The following message was communicated to campus in a COVID-19 Update on May 14, 2020:

Drake University will receive funding through the CARES Act to provide emergency grants to students. Per the direction of the U.S. Department of Education, these grants can only be used for student “expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses.” The Department of Education has explicitly prohibited using the grant dollars to compensate a student for lost income due to their or another’s loss of employment.

You may be eligible for this funding if you meet all of the following criteria:

• You are eligible to receive federal student aid as either an undergraduate or graduate-level degree-seeking student. Eligibility must be confirmed through submission of your 2019–2020 or 2020–2021 FAFSA;
• You were enrolled in coursework in the spring 2020 semester, and that coursework is not part of a program that is offered entirely online; and,
• You incurred eligible expenses caused by the disruption to campus operations.

Students who meet the above criteria must complete the CARES Act Student Grant Application to be considered for these federal funds. Applications will be reviewed on an on-going basis and funds will be distributed until they are exhausted. Completing an application does not guarantee that a student will receive funds. As part of the application, students will be asked to substantiate their reported eligible expenses. The maximum amount of assistance a student may receive from this funding is $6000.

Drake University will provide these federal funds to students as quickly as possible, while adhering to the U. S. Department of Education’s guidance. To apply, complete the CARES Act Student Grant Application.

If you have questions as you complete the application, please review the FAQ on this topic at https://www.drake.edu/coronavirus/students/faq/cares-act-faq/, email covid19@drake.edu, or call (515) 271-2353.

Please visit drake.edu/coronavirus, which houses a repository of campus updates and messages pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also provides answers to many frequently asked questions.