CARES 2
Southern Crescent Technical College CARES2 Act Grant Policy
Updated 3/5/2021
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. The Act was updated 1/4/2021 with the passing of an additional emergency bill. One section of the CARES Act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund and sent money to schools to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic. The CARES Act allows Southern Crescent Technical College to use its own “significant discretion on how to award this emergency assistance to students.” The eligible expenses for this program are the same as those outlined in the federal financial aid calculations for determining a student’s cost of attendance. These items include food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare.
The college will receive an additional $1,956,144.00 student portion of CARES2 funds to distribute to enrolled eligible SCTC students. SCTC will begin to disburse these funds during the Spring 2021 term.
Eligible Students:
Non-Eligible Students:
About the Fund:
How the CARES2 Funds will be disbursed to students:
The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the College’s students in a variety of ways creating financial hardships related to employment, housing, childcare, food, utilities, and medical expenses. To address these hardships, the College is providing its eligible spring term 2021 students, excluding International, DACA students, and transient students an emergency stipend to help relieve the financial hardship caused by COVID-19.
How Students are Identified for Spring 2021 Disbursements
The College used data from the 2020-2021 FAFSA to identify 3,834 currently enrolled students as eligible for the one-time disbursement totaling $1,506,500.00. The student Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) determined which students were Pell eligible. These students were deemed to be most likely in need of financial assistance. The award amount will be calculated based on the number of credit hours in which students are enrolled during spring term 2021:
The following charts illustrate the aforementioned allotments
CARES2 Disbursement totals by Groups list above:
CARES2
Groups | Total Students (Spring) | Award Amount | Total |
Zero EFC
Enrolled Full-time |
625 | $600 | $375,000 |
Zero EFC
Enrolled 11-1 credit hours |
1308 | $400 | $523,200 |
1-5711 EFC
Pell eligible students |
760 | $350 | $266,000 |
EFC 5712 and higher
No EFC (no 2020-2021 FAFSA) |
1141 | $300 | $342,300 |
The college will set aside the remaining $449,644.00 CARES2 funds. These funds will be used for emergency grants to mitigate extenuating circumstances documented by a student emergency grant application. The emergency grant funds will be disbursed in the amount of $224,822.00 for summer 2021 and $224,822.00 for fall 2021. A CARES2 emergency application with an attestation substantiating the student has been adversely impacted by COVI 19 will be required. A onetime $500 grant will be available to eligible students on a first come first served basis per semester. To apply for CARES2 emergency funding, students will be required to complete a CARES emergency application:
CARES2 | |||
Total CARES2 Allocated to SCTC |
Spring One Time Disbursements |
Emergency Grant Applications Summer 2021 |
Emergency Grant Applications Fall 2021 |
$1,956,144.00 | $1,506,500 | $224,822 | $224,822 |
Emergency CARES2 funds not disbursed summer 2021 will roll over to fall of 2021
Please see the questions below for details on applying for these emergency aid programs.
When will CARES2/Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds be available?
The college will begin awarding CARES2 the week of March 8, 2021, refunds will begin March 19,2021. Recipients will be notified via a message to their SCTC email account if awarded CARES2 funds. Students registered for spring 2021 classes and fall into one of the identified groups above, will receive these funds automatically!
How will I receive my CARES2 Funds?
BankMobile is the official Southern Crescent Technical College Refund Disbursement Processor. Students are expected to activate the BankMobile “refund selection” to choose how they wish to receive refund disbursements from Southern Crescent Technical College. There are multiple options provided for choosing how to receive refunds. Students can choose to have funds transferred to an existing bank account, receive a paper check or choose to receive your funds electronically by direct deposit into your BankMobile account, in which you will receive a BankMobile card for purchases. All refunds are processed through the BankMobile Disbursement Process.
To learn more about the Southern Crescent Technical College partnership with Bank Mobile, you can view our contract here.
CARES Administrator: Dr. Michelle Bedford
CARES 1
The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund-IHE/Student Aid provides funding to institutions to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted, many of whom are facing financial challenges and struggling to make ends meet. Students cannot apply for assistance directly from the U.S. Department of Education but should contact their institutions for further information and guidance. Institutions have the responsibility of determining how grants will be distributed to students, how the amount of each student grant is calculated, and the development of any instructions or directions that are provided to students about the grant.
Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) signed and returned the Cares Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) certification and agreement form to the Department of Education (DOE), and agrees to promptly make available at least 50% of the emergency financial aid grants to students from the advanced funds directly to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses. The institution shall not use the advanced funds to reimburse itself for any costs or expenses, including but not limited to any costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus and/or any refunds or other benefits that the institution previously issued to students.
