CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Program – FAQs
CARES Act Stimulus Fund Policy
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) is a part of the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. It provides emergency grants from the U.S. Department of Education to eligible students to help cover education-related expenses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act requires recipients to use the funds they receive for unexpected expenses, unmet financial need, or expenses related to the disruption of campus operations resulting from the coronavirus. These expenses include food, housing, course materials, technology, health care or childcare.
Who is eligible to receive CARES Act Emergency Student Grants?
Initially, the U.S. Department of Education requires colleges and higher education programs to confirm that students receiving CARES Act emergency grants meet basic eligibility for federal “Title IV” financial aid. These eligibility criteria include having a demonstrated financial need certified by the income information provided on the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); must be a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident, or other eligible noncitizen; and being enrolled in a degree or certificate program making satisfactory academic progress. For complete list of federal student aid requirements, visit the Department of Education’s Student Financial Aid Eligibility Criteria page. However, in an updated statement on 5/21/2020: The Department has stated on its guidance portal that “guidance documents lack the force and effect of law.” See U.S. Department of Education’s Guidance Homepage, https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/types-of-guidance-documents.html (“Guidance documents represent the ED’s current thinking on a topic. They do not create or confer any rights for or on any person and do not impose any requirements beyond those required under applicable law and regulations. Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law.”)
OPE Guidance Documents, https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/guidance.html
Is there an application process?
No. Students have been sent a form requesting information regarding the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their personal lives. Eligible students will receive an email notifying them that they meet the emergency grant criteria based on their FAFSA and academic information and that their grants will be sent to them by check.
How did Transitions Career Institute (TCI) determine the amount that students will receive?
TCI used a number of factors in calculating grant amounts. These factors centered on student’s current financial need based on data collected from returned surveys. Students itemized the areas in which they most significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and indicated specific dollar associated with their needs. As TCI could not meet the individual need of each student, TCI determined that the most effective course of action would be to provide an equal amount of funding for each student who reported losses and unmet financial need.
When will qualifying students be notified of their selection status and the amount of their grants?
Students will be notified of their status during the week of June 8, 2020.
How will students receive their grants?
Students will receive checks which will be mailed to the address in their Transitions Career Institute Orbund Student Accounts. To verify that your current address is listed, please login to your Orbund account and update your mailing address, phone number, and email address.
What if a student didn’t file a FAFSA application? Are they still eligible to receive a grant?
Yes, US Department of Education stated, on its guidance portal, that the Student Financial Aid Eligibility Criteria is no longer the determining factor for which students are eligible to receive the CARES Act Emergency Grant “guidance documents lack the force and effect of law.” See U.S. Department of Education’s Guidance Homepage, https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/types-of-guidance-documents.html
(“Guidance documents represent the ED’s current thinking on a topic. They do not create or confer any rights for or on any person and do not impose any requirements beyond those required under applicable law and regulations).
Will receiving a grant through the CARES Act Emergency Student Grant affect a student’s regular financial aid?
No. Recipients of the CARES Act emergency grants will see no impact on the calculation of their full financial need.
Are students who were not enrolled/waiting to return to the program/reviewing courses eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants?
No. The formula provided by Congress for calculating and distributing funds to institutions excludes students who were not enrolled in classes prior to March 13. This is because the emergency financial aid grants are for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations. Students who were not enrolled or not attending classes would not have expenses related to those disruptions.
Are CARES Act Emergency Student Grants taxable?
No. The grants are not included in the gross taxable income. For that reason also, students who use some of their grant to pay for course materials required for online learning cannot claim that expense as a qualifying tax deduction or credit.
Can students appeal decisions regarding their eligibility or the amount of their grant?
Students’ eligibility for a CARES Act grant is determined by the rules set by the Department of Education. Their grant amounts are calculated based on the allocation to Transitions Career Institute and the individual criteria described above. There is no process for appeal.
CARES ACT REPORTING ON EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS
On March 27, 2020, the Federal government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Pub L. No. 116-136, providing funds to institutions from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to make Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including eligible expenses under s student’s cost of attendance, such as food, course materials, technology, health care, and child care. The law requires institutions to report certain information related to the use of these funds. The following information is reported for the period, May 20, 2020 to June 20, 2020
I. This statement shall serve to acknowledge that our institution signed and returned to the US Department of Education the Certification and Agreement – Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. We further attest that our institution has used, and/or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
II. The total amount of funds that the institution has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Student is $83,965.
III. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of June 20, 2020, is $78,763.65. With the remaining $5201.35 to be released during the week of 6/22/2020.
IV. The estimated total number of students at our institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act is 113.
V. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to date is 106.
VI. The following is the method used by our institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much each student has received/will receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
TCI used a number of factors in calculating grant amounts. These factors centered on student’s current financial need based on data collected from returned surveys. Students itemized the areas in which they most significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and indicated specific dollar amounts associated with their needs. As TCI could not meet the individual need of each student, we determined that the most effective course of action would be to provide an equal amount of funding for each student who reported losses and unmet financial need.
VII. The follow instructions/directions/guidance was provided by our institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants. (Sample application below)
IMPORTANT
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF
REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT FUNDS
Under the CARES Act, Pub. L. No. 116-136
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act authorized the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund which provides emergency funding for student and institutions impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 9, 2020 the US Secretary of Education announced that the student funding was being made available to institutions to award and disburse to students who have incurred expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including eligible expenses under the student’s Cost of Attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.
In order for these emergency grants to be fairly and compliantly awarded, you (and all requesting students) must provide information to the institution regarding the coronavirus related expenses you have incurred. On the attached form, please provide details and amounts of any of the types of costs you may have incurred.
On the top portion of the form, it is imperative that you provide the correct address where mail from the school will reach you. This is the address to which your Grant check will be mailed.
Also, you must remember to sign and date the form.
If you have any questions, contact the school as soon as possible.
REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT FUNDS
Under the CARES Act, Pub. L. No. 116-136
Student Name: Student ID#:
Street Address at which I am sure to receive my Grant check:
City, State and Zip Code: Email:
Have you incurred expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (COVID-19), such as food, housing course materials, technology, health care and/or child care expenses? YES ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬___________ N0________________
CATEGORY OF EXPENSE AMOUNT I HAVE PAID OUT
FOOD $
HOUSING $
COURSE MATERIALS $
List Materials: School books, school supplies, uniform
pants
TECHNOLOGY $
List Technology: Laptop, Wifi
HEALTH CARE $
CHILD CARE $
I hereby attest that the information provided above is true and correct. I understand I am requesting an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to assist me with costs that I have incurred related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I further acknowledge that while my school will attempt to assist me to the greatest extent possible, I understand funds are limited and are to be shared among all eligible students.
Student Signature: Date:
FOR SCHOOL USE ONLY
Applicants, please do not enter information in this section.
Total Grant Amount Approved: $____________________ CHECK#: ____________________________
Signature and Title of School Representative: ________________________________________________________