COVID-19 Financial Aid

In April 2020, BGSU received the first round of funds for students through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). This was known as the CARES Act Grant. Through that grant, BGSU used over $6.5 million and was able to assist 6,646 students with unexpected costs and financial hardships caused by COVID-19. The CARES Act Grant is no longer available. 

In December 2020, Congress passed another bill under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERFII), offering BGSU an additional $6,581,709 to allocate to students. This is called the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act or CRRSAA Fund. The CRRSAA Fund is no longer available.

In March 2021, Congress passed a final bill under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERFIII), offering BGSU an additional $18,689,684 to allocate to students. These funds are called the American Rescue Plan Federal Grant or ARP-BG Federal Grant. The ARP-BG Fund is no longer available.

2022 | Closed
ARP-BG Federal Grant

2021 | Closed
CRRSAA Fund

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility

2020 | Closed
CARES Act Grant

Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Main Campus:
227 Bowen-Thompson Student Union
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403
419-372-2651
Fax: 419-372-0404

Firelands Campus:
One University Drive
Huron, Ohio 44839
419-372-0655

BGSU FAFSA School Code:
003018

Virtual Resources:
Send a secure email through Ask SFAVirtual Appointment Scheduler

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

American Rescue Plan Federal Grant (ARP-BG Federal Grant)

On May 17, 2021, BGSU was offered $18,689,684 from the American Rescue Plan to help relieve the financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are available to assist the student and/or their family who have faced significant unexpected expenses due to COVID-19 or have had loss of employment, reduced income, food insecurity or housing insecurity.

Total ARP-BG Federal Grant funds allocated $18,689,684
Total ARP-BG Federal Grant funds disbursed* $18,689,684
Total BGSU students who received ARP-BG Federal Grant* 9,828

* Final Report - As of 06/30/2022 all funds were exhausted

Previous disbursement funding reports: 08/26/2021, 10/06/2021, 12/31/2021, 03/31/2022
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 9/30/2021: 00301800_HEERF_Q32021_101021
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 12/31/2021: 00301800_HEERF_Q42021_011022
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 03/31/2022: 00301800_HEERF_Q12022_040422
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 06/30/2022: 00301800_HEERF_Q22022_070822

How the ARP-BG Federal Grant is Awarded

Automatic Disbursement | The first method of disbursement went to students with qualifying financial need and enrollment identified by Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. 

  • On Monday, January 10, 2022, students who met the criteria to receive an automatic disbursement were notified through their BGSU emails. 
  • On Thursday, August 26, 2021, students who met the criteria to receive an automatic disbursement were notified for Fall 2021 through their BGSU emails. 
  • The amount awarded can be found in student's MyBGSU > Student Center > Financial Aid Award Summary > Spring 2022 Semester*
  • The ARP-BG Federal Grant is a one-time Spring 2022 award, and students who receive this funding will not be able to apply for an additional funding during spring semester.
  • Once awarded, amounts cannot be changed or adjusted due to change in enrollment or financial need.
  • Students who received the funds automatically and have an outstanding balance on their BGSU student account, have until 11:59 p.m. on January 17* to indicate how they want their funds issued. Students who do not respond by the January 17 deadline, will have funds issued through BGSU Refund (3-5 business days) or paper check (5-7 business days).

*Students who have a balance on their BGSU student account will NOT be able to see their funds until they let us know how they want their funds issued. 
* A similar approach for automatic disbursement was taken for fall 2021.

Student Application | The second method of ARP-BG Federal Grant disbursement is through student applications. All other students who did not receive the ARP-BG Federal Grant automatically, are able to submit an online application for consideration. The application is open for Spring 2022. Minimum eligibility includes, students who were regularly admitted and are in a degree seeking program for Spring 2022 semester.

