COLUMBUS, Ohio ― Some students hoping to get help from their college or university as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, won’t see a dime of the $14 billion in aid given out by the federal government through the CARES Act.

When the federal government rolled out the CARES Act, it wasn’t quite clear who could and who couldn’t get money. But now universities know that international students and DACA students won’t be able to receive that money. That’s why schools like Otterbein University are stepping up to the plate to help them.

21-year-old Australian native Brandon Wall hits the tennis courts at Otterbein University for a little one-on-one. It’s been months since he’s stepped foot out here. 

“It’s been locked up for a while so it feels great to be back out and hitting as well.”

Hall’s one of the few international students still on campus who didn’t go back home during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Over the last few months, he’s done his best to survive without help from the Australian government and minimal income from an on-campus job before school closed. Now he’s getting by with an off-campus internship.

“Not having that extra income was a little bit of a challenge,” he said.

He was hoping when the federal government dished out $14 billion in funds to colleges and universities from the CARES Act, he would be a recipient, but not being an American citizen made that impossible based on CARES Act guidelines.

“It was definitely a little disappointing, you know, not being able to actually receive that funding that would have helped so much,” said Hall.

Jefferson Blackburn-Smith, vice President of enrollment management, said when Otterbein realized the problem, they took matters into their own hands and let international and DACA students know

“We will provide additional aid for the fall term, possibly for spring semester.”

That’s money out of a separate university fund. But Blackburn-Smith believes many students have hesitated in asking for help. 

“The assumption is, well this is a short term thing, we hope. And if I can go back to work, well then I don't really want help from somebody because we won't need it. And I think that's the struggle for everybody is, do we really understand how short term this is?” said Blackburn-Smith.

Regardless of how long it lasts, Allied Health and Sport Management major Brandon Wall is just grateful that he doesn’t have to sweat through how he’s going to pay basic bills.

“I knew for a lot of people it would help out as well, not just me, so it was definitely good news.”

Instead, he can focus on sweating it out on the tennis court, one stroke at a time. Hall said he won an endowed award not to long ago, so that’s also providing an extra boost where it’s needed most. 

Otterbein has about two dozen international and DACA students needing help right now.