The following message was sent to all Drake students on July 14, 2021. Questions may be directed to the Office of Student Financial Planning.

Drake University is excited to announce additional emergency assistance of $3,225,972 that will be available to students with financial need and those who have experienced economic hardship caused by COVID-19. The University has accepted a third allocation of funding through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF III), made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).

These grants may be used for any component of a student’s cost of attendance or for expenses that arise due to the coronavirus. As required by ARPA, Drake will prioritize funding for students considered to have exceptional need. In a departure from its earlier practice, the U.S. Department of Education has determined that DACA, undocumented, and international students will be eligible to receive these funds.

Drake University will allocate funds through two primary methods:

1) based on a student’s estimated family contribution (EFC) as calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
2) through an application-based process

Awards determined by EFC will be automatically distributed to current Drake students with a completed 2021–2022 FAFSA on file with the University. We anticipate we will be ready to distribute payments to students at the beginning of the fall 2021 semester. Eligible students will receive a notice of their payment amount through their Drake email account. While not required, students will have the ability to authorize the University to apply the payment toward their billing balance.

The application-based process will serve students who do not qualify under the EFC-based methodology, but who can demonstrate that they have exceptional need, including:

• students who cannot complete the FAFSA (e.g., DACA, undocumented, or international students)
• students whose EFC from the 2021–2022 FAFSA is higher than the established eligibility threshold
• students who are not currently enrolled but were enrolled on or after March 13, 2020 and who incurred costs caused by COVID-19

We anticipate the application-based process will be finalized and become available by early August, with applications being approved for payment on a rolling basis beginning in August and continuing until funds are exhausted. While not required, students will have the ability to authorize the University to apply the payment to their billing balance. Additional announcements will be made when the application becomes available.

Students who are eligible to complete the 2021–2022 FAFSA are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. In addition, we encourage students who have been impacted economically by the COVID-19 pandemic to review information about how to submit a Financial Aid Appeal, which may result in increases to a student’s eligibility for financial aid. If you have questions or need assistance completing an appeal, please contact the Office of Student Financial Planning.

Ryan Zantingh
Director of Financial Aid