The college received its student portion of $1,956,144.00
In compliance with the HEERF agreement, SCTC has disbursed to date $1,837,825.00 to its Cares eligible students.
Based on guidance from the DOE, SCTC estimates 2,549 students enrolled spring term and 1,291 students enrolled summer term at the institution will be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and therefore eligible to receive an emergency financial aid grant.
As of August 20,2020, SCTC released HEERF Care funds to 2,549 students enrolled in spring 2020 classes.
As of August 20, 2020, SCTC released additional HEERF Care funds to 1,291 students enrolled in summer 2020 classes.
As of January 4, 2021, SCTC released additional HEERF Care funds to 184 students enrolled in fall 2020 classes for a total of $90,500.00.
As of March 31, 2021, SCTC released HEERF Care funds to 169 students enrolled in spring 2021 classes for a total of $87,500.00.
As of March 31, 2021, SCTC released HEERF Care funds to 193 students enrolled in fall 2020 classes for a total of $97, 800.00.
The CARES Act allows Southern Crescent Technical College to use its own “significant discretion on how to award this emergency assistance to students.” The only statutory requirement is that students use the funds for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19 and that students are eligible to complete a FAFSA application and are not exclusively enrolled in distance education courses. The eligible expenses for this program are the same as those outlined in the federal financial aid calculations for determining a student’s cost of attendance. These items include food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare.
Southern Crescent Technical College CARES Act Grant Proposals
The CARES Act Legislation:
The CARES Act allows Southern Crescent Technical College to use its own “significant discretion on how to award this emergency assistance to students.” The only statutory requirement is that students use the funds for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19 and that students are eligible to complete a FAFSA application and are not exclusively enrolled in distance education courses. The eligible expenses for this program are the same as those outlined in the federal financial aid calculations for determining a student’s cost of attendance. These items include food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare.
SCTC’s Approved Advanced Fund Allotment (student portion): $1,956,144.00
,800.00.
Proposed Administrator: Dr. Michelle Bedford
Rationale:
The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the College’s students in a variety of ways creating financial hardships related to employment, housing, childcare, food, utilities, and medical expenses. To address these hardships, the College is providing its eligible spring term 2020 students, excluding non-resident aliens, DACA students, dual enrollment, distance education (online-only), students who have loans in defaulted/overpayment status, students who were only enrolled in a part of term that ended prior to 3/13/2020, students who have unresolved verification requirements, and transient students an emergency stipend to help relieve the financial hardship caused by COVID-19.
Qualified students must meet the following requirements: be enrolled after March 13, in at least 1 credit hour, eligible for Title IV funding, must have a 19/20 ISIR on file, and cannot have any C codes (no outstanding verification requirements).
The award amount will be calculated based on the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled in during spring and summer terms 2020. Full- time students enrolled in 12 credit hours or more will receive $650.00, part-time students enrolled in 9-11 credit hours will receive a $500.00 award and students enrolled in 8 credit hours or less will receive a $325.00 grant. The spring disbursement equates to approximately 65% of the advanced fund allotment or student portion. Additionally, approximately 25% of the advanced fund allotment or student portion will be disbursed to summer term 2020 students who were enrolled during spring term 2020 and the remaining funds will be used for emergency grants to mitigate extenuating circumstances documented by a student emergency grant application. Funds that are not expended, in these categories, by the end of the grant period, may be reallocated to new students who were encouraged to complete a FAFSA, but were not included in the first cohort or previously eligible students. A new student, for the purposes of this plan, is one who had not completed a FAFSA and did not receive an initial award, but was otherwise eligible and since completed a FAFSA.
The Emergency Grant fund will be disbursed to current fall term 2020 students who are eligible for Title IV federal aid. An application with an attestation substantiating the student has been adversely impacted by COVI 19 will be required. A one time $500 grant will be available to eligible students on a first come first served basis.