  • Students and/or their families who have faced significant unexpected expenses due to COVID-19, have had loss of employment, reduced income, food insecurity or housing insecurity and did not receive and did not receive an automatic disbursement, are able to submit an ARP-BG Federal Grant application. 
  • Students who complete an application are given the option to use the funds to be applied to a balance owed BGSU or receive a direct refund.
  • If awarded, amounts cannot be changed or adjusted due to change in enrollment or financial need.
  • If a student's application is denied, an email will be sent to the student's BGSU email within 5-7 business days.
  • Student who did not receive the automatic disbursement Fall 2021 were able to apply with the same criteria applied in relation to Fall 2021.

Spending your ARP-BG Federal Grant

The ARP-BG Federal Grant is offered to help students who were facing unexpected financial challenges related to COVID-19. These funds are disbursed directly to the student via direct deposit (BGSU Refund) or paper check unless permission granted by the student to apply it to a BGSU balance first. The funds are to be used for any component of their cost of attendance or for emergency costs that have arisen due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. These emergency funds are not taxable income and are meant to directly assist students during this crisis. 

IMPORTANT: The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (HEERF III - CRRSAA) is no longer available. All available funds have been awarded to eligible students. The following information is for informational purposes only. 

NOW CLOSED

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA)

On January 17, 2021, BGSU was offered $6,581,709 from the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) to help relieve the financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds were available to assist students experiencing financial hardships caused by the pandemic. 

Total CRRSAA funds allocated $6,581,709
Estimated number of students Title IV Aid Eligible  12,505
Total CRRSAA funds disbursed* $6,581,709
Total BGSU students who received CRRSAA Act Grant* 8,094

* Final Report - As of 08/16/2021 all funds were exhausted

Previous disbursement funding reports: 03/13/2021,  05/04/2021, 06/30/2021
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report – Quarter Ending 03/31/2021
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report – Quarter Ending 06/30/2021
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 09/30/2021: 00301800_HEERF_Q32021_10121
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 12/31/2021: 00301800_HEERF_Q42021_011022
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 03/31/2022: 00301800_HEERF_Q12022_040422
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 06/30/2022: 00301800_HEERF_Q22022_071122

How Student CRRSAA Funds were Awarded

Automatic Disbursement | The first method of disbursement went to students with qualifying financial need and enrollment identified by Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. These students were provided automatic CRRSAA funds ranging from $250 - $1,000.

  • On Friday, March 5, 2021, students who met the criteria to receive an automatic disbursement were notified through their BGSU emails. 
  • The amount awarded can be found in student's MyBGSU > Student Center > Financial Aid Award Summary > Spring 2021 Semester
  • The CRRSAA Fund was a one-time spring 2021 award, and students who receive this funding will not be able to apply for additional CRRSAA funds during spring semester.
  • Students who received the funds automatically and have an outstanding balance on their BGSU student account, had until March 12 to indicate how they wanted the funds issued. Students who did not respond by the March 12 deadline, had funds issued through BGSU eRefund (3-5 business days) or paper check (5-7 business days).

Student Application | The second method of CRRSAA disbursement was through student applications. All other students who did not receive CRRSAA funds automatically, were able to submit an online application for consideration. The application was open for Spring 2021 and Summer 2021. Minimum eligibility include, students had to be enrolled for the current semester and have the correct aid year FAFSA on file.

  • Students who were facing unexpected financial challenges related to COVID-19 and did not receive an automatic disbursement for Sprign 2021 were able to submit a CRRSAA application. 
  • Students who completed an application for either Spring or Summer were given the option to use the funds to be applied to a balance owed BGSU or receive a direct refund.
  • The application closed on 4/30/2021 for Spring 2021 and reopened for summer on 5/19. Funds were exhausted on 8/16/21 and the application permanently closed. 
  • If a student's application was denied, an email was sent to the student's BGSU email within 5-7 business days.

Spending your CRRSAA funds

CRRSAA funds were offered to help students who were facing unexpected financial challenges related to COVID-19. These funds were disbursed directly to the student via direct deposit (BGSU eRefund) or paper check unless permission granted by the student to apply it to a BGSU balance first. The funds were to be used for any component of their cost of attendance or for emergency costs that have arisen due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. These emergency funds are not taxable income and are meant to directly assist students during this crisis. 

