CARES Act Funding for Students Application Now Available
Updated: May 22, 2020
The deadline passed for applying for CARES Act Funding as of 11:59 pm on May 21st. Award distribution for applications submitted between May 12th and the deadline of May 21st is expected to occur on or around June 2, 2020.
CARES Act Funding for Students Application Available Wednesday, May 6th
The recently enacted federal CARES Act provides money to colleges and universities for emergency student grants. The purpose of the money is to award emergency financial aid grants to students for specific expenses that are a direct result of the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.
The College will be using an online application process to develop the list of eligible students to receive funding from the CARES Act funds allotted. The application will be available today (May 6th) and will be distributed to your College email via Survey Monkey.
FAQs for Student Funding Under the CARES Act
Q. Who is eligible for consideration for funding under this program?
To be eligible, you must have been registered for classes during the Spring 2020 semester. You must also have had in-person classes on your schedule for the Spring 2020 semester. If all of your classes were online for the Spring 2020 semester, you are not eligible for funding (this does not include in-person classes that were moved to remote instruction when the College moved to remote operations).
The US Department of Education (USDOE) states only students who are Title IV eligible can be awarded CARES Emergency Act funds. This means students must have a FAFSA on file with the College or be eligible to file one and also meet the following requirements:
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
- You must not be in default for any Federal student loans.
- You need to possess a high school diploma (from the United States or abroad) or its equivalent such as a GED.
- You must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress or on an Approved Academic Plan as determined by the MCC Financial Aid Office.
- You must be enrolled in an Associates degree or Certificate program at Middlesex College.
Q. What expenses can I use CARES Act funding to help with?
The following expenses can be considered for grant assistance if they were incurred in “direct relation to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.”
- Food
- Housing
- Course materials
- Health care
- Childcare
- Technology-related expenses (such as having to buy a computer when courses were moved to remote instruction)
The CARES Act stipulates that the emergency funds cannot be used to replace a loss of income or to pay for student expenses that are not directly related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Q. How much will I receive?
Funds are limited. For students applying for emergency aid, grant amounts will be determined based on the number of applications received and the specific needs presented in the application. The College cannot guarantee that all applications submitted will be funded.
Q. When will we know the results?
Our goal is to award the emergency funds as soon as possible. Funding will be provided to awarded students in three cycles:
- May (for students enrolled in Spring courses);
- Late Summer (for students enrolled in Summer courses); and
- Fall (for students enrolled in Fall courses).
Initial awards will be provided on a rolling basis.
Q. How do students receive the money?
Students will receive a refund check in the mail. Please make sure that your address is correct with the College, as the check will be sent to that address.
Q. What if I owe a balance to the College for tuition or other expenses?
The full amount of the emergency grants will be given directly to the student, and the College will not hold the funds to pay any outstanding balance owed.
Q. Will these funds impact current or future financial aid?
No. This funding is not financial aid, it is an emergency relief funding from Congress.
Q. What can I do if I am not eligible for filing a FAFSA?
Students who are not eligible for CARES Act funding should consider applying for emergency support through the Middlesex College Foundation. For more information, please contact Amanda Lyons, Community Resource Coordinator, at alyons@middlesexcc.edu.