HEERF (Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund)

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. Included in the CARES Act is the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I), which are funds to be distributed to institutions of higher education. On December 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act 2021 (CRRSAA), was signed into law by President Trump which includes the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II). On March 11, 2021, President Bident signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which appropriated funds for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III). Below please find the detail regarding how SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College distributed the fund received.

HEERF I allows for a minimum of 50% of the funds are to be given directly to students to use for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare (the “Student Portion”). In addition, up to 50% of the funds may be used by SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College to cover any costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus so long as such costs do not include payment to contractors for the provision of pre-enrollment recruitment activities, including marketing and advertising; endowments; or capital outlays associated with facilities related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship (the “Institutional Portion”).

HEERF I and SAE Institute of Technology

SAE Institute of Technology (OPEID 03830300), which includes Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York, received a total of $2,892,306 and SAE Expression College (OPEID 03973300) received a total of $875,264, under the HEERF I. No less than 50% of those funds were distributed to eligible students. SAE Institute of Technology signed and returned the Funding Certification and Agreement for the Student Portion of HEERF I. The funds are distributed by OPEID by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) using the Department’s G5 system.

On April 27, 2020, SAE Institute of Technology received the Student Portion of the HEERF I. SAE Institute of Technology distributed $1100 to each student with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus who were participating in courses actively as of May 20, 2020, and at the time of distribution of the funds. SAE Institute of Technology had a second disbursement for any active, eligible student who did not receive funds during the first disbursement and was actively participating in classes the week of August 3, 2020, and the week of August 17, 2020. These funds were to be used for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.

Students who were eligible were required to submit an electronic acknowledgment form to be completed and submitted within the required timeline. The eligible student must electronically sign the form in order to receive the funds. No student received the funds prior to signing the document. A copy of the completed document was automatically emailed to the student via DocuSign. There were no exceptions to the deadlines.

The Director of Finance forwarded the completed list of all students who received the funds to Bank of America so they can create a debit card for each student. Any SAE Institute of Technology eligible student who had not submitted the completed acknowledgment form by the due date was not eligible for the funds.

Bank of America forwarded the debit cards to each campus for distribution to the students. Students were notified by the Campus Director when to pick up the debit cards at the school. Each student signed the HEERF I Grant Acknowledgement of Receipt of Funds Form, as well as the SAE employee distributed the card. The debit card was picked up on campus by the student within the timeline provided by the Campus Director. There were no exceptions.

Students were to activate the card the day the card was picked up in order for the money to be transferred. Any student who did not activate their cards timely did not receive the funds. The funds were transferred onto the debit card two days after the last day to pick up the cards. Any debit cards that are not picked up in the time provided by the Campus Director were deactivated. Those funds were added back to the funds to be distributed for the third disbursement.

The estimated total number of students eligible to receive the Student Portion for SAE Institute of Technology is 1355. The total number of students who have received the grant is 1190. As of December 1, 2020, $1,321,100 has been distributed to students. The remaining balance of $125,053 was applied to an emergency grant fund.

Students interested in receiving the emergency grant fund completed the CARES HEERF Emergency Student Grant Application. The completed application was received by January 15, 2021. The CARES HEERF Emergency Student Grant Committee consisted of the Chief Academic and Compliance Officer, Associate Dean of Academics, Associate Dean of Career Services, and the Manager of Compliance and Academics. The committee reviewed each application and determined the funds to be given directly to students to use for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare. There were 127 active students who each received a $1317 award from the emergency grant.

In summary, SAE Institute of Technology (OPEID 03830300), which includes Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York, received a total of $2,892,306 under the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I). No less than 50% of those funds were required to be distributed to eligible students, which totaled $1,446,153. SAE Institute of Technology distributed $1,487,259 of the grant, which represents 51.4% of the total funds that were received.

HEERF I and SAE Expression College

On June 9, 2020, SAE Expression College received the Student Portion of the HEERF I. SAE Expression College signed and returned the Funding Certification and Agreement for the Student Portion of HEERF I. The estimated total number of students eligible to receive the Student Portion for SAE Expression College is 231. The total number of students who have received the grant is 211. As of December 1, 2020, $337,600 had been distributed to students.

SAE Expression College distributed $1600 to each student with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus who were participating in courses actively as of June 15, 2020, and at the time of distribution of the funds. Active, eligible students who did not receive the first disbursement were eligible to receive $1600 and were actively participating in courses the week of August 3, 2020, and the week of August 17, 2020. The remaining balance of $100,032 was applied to an emergency grant fund.

Students who were eligible were required to submit an electronic acknowledgment form to be completed and submitted within 3 days. The eligible student must electronically sign the form in order to receive the funds. No student received the funds prior to signing the document. A copy of the completed document was automatically emailed to the student via DocuSign. There were no exceptions to the deadlines.

