Most HEERF money has already been spent, yet a few campuses can still send remaining student grants when funds were set aside earlier and are being finished during closeout.
HEERF is short for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. It was federal money that went to colleges and universities so they could issue emergency cash grants to students and cover certain campus costs tied to the COVID-19 disruption. Students did not apply to the federal government for HEERF. Schools received awards, then ran their own campus process inside federal rules.
That structure is why “still available” can mean two different things:
- Nationally available: a program is open and students can apply for new money.
- Locally available: your school still has already-awarded funds to finish paying out.
Nationally, HEERF is not open for new student applications. Locally, a small number of students may still see a HEERF-related payment when their school is wrapping up a final round, fixing a failed payment, or clearing an eligibility hold.
How HEERF Reached Students
Congress funded HEERF in three rounds: HEERF I (CARES Act), HEERF II (CRRSAA), and HEERF III (American Rescue Plan). The U.S. Department of Education keeps the program overview and the main program pages in its HEERF program hub.
Most schools published a campus policy, identified eligible students, then delivered funds by direct deposit, paper check, or a credit that later refunded to you. Some campuses required an application and asked what costs you had. Others auto-awarded using need indicators such as Pell eligibility.
Are HEERF Funds Still Available? What The Deadlines Say
The Department of Education issued a blanket notice that extended the performance period for open HEERF grants with more than $1,000 remaining through June 30, 2023. The Federal Register notice explains the extension and its limits. Notice of Automatic Extension of Performance Period for HEERF grants, which is the clearest public marker for when the broad spending window ended.
After a grant’s performance period ends, federal grant rules shift into closeout. The term that matters for late payments is “liquidation,” which is paying previously obligated costs by drawing down awarded funds. Under 2 CFR 200.344, recipients generally must liquidate obligations within 120 calendar days after the period of performance ends unless the awarding agency approves an extension. See 2 CFR 200.344 (Closeout).
So there is no brand-new HEERF application portal. Any remaining HEERF activity is campus-specific and tied to money the school already had.
When Students Still Receive A HEERF Payment
Late HEERF activity usually falls into a small set of patterns. If your situation matches one of these, your next step is to ask your school about the exact payment status.
Delayed final payout rounds
Some schools planned a last round of student grants and scheduled the payout late in the spending cycle. If staffing, system changes, or verification steps slowed that run, students could receive money later than expected.
Reissued payments after a failed delivery
Direct deposits can be rejected, and checks can go to old addresses. Schools often reissue these payments once a student updates details or confirms identity.
Eligibility holds that clear late
If your school required you to be enrolled in a specific term, meet a need rule, or complete a campus form, your record might have been paused. Once the school confirms the missing piece, it can release the payment if funds for that round are still reserved.
How To Check Your School’s Status Fast
You need two pieces of campus-specific information: whether there is any remaining student-grant balance, and whether the school is still sending payments tied to that balance.
Find the latest public HEERF report
Many schools posted quarterly public HEERF reports listing money received, money drawn down, and money distributed to students. Search your school site for “HEERF quarterly report” plus your school name. Open the newest report you can find and scan for “remaining balance” or “unspent” lines.
Email financial aid with a targeted question
Instead of asking “Is HEERF open?”, ask this:
- “Do you have any remaining HEERF student emergency grants still being processed, reissued, or paid after an appeal?”
If you already applied in the past, add the term and the date you applied. If you received an approval notice but never got paid, say that and ask if your payment needs reissue.
