The University started the process of distributing $10.3 million of federal emergency aid from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act on June 2 by notifying eligible students via email. Half of the stimulus funding UA received was allocated for institutional expenses; the other half was set aside for students with outstanding financial need. 

UA President Stuart R. Bell provided an update to the CW on April 30. The timeline for the distribution of funding was undisclosed at the time, but Bell discussed potential use of pre-existing data like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to expedite the process. 

This announcement comes more than 50 days after the U.S. Department of Education announced each university’s expected award amount, a number “based on a complex formula weighted toward institutions enrolling large numbers of students who qualify for Pell Grants.” 

Each award is based on the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), a number the University has access to from their current FAFSA. 

The email informs students of their maximum allocation and provides instructions for processing the funding: 

Step 1: Access your myBama account at myBama.ua.edu using your username and password.

Step 2: Select the Student tab.

Step 3: Select the Financial Aid Awards link.

Step 4: Select aid year 2019-20 and Submit.

Step 5: Select the Resources/Additional Information tab, read carefully, and respond accordingly.

Step 5a: Select the Amount of Expenses Incurred Up to the Maximum Allocation for your EFC

Step 5b: Sign the Attestation That You Incurred Expenses: After selecting the appropriate level of expenses you incurred, your final step will require you to read and attest to a statement verifying your expenses. 

Students can opt to receive any amount up to their maximum allocation, or decline the award altogether. Declined funds will be redistributed to other students with expressed need. 

According to UA News, “Students who did not receive funds on the initial distribution and who complete a FAFSA by June 30 may be eligible for additional funds on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are exhausted.”