who is eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant and how will eligibility be determined?
  • Federal regulations require schools to confirm that a student receiving any CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Grant meets the following requirements: 
         • Is a US Citizen or an eligible noncitizen

         • Has a valid Social Security number
         • Is registered with Selective Service, if you’re a male (you must register between the ages of 18 and 25)
         • Is not in default on a federal student loan
         • Does not owe money on a federal student grant
         • Is a currently enrolled student


    Undergraduate students must file a 2019-20 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by May 30, 2020, to be considered for an emergency grant. Please note, undergraduates must have need as determined by the FAFSA to be considered for assistance. 

    Graduate and professional students are encouraged to file a 2019-20 FAFSA or complete a certification with the campus confirming eligibility for Title IV funding by May 30, 2020, to receive assistance. 

    Additional information can be found at Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements.
  • How much will eligible students receive in the CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant?
  • The CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant is one-time funding divided between eligible graduate/professional students and undergraduate students based on the percentage of enrollment. Awards will be distributed to eligible undergraduate students based on need as determined by the 2019-20 FAFSA with an emphasis on providing additional support to the neediest populations. Funding for eligible graduate/professional students will be distributed equally amongst the population as follows (per student): 

    UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS*
         • Pell Grant recipients: $1,000
         • Students receiving grants other than Pell Grant: $750
         • Students eligible for Subsidized Direct Loans only and not receiving grants: $500

    GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS*
         • Graduate Studies: $600
         • School of Education: $600
         • School of Law: $600

         • School of Management: $600 (not available to Online MBA students)
         • School of Medicine: $600

         • Veterinary Medicine: $600

    *Undocumented AB 540 students will receive relief funds from institutional emergency grants equivalent to the awards provided to Title IV eligible students. See the Additional COVID-19 Support section below.
  • When will eligible students receive the CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant?
  • The distribution of funds to eligible students will begin the week of May 4, 2020. If you meet the eligibility criteria and have not received funding by May 15, 2020, please contact Financial Aid and Scholarships. In the meantime, please sign up for direct deposit and/or verify that your mailing address is accurate in the Student Information System.
  • How much will eligible students receive in the Summer CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant?
  • The Summer CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant is funding from the CARES Act Emergency Relief act that has been allocated for undergraduate students taking summer courses based on the percentage of enrollment. Awards will be distributed to eligible undergraduate students based on need as determined by the 2019-20 FAFSA with an emphasis on providing additional support to the neediest populations. Funding will be distributed equally amongst the population as follows (per student): 

    UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS*
         • Students with Financial Need: $400

    *Undocumented AB 540 students will receive relief funds from institutional emergency grants equivalent to the awards provided to Title IV eligible students. See the Additional COVID-19 Support section below.
  • When will eligible students receive the Summer CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant?
  • For students enrolled in Summer Session 1: The distribution of funds to eligible students will begin the week of June 26, 2020. If you meet the eligibility criteria and have not received funding by July 15, 2020, please contact Financial Aid and Scholarships. In the meantime, please sign up for direct deposit and/or verify that your mailing address is accurate in the Student Information System.

    For students enrolled in Summer Session 2: The distribution of funds to eligible students will begin the week of August 3, 2020. If you meet the eligibility criteria and have not received funding by August 21, 2020, please contact Financial Aid and Scholarships. In the meantime, please sign up for direct deposit 
    and/or verify that your mailing address is accurate in the Student Information System.
  • How will the CARES Act relief funds affect me as a Work-Study student?
  • Work-Study students are eligible for the one-time CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant in addition to the one-time federal and institutional Work-Study grant in which a portion or all of the remaining Work-Study balance scheduled for spring quarter will be converted to a one-time Work-Study grant for all eligible undergraduate students. The amount of the one-time Work-Study grant will be based on hours worked during the winter quarter. For details on the Work-Study grant, see Work-Study Guidance.

  • How will the CARES Act relief funds affect me if I am a financial aid recipient and I made adjustments to my housing contract for spring term due to COVID-19? 
  • On-campus students who adjusted their housing contract for the spring term due to COVID-19 received allotted resources in March, and therefore will not be receiving additional emergency relief from the CARES Act at this time. Normally, aid is adjusted when students move off-campus or commute from home, however, in an effort to mitigate the disruption and associated costs with moving to an online platform, an exception was made to allow students who canceled their housing contract to retain aid for on-campus housing.
  • Why didn’t I receive a CARES Act disbursement?
  • UC Davis students who are eligible for need-based federal financial aid programs are eligible for federal CARES Act grants. If you are eligible for federal need-based aid but did not receive a CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant, you can notify our office for an eligibility review. 

    If you are ineligible for a CARES Act disbursement, and your family was significantly affected by issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we may be able to help you with emergency aid from other institutional resources. See the Institutional Student Support section.

    For help with longer-term and future needs consider a Family Contribution Review appeal. The appeal form will be available in July 2020 for the 2020-21 academic year.
  • If I receive funds from the CARES Act and withdraw from the spring quarter/semester, do I have to return the CARES grant?
  • No, the CARES Act funding is intended to provide one-time relief funding to mitigate the disruption caused by COVID-19.
  • Am I eligible for a Coronavirus relief award for the summer quarter?
  • The American Rescue Plan (ARP) included additional COVID-19 relief for institutions of higher education. Financial Aid and Scholarships is currently waiting for additional guidance from the Federal Government to determine when ARP Act funding will be distributed to UC Davis. Once the guidance has been released, this information will be updated on our website. Visit ARP FAQs for updates.

Relief Funding  •  Support Updates  •  Funding Notification