Penn State’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) allocation just opened its application for another round of emergency financial aid grants that will allocate $5 million in financial aid to students.

Earlier this semester, the University announced that it will use $50 million out of $76.2 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to help students who have financially suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first round concluded on November 15, and more than 31,000 students received anywhere from $1,000 to $8,000 in financial aid. The application process was based on data from the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

In a press release, Penn State said that students who qualify for the second round of grants will be awarded $1,000 in financial aid. The ARP requires students who receive a grant to only use it for expenses ARP deems eligible, including tuition, food, housing, health care, and more.

The second round is open for undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students at any Penn State campus who either did not file or who are not eligible to file a FAFSA and those who did not qualify in the first round of grants. The grants are available until all ARP funds have been allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Priority is also given to those who have not already received an ARP grant in 2021. Penn State will distribute about $18 million of the leftover ARP funds next spring.

Students who receive a grant will be notified through their Penn State email, and the financial aid will be refunded to the student.