CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Aid

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Congress passed the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Aid, which provides $6.3 billion in direct support to institutions. North Carolina Central University signed and returned the Certification of Agreement to the Department of Education on April 13, 2020, which authorized $8.9 million for institution support and student assistance. The university will disseminate $4,466,117 as emergency financial aid grants for students in accordance with the CARES Act regulatory requirements.

The university established a CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid task force to review guidelines and establish criteria for disbursement of the student relief aid. Funding assistance will be offered to all students with a valid FAFSA who meet Title IV eligibility requirements to cover a student’s expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19, including, but not limited to the following:

• Food;
• Housing, such as having to move off campus when residence halls closed;
• Course materials;
• Healthcare;
• Childcare;
• Technology-related expenses, such as having to purchase a computer when the student's courses are moved online; and
• Transportation, such as having to secure a flight to return home because classes were cancelled or residence halls were closed or having to return from study abroad when the program is cancelled.

To qualify for the CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid, students must have a valid FAFSA application on file and meet all Title IV eligibility requirements such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Be enrolled in a degree or certificate program as of March 27, 2020;
• Be making satisfactory academic progress;
• Not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans;
• Not be in default on a Title IV loan;
• Have provided required verification documents;
• Have completed the statement of educational purposes and student’s SSN certification on the FAFSA application;
• Be a U.S. citizen or national, permanent resident, or other eligible noncitizen;
• Have returned fraudulently obtained Title IV funds if convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to charges;
• Not have fraudulently received Title IV loans in excess of annual or aggregate limits.

Students who are not eligible to receive funds from the CARES Act are international, DACA, exclusively online students, and students who are not meeting Federal Title IV eligibility requirements.

Students will receive funding in the following three priority areas from the CARES Act Emergency Higher Education Relief Act and will be awarded up to $1,200:

Priority 1:

• CARES Act Emergency Aid applicants who are Title IV eligible will receive up to $1,200.

Title IV Eligible Students:  1,842

Priority 2:

• All eligible Title IV students (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) who did not submit a CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid application with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $0 to $5,576 (Pell cut-off) will be offered up to $600.

Title IV Eligible Students:  2,890

Priority 3:

• All eligible Title IV students (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) who did not submit a CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid application will be awarded $500 in EFC order beginning with $5,577 until the funds are depleted.

Title IV Eligible Students: 1,048

There are 5,838 eligible Title IV recipients, of which 5,780 (99%) students will receive the CARES Act Emergency Aid funds directly by direct deposit or check; however, the funds will not reduce or offset account balances. The deadline for submitting a CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid Application was May 4, 2020.

The CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid will support 5,780 students. The student will receive an email notification when funds have been awarded. The first round of payments was distributed on May 8, 2020, to over 1,000 recipients. The funds will be posted to students' accounts and refunds disseminated before May 31, 2020, as follows:

We are very appreciative of the funding approved through the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Aid for students. These funds have been disseminated in accordance with established policies. Recipients awarded the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Aid are meeting the eligibility requirements for Title IV Aid.