The Director of Finance forwarded the completed list of all students who received the funds to Bank of America so they can create a debit card for each student. Any SAE Expression College eligible student who had not submitted the completed acknowledgment form by the due date will not be eligible for the funds.

Bank of America forwarded the debit cards to each campus for distribution to the students. Students were notified by the Campus Director when to pick up the debit cards at the school. Each student signed the HEERF I Grant Acknowledgement of Receipt of Funds Form, as well as the SAE employee distributing the card. The debit card was picked up on campus by the student within the timeline provided by the Campus Director. There were no exceptions.

Students interested in receiving the emergency grant fund completed the CARES HEERF Emergency Student Grant Application. The completed application was received by January 15, 2021. The CARES HEERF I Emergency Student Grant Committee consisted of the Chief Academic and Compliance Officer, Associate Dean of Academics, Associate Dean of Career Services, and the Manager of Compliance and Academics. The committee reviewed each application and determined the funds to be given directly to students to use for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare. There were 26 active students who each received a $4,039 award from the emergency grant.

In summary, SAE Expression College (OPEID 03973300), received a total of $875,264 under the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) I. No less than 50% of those funds were required to be distributed to eligible students, which totaled $437,632. SAE Expression College distributed $442,614 of the grant, which represents 50.5% of the total funds that were received.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion former Secretary DeVos expeditiously provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136.

Under section 314(c)(3) of the CRRSAA, SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College must make financial aid grants to students (including students exclusively enrolled in distance education), which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.

SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College had signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under CRRSAA to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College acknowledge that it retains discretion to determine the amount and availability of each individual financial aid grant consistent with all applicable laws, including nondiscrimination laws. SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College further acknowledges that under section 314(c)(3), it must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants. However, students do not need to be Pell recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants in order to receive a financial aid grant.

SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College acknowledge that it may not condition the receipt of such a financial aid grant on continued or future enrollment with SAE Institute of Technology or SAE Expression College. SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College also acknowledge that it may not require a student to consent to the application of the financial aid grant to the student’s outstanding account balance with SAE Institute of Technology or SAE Expression College as a condition of receipt of or eligibility for the financial aid grant.

SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College acknowledge that the Secretary of Education recommends (a) the maximum Federal Pell Grant for the applicable award year as an appropriate maximum amount for a student’s financial aid grant in most cases and (b) that the Recipient should consider each student’s particular socioeconomic circumstances in the administration of these grants.

The funds were distributed by OPEID by the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) using the Department’s G5 system. SAE Institute of Technology’s OPEID, which includes Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York, received $2,001,994 and SAE Expression College’s OPEID received $653,716, as determined by the CRRSAA, to be used for the HEERF II. The first distribution of the funds was given to each active student who had been identified with a 0 Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The second distribution was given to those active students with a 1-5711 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The third distribution was distributed to the active students with a 5712-9999 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The remaining funds were evenly distributed to the active students with a 0-9999 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA.

For the SAE Institute of Technology’s OPEID in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York, the first distribution was in the amount of $2750 for each active student who had been identified with a 0 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The second distribution to SAE Institute of Technology’s students in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York was in the amount of $1500 for each active student with a 1-5711 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The third disbursement was in the amount of $1400 and was distributed to active students at the SAE Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York with a 5712-9999 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021. FAFSA. The remaining funds were evenly distributed to active students in the amount of $140.47 at the SAE Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York with a 0-9999 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA.

For SAE Expression College OPEID the first distribution was in the amount of $4,250 for each active student who was identified with a 0 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The second distribution to SAE Expression College’s students was in the amount of $3,000 for each active student with a 1-5711 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The third distribution to SAE Expression College’s students was in the amount of $2,000 for each active student with a 5711-9999 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA. The remaining funds were evenly distributed in the amount of $267 to active students with a 0-9999 EFC as determined by the 2020-2021 FAFSA.

The Director of Finance forwarded the completed list of all students who received the funds to Bank of America so they can create a debit card for each student. Any SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College eligible student who had not submitted the completed acknowledgment form by the due date will not be eligible for the funds.

Bank of America forwarded the debit cards to each campus for distribution to the students. Students were notified by the Campus Director when to pick up the debit cards at the school. Each student signed the HEERF II Grant Acknowledgement of Receipt of Funds Form, as well as the SAE employee distributing the card.

The debit card was picked up on campus by the student within the timeline provided by the Campus Director. There were no exceptions. Students were to activate the card the day the card was picked up in order for the money to be transferred. Any student who did not activate their cards timely did not receive the funds. The funds were transferred onto the debit card two days after the last day to pick up the cards. Any debit cards that are not picked up in the time provided by the Campus Director were deactivated. Those funds were added back to the funds to be distributed for the third disbursement.

