Federal assistance is on the way for thousands of students at East Tennessee State University.According to a release from ETSU, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERFII) will distribute about $5.5 million to more than 11,800 eligible ETSU students.“The funding from the U.S. Department of Education is made possible through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 that was approved last December in response to ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the release.The funding may be used by students to cover university costs like tuition, food, housing, child care and medical or mental health care.