Table: Where Remaining HEERF Money Can Still Sit
This table shows where HEERF dollars can remain on a campus and what “still available” can look like from a student view. It also includes cases where HEERF activity exists but does not translate into cash grants.
| HEERF bucket or task | Who manages it | What a student may notice |
|---|---|---|
| Final scheduled student grant round | Financial aid office | One last payout batch for eligible students |
| Payment reissues (returned ACH, stale checks) | Bursar + financial aid | A replacement deposit or check later on |
| Appeals tied to a past application window | Financial aid office | A decision email followed by a later payout |
| Eligibility verification holds | Financial aid office | Payment released after a missing item is resolved |
| Minority-serving institution (MSI) awards | Grants office | Campus aid programs that may include limited grants |
| FIPSE or other competitive awards | Grants office | Program work continues; cash grants may be absent |
| Institutional expense reimbursement | Finance office | No direct payout; school budgets may shift |
| Closeout reporting and refunds | Grants + finance | Web updates with no new student payments |
Why A School Can Have HEERF Activity Without New Student Cash
HEERF included funding streams outside the main direct grants to institutions, including allocations for minority-serving institutions and awards through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). A Congressional Research Service report breaks down overall funding totals and these major buckets. Education Stabilization Fund programs analysis (CRS R47027).
Those streams can involve campus projects and grant administration that do not look like a student grant check. Students may see web pages updated for reporting or audits and assume emergency grants are back. That is rarely the case.
Signs Your School Is Finished With HEERF
Schools wrapped up at different speeds. These clues show up on campuses that are done with student emergency grants:
- The newest HEERF report shows a zero balance for student emergency grants.
- The school’s HEERF page says the application is closed and will not reopen.
- Financial aid staff confirm there are no remaining HEERF student payments pending reissue or appeal.
- Campus HEERF pages only describe past terms and older payout rounds.
If You Need Help And HEERF Is Over
Many students land here because rent, food, or books are hitting hard right now. If HEERF is closed at your school, these moves tend to pay off faster than waiting for a program that may never reopen.
Ask about current emergency grants
Many campuses run an emergency aid fund backed by institutional dollars, private donations, or state programs. Ask your financial aid office what the current program is called and what documents they want.
Ask if your cost of attendance can be adjusted
If your real expenses rose, some schools can adjust your cost of attendance with documentation. That adjustment can increase federal loan eligibility. Each campus sets its own documentation rules, so ask what proof they accept.
Clear any paperwork blocks in your file
Verification items, SAP reviews, and incomplete FAFSA data can hold up aid you already earned. Clearing those items can lead to faster disbursement than chasing retired relief funds.
Table: A Student Checklist To Verify “Still Paying” Claims
Use this checklist when someone says “HEERF is still paying at my school.” It separates real leads from old posts and scam links.
| Check | Where to verify | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Latest HEERF report shows a remaining student-grant balance | Newest HEERF quarterly report on the school website | Some payments may still be scheduled or reissued |
| You have an approval notice but no payment record | Email + student account activity | Ask for a reissue or correction check |
| Your deposit was rejected or your check went stale | Bank history + bursar record | A replacement payment can still be possible |
| Financial aid replies “closeout with zero student payments” | Written reply from the office | Time is better spent on other aid options |
| A link claims a national HEERF application is open | Ask for the source and check it against official pages | Often a scam or misunderstanding |
| A form asks for a fee to apply | Close the page | HEERF applications never had a fee |
Next Steps You Can Take Today
If you want clarity now, follow this sequence:
- Find the newest HEERF report on your school site and check for any remaining student-grant balance.
- If you see a balance, or you had a past approval with no payment, email financial aid and ask about remaining student grants, reissues, or cleared holds.
- If the answer is no, ask for the school’s current emergency aid options and the steps that will speed up your standard aid.
You’ll get a clean answer fast, and you’ll avoid rumor loops that waste time.
References & Sources
- U.S. Department of Education.“Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).”Program overview and links to HEERF I, II, III and reporting pages.
- Federal Register.“Notice of Automatic Extension of Performance Period for All Open Grants Issued Under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).”Explains the blanket performance period extension through June 30, 2023 for qualifying open HEERF grants.
- eCFR.“2 CFR 200.344 (Closeout).”Defines closeout steps and the general 120-day liquidation requirement after the period of performance ends.
- Congressional Research Service.“Education Stabilization Fund Programs Funded by the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARPA: Background and Analysis.”Breaks down HEERF funding totals and the main program buckets, including direct grants, MSI programs, and FIPSE.