Between June 4, 2021, and July 7, 2021, the SAE Institute of Technology OPEID distributed the entire HEERF II grant of $2,001,994 to active students with an EFC between 0-9999 who followed the process outlined above. Between June 4, 2021, and July 7, 2021, the SAE Expression College OPEID distributed the entire HEERFII grant of $653,716 to active students with an EFC between 0-9999 who followed the process outlined above. The total estimated number of students at SAE Institute of Technology eligible to receive HEERF II was 892. The total number of students at SAE Institute of Technology who received HEERF II is 816. The total estimated number of students at Expression College eligible to receive HEERF II was 173. The total number of students at Expression College who received HEERF II is 166.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2). The ARP appropriated approximately $39.6 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III and represents the third stream of funding appropriated for HEERF III to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. Taken together, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (Pub. L. 116–136), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (Pub. L. 116-260), and the ARP represent HEERF I, HEERF II, and HEERF III, respectively.

Of the funds available for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III under the American Rescue Plan Act (Pub. L. 117-2) (ARP), 1% ($395,845,700) will be awarded to proprietary institutions of higher education (IHEs), as defined in sections 102(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), using the formula established in section 314(a)(4) the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA). SAE Institute must make financial aid grants to students, which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, and health care (including mental health care) or child care. As under the CRRSAA, institutions are directed with the ARP funds to prioritize students with exceptional needs, such as students who receive Pell Grants or are undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances in awarding emergency financial aid grants to students.

SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College had signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of funds designated under ARP to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College acknowledges that it retains discretion to determine the amount and availability of each individual financial aid grant consistent with all applicable laws, including nondiscrimination laws. SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College further acknowledges that under section 314(c)(3), it must prioritize grants to students with exceptional needs, such as students who receive Pell Grants. However, students do not need to be Pell recipients or students who are eligible for Pell grants in order to receive a financial aid grant.

The first distribution of the funds was given to each active student who had been identified with a 0 Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The second distribution was given to those active students with a 1-15,000 EFC as determined by the 2021-2022 FAFSA .

For the SAE Institute of Technology’s OPEID in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and New York, the first distribution was in the amount of $1,420 for each active student who had been identified with a 0 EFC as determined by the 2021-2022 FAFSA. The second distribution to SAE Institute of Technology’s students in Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville and New York was in the amount of $700 for each active student with a 1-15,000 EFC as determined by the 2021-2022 FAFSA. The third disbursement was evenly distributed to all active students in good standing who received the first or second disbursement as described above so that all the funds received were distributed to qualified active students. All qualified students received $224.87. The total estimated number of students at SAE Institute of Technology eligible to receive HEERF III was 963. The total number of students at SAE Institute of Technology who received HEERF III is 919.

For SAE Expression College OPEID the first distribution was in the amount of $3,350 for each active student who was identified with a 0 EFC as determined by the 2021-2022 FAFSA. The second distribution to SAE Expression College’s students was in the amount of $2,050 for each active student with a 1-15,000 EFC as determined by the 2021-2022 FAFSA. Any remaining funds were evenly distributed in a third disbursement to all active qualified students who received the first or second disbursement as described above so that all the funds received were distributed to students. The third disbursement was evenly distributed to all active qualified students in good standing who received the first or second disbursement as described above so that all the funds received were distributed to students. All qualified students received $662.11.

Students who were eligible were required to submit an electronic acknowledgement form to be completed and submitted within the specified time. The eligible student must electronically sign the form in order to receive the funds. No student received the funds prior to signing the document. A copy of the completed document was automatically emailed to the student via DocuSign. There were no exceptions to the deadlines.

The Director of Finance forwarded the completed list of all students who received the funds to Bank of America so they can create a debit card for each student. Any SAE Institute of Technology and SAE Expression College eligible student who had not submitted the completed acknowledgment form by the due date will not be eligible for the funds.

Bank of America forwarded the debit cards to each campus for distribution to the students. Students were notified by the Campus Director when to pick up the debit cards at the school. Each student signed the HEERF III Grant Acknowledgement of Receipt of Funds Form, as well as the SAE employee distributing the card. The debit card was picked up on campus by the student within the timeline provided by the Campus Director. There were no exceptions.

All funds for the SAE Institute of Technology OPEID, which includes Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville and New York, of $1,216,539 were fully distributed to students by December 23, 2021. All funds for the SAE Expression College OPEID of $406,224 were fully distributed to students by December 23, 2021. The total estimated number of students at SAE Expression College eligible to receive HEERF III was 124. The total number of students at SAE Expression College who received HEERF III is 118.

HEERF (Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund)

HEERF I and SAE Institute of Technology

HEERF I and SAE Expression College

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) II

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) III

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