The following charts illustrate the aforementioned allotments:
CARES ACT | |||
Total Amount | Spring Awards | Summer Awards | Emergency Grant |
$1,956,144.00 | $1,227,750.00 | $523,050.00 | $95,500.00 |
2,549 Eligible Spring Term Students
Credit Hours | Total Students (Spring 2020) | Award Amount | Total |
12 or more credit hours | 890 | $650 | $578,500.00 |
9-11 credit hours | 629 | $500 | $314,500.00 |
8 or less credit hours | 1030 | $325 | $334,750.00 |
1,291 Eligible Summer Term Students
Credit Hours | Total Students (Summer 2020) | Award Amount
|
Total |
12 or more credit hours | 138 | $650 | $89,700.00 |
9-11 credit hours | 335 | $500 | $167,500.00 |
8 or less credit hours | 818 | $325 | $265,850.00 |
184 Eligible Fall Term Students
Credit Hours | Total Students (Fall 2020) | Award Amount | Total |
not applicable | 184 | $500 | $95,500.00 |
The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund-IHE/Student Aid provides funding to institutions to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted, many of whom are facing financial challenges and struggling to make ends meet.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the College’s students in a variety of ways creating financial hardships related to employment, housing, childcare, food, utilities, and medical expenses. To address these hardships, the College is providing its title IV eligible spring term 2020 students, with a one-time emergency stipend to help relieve the financial hardship caused by COVID-19.
Eligible students must meet the following requirements:
NOTE: Students cannot have any outstanding financial aid issues
Students that are not eligible according to the guidelines issued by the Department of Education are:
Yes, students must have a completed 2019-2020 FAFSA on file. In addition, students must have completed all verification and outstanding requirements to be considered for the one-time emergency fund disbursement.
If you do not have a 2019-2020 FAFSA on file you may fill it out online at www.fafsa.gov (SCTC’s school code: 005621).
The spring award amount will be calculated based on the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled in during spring term 2020. Full- time students enrolled in 12 credit hours or more will receive $650.00, part-time students enrolled in 9-11 credit hours will receive a $500.00 stipend and students enrolled in 8 credit hours or less will receive $325.00.
The following chart illustrates the aforementioned allotments:
Credit Hours | Award Amount |
---|---|
12 or more credit hours | $650 |
9-11 credit hours | $500 |
8 or less credit hours | $325 |
No, students will not have to apply for the one-time emergency fund disbursement.
It will be disbursed from your student account to BankMobile. If you have not already made your preference selection to BankMobile, please visit: http://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices/
Cares Funds will start disbursing to eligible students on May 12, 2020.
Yes, additional stipends will be disbursed to summer term 2020 students who were enrolled during spring term 2020. The amount of summer term awards will be determined at a later date.
Students can check their financial aid status via BannerWeb
Click on BannerWeb
Yes, students who complete a FAFSA by May 31st, may be considered for Emergency funds. However there is no guarantee funding will be available. Please keep in mind there is a limited amount of funds available and could run out quickly. To complete the 2019-2020 FAFSA go to www.fafsa.gov. SCTC school code is 005621 .
Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions at 770-228-7368 or via finaid@sctech.edu
September 17, 2020
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act
Emergency CARES Funds Available to Southern Crescent Technical College Students
Southern Crescent Technical College students who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak can now access emergency funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Funding is now available through the Southern Crescent Technical College Financial Aid office to assist students with expenses related to disruptions to their education due to the pandemic.
In order to receive an Emergency CARES Funds Grant and using guidance from the Department of Education that limits who/what qualifies for a grant, students are asked to complete an application that is available online. Once submitted, it is reviewed to verify whether it qualifies. The deadline to submit an Emergency CARES Funds Grant application will be October 15, 2020.
Below are details about how these funds will work, and how you can apply:
Students who wish to apply for the Emergency CARES Funds Grant, who have not completed the 2020-2021 FAFSA, are encouraged to complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA by October 15,2020.
CARES Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund and sent money to schools to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic.
Southern Crescent Technical College has received $1,956,144.00 for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to disburse to students. As of August 20, 2020, Southern Crescent Technical College has disbursed $1,750,800.00 in Emergency Financial Aid Grant Funds to the following number of students by term:
May 6, 2020Dear SCTC Students,
Southern Crescent Technical College received approval to distribute CARES Act funds to help spring term 2020 students and summer term 2020 students impacted by COVID-19. The Offices of Financial Aid and Student Accounts are working diligently to apply the federal guidelines and issue these funds. We will publish information on the SCTC Financial Aid webpage that will provide additional information and the amounts of the grants to be issued to eligible students. Students will not have to apply for these funds, payments will be disbursed using student accounts through BankMobile. If you have not already made your preference selection through BankMobile please visit this link: http://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices/.
The CARES Act states specifically that students who meet the following criteria may be eligible:
Students that are not eligible according to the guidelines issued by the Department of Education are:
Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions at 770-228-7368 or via finaid@sctech.edu. Please continue to check your email for additional information. Our goal is to start disbursing funds to students by May 12, 2020.
CARES Act funds are limited. Funds will continue to be distributed to eligible students until funds are exhausted.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michelle Bedford,
SCTC Director of Financial Aid