What CARES/HEERF II Act Money Will Pay For
CARES/HEERF II Act money is intended to help with students with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as
- food,
- housing,
- course materials,
- technology,
- health care, and
- child care.
BRTC was required to sign a certification agreement form with the U.S. Department of Education acknowledging the above statements.
Fall 2021
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Eligibility :
- Available to enrolled students – excluding High School dually enrolled & non-credit students
- Must have had a Financial Emergency related or due to COVID
- Student group with most financial need were prioritized to guarantee their funding (Pell recipients)
- Request form used to collect the following from Non-Pell recipients –
* to verify citizenship
* verify emergency need
* ask if student wishes for funds to be applied to any outstanding balance - Pell recipients were given the option to also request that the award be applied to a current balance due
Pell recipients were identified first and awarded. All other enrolled students, who met the above criteria were identified and awarded next. A total of $2,546,115 was disbursed to 1055 students.
Pell Eligible $2493
Non-Pell Eligible $2293
Summer 2021 (HEERF II/HEERF III)
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Eligibility :
- Available to enrolled students – excluding High School dually enrolled, Law Enforcement Training Academy Cadets, & non-credit students
- Must have had a Financial Emergency related or due to COVID
- Student group with most financial need were prioritized to guarantee their funding (Pell recipients)
- Request form used to collect the following from Non-Pell recipients –
* to verify citizenship
* verify emergency need
* ask if student wishes for funds to be applied to any outstanding balance - Pell recipients were given the option to also request that the award be applied to a current balance due
Pell recipients were identified first and awarded. All other enrolled students, who met the above criteria were identified and awarded next. A total of $273,599 was disbursed to 429 students.
Pell Eligible $667
Non-Pell Eligible $603
Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Eligibility :
- Available to enrolled students – excluding High School dually enrolled, Law Enforcement Training Academy Cadets, & non-credit students
- Must have had a Financial Emergency related or due to COVID
- Student group with most financial need were prioritized to guarantee their funding (Pell recipients)
- Request form used to collect the following from Non-Pell recipients –
* to verify citizenship
* verify emergency need
* ask if student wishes for funds to be applied to any outstanding balance - Pell recipients were given the option to also request that the award be applied to a current balance due
SPRING 2021
Pell recipients were identified first and awarded. All other enrolled students, who met the above criteria, were identified and notified of the need to complete a necessary Request Form with a deadline of April 15 to be guaranteed award eligibility. This group of students were notified by email, by text messages & a letter notifying them to complete the Request Form by April 15.
The total number of Pell recipients and completed request forms were totaled and divided into the total allocation of funds for Spring 2021, which was $678,760 to 710 students, each student receives an equal amount for Spring 2021 semester, regardless of level of enrollment (PT or FT).
HEERF II amount for Spring 2021 – $956
# HEERFII students for Spring 2021 -694
After the April disbursement was completed, 17 non-Pell recipients were additionally identified as eligible and were also disbursed a $956 award.
The federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act has given BRTC a portion of the CARES Act Emergency Relief Fund totaling $1,643,629. The U.S. Government mandates that at least 50% of the money, $821,815, is given to students for emergency financial aid grants.
Eligibility Requirements
CARES relief funds are not financial aid and acceptance of other federal, state, or institutional funds is not required in order to receive CARES relief funds. However, to receive the funds, you must meet all Federal Title IV Student Financial Aid criteria, as determined through the FAFSA:
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a degree or certificate program.
- Not be enrolled in elementary or secondary school.
- For currently enrolled students, be making satisfactory academic progress.
- Not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans.
- Not be in default on a Title IV loan.
- 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.
- Have repaid Title IV loan amounts in excess of annual or aggregate limits if obtained inadvertently.
- Have Selective Service registration verified.
- Have Social Security number verified.
- Not have a federal or state conviction for drug possession or sale, with certain time limitations.
- Must have completed a FAFSA application for the applicable term. i.e. Summer-2019-2020 FAFSA; Fall-2020-2021 FAFSA*
Spring 2020 (411 Students, $192,270)
- Full-time (12+ credit hours) — $510
- Part-time (under 12 credit hours)– $255
Summer 2020 (175 Students, $106,150)
- Full-time (12+ credit hours)–$1100
- Part-time ( under 12 credit hours)–$550
Fall 2020 (538 Students, $523,802)
- Full-time (12+ credit hours)– $612
- Part-time ( under 12 credit hours)– $306
- 1st disbursement–538 students, $291,924
- 2nd disbursement–$431; 538 students, $231,878
- Spring-700 students notified on May 5th
- Summer -275 students notified on July 16th
- Fall- 883 students notified on September 29th
- Follow-up text and email sent on November 3rd
On October 20th, BRTC notified 113 by letter and email who have not completed a FAFSA application to complete it to be eligible for CARES ACT. Along with 456 students, who were contacted by email and text that have not completed the CARES ACT form by the original October 14th deadline. These students will have until November 14th to complete the form to be eligible for funds.
BRTC notified students via their student email that they potentially met qualifying criteria for the funds based on enrollment eligible term. Those students were directed to complete an online form to request funds and indicate a COVID-19-related circumstance to receive the grant. Information for how to request funds for additional terms will be issued at later date.
Awarded students should see CARES Emergency Grant Relief Funds credited on their student account.
Checks will be mailed within 7-10 business days of crediting to student’s accounts.
The CARES Act funds have now been disbursed to 1006 eligible students who requested funds via the request form, which was sent to their student email. At this time, $822,222 has been disbursed to BRTC students.
Funds will be disbursed based on qualifying criteria that equates with the same general eligibility requirements.