CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Aid

The CARES Act funds for HEERF I and II funds were fully depleted and disbursed as of May 31, 2021. This quarterly posting is the final report that covers HEERF I and II, as well as III fund expenditures for Section 18004(a)(1) Student Portion Funds.

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 was to all students with a valid FAFSA who met 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 canceled or residence halls were closed or having to return from study abroad when the program is canceled.

To qualify for the CARES Act Emergency Relief Aid, students had to 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 were not eligible to receive funds from the CARES Act were international, DACA, exclusively online students, and students who were not meeting Federal Title IV eligibility requirements.

Spring 2022

As we continue to experience extenuating circumstances due to the COVID-19 crisis, North Carolina Central University has received CARES Act Higher Educational Emergency Relief Aid III Funds for students actively enrolled for Spring 2022. These funds may be used for tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental) and child care.  No application is required.   

You have been awarded CARES III Emergency Funds based on the priority listed below.  The amount awarded can be viewed on your student account statement through myEOL.  The funds will appear on your account through myEOL.  The funds will appear on your account statement as FCARE3 or FCARE (HE Emergency Relief Grant III). 

We are pleased to report that all emergency funds have been disseminated to support students.  All CARES/HEERF Emergency Aid has been fully depleted.  We encourage you to reserve funds for future terms.  This is the final disbursement of emergency aid. 

Priority 1: 

All eligible students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $0–$5,856 (undergraduate, graduate, professional and doctoral) will receive up to $1,300.  The funds will be disbursed in two payments:  $650 on February 25, 2022, and $650 on March 31, 2022. (4,345 students received $5,648,500.)

Priority 2: 

Eligible students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) above $5,856 or No FAFSA (undergraduate, graduate, professional and doctoral) will receive up to $752.  The funds will be disbursed in two payments:  $376 on February 25, 2022, and $376 on March 31, 2022. (2,157 students received $1,622,064.)

The following students are ineligible for emergency assistance: Early College High School and Inter-Institutional.

A total of 6,502 students received $7,270,564 in HEERF III/FCARE funds for Spring 2022.  No application was required. 

Instructions, Directions and Guidance

Students were emailed HEERF/FCARE instructions on February 28, 2022.

Fall 2021

As we continue to experience extenuating circumstances due to the COVID-19 crisis, North Carolina Central University has received CARES Act Higher Educational Emergency Relief Aid III Funds for students actively enrolled for Fall 2021. These funds may be used for tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental), and child care. No application was required.

HEERF III Emergency Funds were based on the priority listed below:

Priority 1:

All eligible students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $0 – $6,000 (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) will receive up to $800. The funds will be disbursed in two payments: $400 in September and $400 in November (4,890 students received a total of $1,958,400 September and 4,866 students received a total of $1,947,550 in November).

Priority 2:

Eligible students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) above $6,000 or no FAFSA (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) will receive up to $400. The funds will be disbursed in two payments: $200 in September and $200 in November (2,365 students received a total of  $472,800 in September and 2,359 students received a total of $471,800 in November).

A total of 7,225 students received $4,850,550.00 in HEERF III Emergency Funds for Fall 2021.  No application was required.

Instructions, Directions, and Guidance

Students were emailed HEERF III instructions on September 9, 2021.

Summer 2021

As we continue to experience extenuating circumstances due to the COVID-19 crisis, North Carolina Central University has received CARES Act Higher Educational Emergency Relief Aid III Funds for students actively enrolled for Summer 2021. These funds may be used for tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental), and child care. No application was required.

HEERF III Emergency Funds were awarded based on the priority listed below:

Priority:

All eligible students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $0–$5,711 (Federal Pell Grant cut-off) enrolled for Summer 2021 (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) will receive $150.  The funds were disbursed in July 2021.  A total of $358,227 in HEERF III funds was disbursed to 2,389 students.

The following students were ineligible for emergency assistance: students with an EFC above $5,711, inter-institutional, and visiting. No application was required.

Instructions, Directions and Guidance

Students were emailed HEERF III instructions on July 14, 2021.

Spring 2021

North Carolina Central University has received $4,466,117 through the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II to support students who have experienced financial hardships as a result of the pandemic. These funds may be used for tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental), and child care. The funds will be disseminated to actively enrolled students as of February 15, 2021. The following students are ineligible for emergency assistance: DACA, undocumented, international, inter-institutional, exchange, visiting, and withdrawn. The amount of emergency aid will range from $175 to $800. The funds will be disbursed automatically in a refund or check to eligible students in two payments: one in March and one in April. No application is required.

Priority 1: Priority Consideration for Students with Exceptional Financial Need

• All eligible students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $0–$5,711 (Federal Pell Grant cut-off) as of February 15, 2021, (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) will receive up to $800.  The funds will be disbursed in two equal payments in March and April.

Priority 2: Expected Family Contribution above $5,711 or No FAFSA

Eligible students with an EFC above $5,711 (Federal Pell Grant cut-off) or no FAFSA as of February 15, 2021, (undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral) will receive up to $500.  The funds will be disbursed in two equal payments in March and April.

Instructions, Directions and Guidance

Students were emailed HEERF instructions on March 1, 2021.   

Fall 2020

The University awarded $256,900 in additional CARES Act emergency aid to support nearly 1,000 students for the fall semester. The awards ranged from $271 to $272. Due to limited funding, the following packaging philosophy was adopted to disseminate the CARES Act funds on November 24, 2020:

• Pell Grant Eligible
• Zero EFC
• Full-time Enrollment Status

Spring 2020

Students received funding in the following three priority areas from the CARES Act Emergency Higher Education Relief Act and were 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) were 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 were 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 5,791 (99%) students received 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 supported 5,791 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.

First Quarter (January–March 2021)

The total numbers of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant with HEERF II funds are indicated below:

• Priority 1:  $1,799,800 in funds was disbursed to 4,507 students
• Priority 2:  $432,150 in funds was disbursed to 1,725 students  

First Quarter (January–March 2022)

The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant with HEERF III funds are indicated below:

• Priority 1:  $2,824,250 in funds was disbursed to 4,345 students
• Priority 2:  $811,032 in funds was disbursed to 2,157 students

Second Quarter (April–June 2021)

The total numbers of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant with HEERF II funds are indicated below:

• Priority 1:  $1,786,800 in funds was disbursed to 4,467 students
• Priority 2:  $447,367 in funds was disbursed to 1,811 students

Second Quarter (April–June 2022)

The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant with HEERF III funds are indicated below:

• Priority 1:  $2,824,250 in funds was disbursed to 4,345 students
• Priority 2:  $811,032 in funds was disbursed to 2,157 students

Third Quarter (July–September 2021)

The total numbers of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant with HEERF III funds are indicated below:

Summer 2021

• $358,877 in funds was disbursed to 2,389 students.

Fall 2021 

• Priority 1:  $1,958,400 in funds was disbursed to 4,890 students
• Priority 2:  $472,800 in funds was disbursed to 2,365 students

Fourth Quarter (October–December 2021)

The total number of students who have received Emergency Financial Aid Grant with HEERF III funds are indicated below:

Fall 2021 

• Priority 1:  $1,947,550 in funds was disbursed to 4,866 students
• Priority 2:  $ 471,800 in funds was disbursed to 2,359 students

All Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) have been fully expended and disbursed to students for emergency financial aid assistance.