$76 billion in federal funding was used to assist colleges and students through the financial challenges of the pandemic. Over 18 million college students have received direct financial aid, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Education. Colleges were required to spend about half of their federal relief money on any aspect of students’ costs related to tuition, food, housing, healthcare, or child care. The report suggests that roughly two-thirds of students enrolled in college in 2021 benefitted from the fund.
