Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
Application Instructions
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability Act (CARES Act), SUNY Schenectady has been approved
for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Through HEERF, funding is available to assist eligible
students who have experienced a financial hardship due to the disruption in campus operations as a result of
COVID-19.
Student Eligibility:
For a student to be eligible for emergency funding he/she must:
Be an enrolled student
Be eligible for Federal Student Aid under Higher Education Act section 484
Have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Be enrolled in at least one on-campus course as of March 13, 2020
Submit an HEERF application to the SUNY Schenectady Financial Aid Office
Application Process:
Following this cover letter is the HEERF Student Application. All applications must be submitted to the SUNY
Schenectady Financial Aid Office. Applications must be complete and signed. Electronic signatures will be
accepted if the application is submitted via a student’s SUNY Schenectady email account. Faxed, hand delivered,
or non-SUNY Schenectady emailed applications must have a wet signature.
SUNY Schenectady has received limited HEERF funding. A priority deadline for applications has been set as
Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Applications will be accepted beyond this date if funding remains available.
A committee of SUNY Schenectady faculty and staff will review all applications. It is important to note that an
application for HEERF does not guarantee that funding will be approved. All applicants will be notified of their
application status within three weeks of submission. All notifications will be sent to the student’s SUNY
Schenectady college email account.
Applications are submitted to the SUNY Schenectady Financial Aid Office:
Phone: (518) 381-1468
Email: fa@sunysccc.edu
Fax: (518) 381-1477
Mailing: SUNY Schenectady, Financial Aid Office, 78 Washington Ave, Schenectady, NY 12305
Other Important Information:
For students who are approved for HEERF, money will be mailed to the student’s home mailing address which is on
record with the Registrar’s Office in the form of a paper check. All applicants are encouraged to confirm that the
College has their current mailing address and phone number. This is done through the student’s Records and
Registration account by choosing Personal Information from the main menu.
A student having submitted a FAFSA is a requirement to be considered for HEERF funding. If the student has not
yet completed a FAFSA, they can do so now at https://fafsa.ed.gov. Once a FAFSA is submitted, it will take three
business days for the results to the received by the College. Please keep this timeframe in mind when applying.