IMPORTANT: The CARES Act Grant is no longer available. All available funds have been awarded to eligible students. The following information is for informational purposes only. 

NOW CLOSED

Former CARES Act Grant Information

BGSU was awarded $13.1 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help relieve the financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Of this total, $6.5 million was used to assist students experiencing financial hardships caused by the pandemic. Bowling Green State University acknowledges that it signed and returned the Certification and Agreement to the U.S. Department of Education on April 22, 2020 and assured that BGSU used the funding received under section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Grants to students. The University also set aside a portion of University emergency funds to assist during that time.

BGSU Disbursement Funding Methods

The first method was used to select the neediest students who were living off campus and were required to still pay rent after the University shifted to all online learning. These students were provided an automatic CARES Act Grant based on enrolment for spring semester, ranging from $300 - $1,200. A total of 2,774 students received CARES Act Grants via this method totaling $2,613,800.

The second method was by application. All other students who requested CARES Act Grant funds were required to complete an application by logging in using their MyBGSU account, indicating what expense(s) have been incurred (food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, child care) due to the disruption of on-campus operations and the shift to online learning. Amounts of the award were based on need determined by the FAFSA and ranged from $500 - $1200. Students who were awarded funds in the spring or summer semester, were able to request additional funds for fall semester but any additional amount awarded was limited to $250 - $500, depending on need determined by the FAFSA.

Total CARES Act Funds allocated $6,581,709
Estimated number of students Title IV Aid Eligible  11,585
Total CARES Act funds disbursed* $6,581,709
Total BGSU students who received CARES spring only 4,494
Total BGSU students who received CARES spring & summer 185
Total BGSU students who received CARES spring & fall 768 
Total BGSU students who received CARES summer only 235
Total BGSU students who received CARES summer & fall 62
Total BGSU students who received CARES fall only 804
Total BGSU students who received CARES spring, summer & fall 99
Total BGSU students who received CARES Act Grant** 6,646

*As of 8/31/2020 all funds were exhausted
**Final Report as of 1/10/2021

Previous disbursment funding reports: 5/22/2020, 6/26/2020, 8/7/2020, 10/30/2020
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - 10/30/2020
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - 1/10/2021
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 09/30/2021: 00301800_HEERF_Q32021_101021
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 12/31/2021: 00301800_HEERF_Q42021_011022
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 03/31/2022: 00301800_HEERF_Q12022_040422
Download the Institutional HEERF Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report - Quarter Ending 06/30/2022: 00301800_HEERF_Q22022_071122

What was the CARES Act Grant?

Because of the CARES Act, BGSU was able to offer an emergency grant called the CARES Act Grant to students who struggled with living expenses or other unexpected financial challenges related to the disruption of on-campus operations from Spring 2020. This included expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.

These funds were available to undergraduate and graduate students. 

Who was eligible to apply for the CARES Act Grant?

The eligibility requirements are listed below. In order to meet the needs of all students, we were sometimes limited to only offering a portion of the amount requested in the application. To qualify, students must:

  1. Have a 2020-2021 FAFSA on file
  2. Enrolled for Fall 2020
  3. Be eligible for funding under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965
  4. Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress
  5. Not be enrolled in an exclusive online distance education program

How did students apply for the CARES Act Grant?

To apply, students had to meet the federal eligibility requirements. If you were eligible, a link was provided on this page to complete the application. No additional materials or documents were required. 

How can I spend CARES Act Grant Funds?

CARES Act Grant funds were offered to help students who faced unexpected financial challenges related to the disruption of on-campus operations. These funds were disbursed directly to the student via direct deposit or paper check and could be used for expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care. These emergency funds are not taxable income and are meant to directly assist you during this crisis. 

Guidance Provided by Institution 

Students received a direct communication from President Rogers on May 1, 2020 regarding this funding through their BGSU email. Students who applied for the CARES Act Grant and were ineligible, received an email to their BGSU account with an explanation and possible next steps. Additional COVID-19 information can be found here.

Updated: 03/20/2023 02:49PM