USC students received $400 to $800 of financial support from the university through the Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEERF) grant.
All students enrolled in the fall 2021 semester can claim the grant, which doesn't have to be repaid. The funds are meant to be used to cover "expenses related to attending school (direct and indirect costs) or COVID-related emergencies" and come from $30 million in federal support USC received, according to an email from Joseph Derrick, director of the Office of Financial Aid.
Students can claim the grant by signing into Self-Service Carolina. The deadline to accept the funds is Oct. 1. Once there, select "Financial Aid." From there, go through:
"Financial Aid"
"Award"
"Award for Aid Year"
"USC Columbia" campus.
Select the "UofSC Columbia 2021-22 aid year."
From there, students can choose whether to decline or accept the grant or any other financial aid they may have received. Students will either receive a refund check in the mail or have the funds sent directly to their direct deposit account.