The Latest: US colleges can tap into COVID-19 relief fund

The Biden administration has announced that colleges and universities across the U.S. can now start tapping into $36 billion in relief funding that Congress approved in March

WASHINGTON — Colleges and universities across the nation can now start tapping into $36 billion in relief funding that Congress approved in March, the Biden administration announced Tuesday. The U.S. Education Department said it’s starting to steer the funding to more than 5,000 public and private colleges. The funding was included in a $1.9 trillion relief package that also included $123 billion for K-12 schools. The higher education aid is being allocated to public and private institutions using a formula that factors in the share of low-income students they enroll. Colleges must spend at least half the funding on direct relief for students. The other half can be used on a variety of expenses related to the pandemic. In a reversal from Trump's policy, the Biden administration said student grants can be given to international students and those who are in the U.S. illegally.