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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 (HEERF) 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.  Scroll down for FAQs and consumer information and disclosure.

Cares Act FAQs

In accordance with the CARES Act, Erskine College has been given an appropriation of funds to help students who have experienced disruption due to the coronavirus.  Erskine is grateful for the care and concern given to our students by the federal government. The CARES Act Emergency Grant provides funds for things such as housing, meals, technology needs, moving expenses, and other needs to help college students through the financial hardships created by the disruption of the delivery of your education caused by COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Education, along with Congress, set forth guidelines to distribute the CARES Act Emergency Grant funds. Those funds were calculated by the federal government based on enrollment. Funds were issued to schools based on size and need as established by the number of Pell Grant recipients enrolled at institutions. In accordance with guidelines, Erskine College distributed the funds by need as established on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as well as other expenses related to the disruption created by COVID-19.

No. The CARES Act Emergency Grant was issued to provide for your basic needs during this pandemic. You do not have to report to the school how the funds are spent. Erskine does caution you to be careful with the grant funds as the economy has not fully reopened and needs are uncertain still. It is highly unlikely that additional grant funding will be received.

The CARES Act requires institutions to provide the emergency financial aid grants to students. The institution may not use that portion of the HEERF set aside for emergency financial aid grants to students to satisfy a student’s outstanding account balance. The Department notes that the student may use his or her emergency financial aid grant for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. If you owe a balance, please contact the Finance Division about settling that balance.

Based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, to be eligible for CARES Act funding, students must meet the following:

  • Be enrolled in the Spring 2020 semester (full-time or part-time) as a degree-seeking student;
  • Not enrolled exclusively in a fully online program (prior to March 16, 2020); and
  • Be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (i.e., be eligible to receive federal student aid). To see a list of Title IV eligibility requirements, please click here.

At this time, we do not believe additional funding will be available.

CARES Act Consumer Information and Disclosure

HEERF I – Student Portion

On May 18, 2020, Erskine College signed the Recipient’s Funding Certification and Agreement to receive $293,682.00 in emergency grant funds for students from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In compliance with section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, this is no less than fifty percent of the total appropriation for Erskine. We received notification from the U.S. Department of Education on May 25, 2020 that the funds were available. The grants were administered and the checks were mailed to students on June 12, 2020.

Erskine identified 627 students who were eligible based on the simple guidance that defined an eligible student as “not an online student” and “a student enrolled in postsecondary education,” which makes ineligible students in a completely online program and those who are in non-degree seeking programs (i.e., dually enrolled high school students, those auditing classes, etc.). Further, due to guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, students must be eligible to receive Title IV aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended in order to receive the grant. Verification of eligibility is through the successful completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as it checks all points of eligibility, as well as satisfactory academic progress (SAP) verified by the college.

These funds were expended in the following manner:

  • A grant in the amount of $585 was given to all of those who were Pell Grant eligible and were determined to have significant financial need by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) formula..
  • A grant in the amount of $374.40 was given to all of those who were not Pell Grant eligible and were determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) formula to have less financial need.

HEERF II – Student Portion 

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion expeditiously provided last spring through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136.  The College received its allocation of the student portion of the HEERF III, which totals $293,682, on Friday, January 29, 2021. The Financial Aid Office determined eligibility and 733 students were eligible to receive these funds. If a student qualified to receive Federal Pell Grants (345 students) then the amount he/she received was $470.05. Eligible students who did not qualify for Federal Pell Grants (386 students) received $343.74. Total disbursements to students for emergency grants for HEERF III totaled $293,682. Those checks were distributed by the Business Office.

HEERF III – Student Portion 

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) was authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) signed into law on March 11th, 2021, providing $39.6 billion in support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The College received its allocation of the student portion of the HEERF II, which totaled $790,240 on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The Financial Aid Office determined eligibility and 675 students were eligible to receive these funds. If a student qualified to receive Federal Pell Grants (269 students) then the amount he/she received was $1,762.62. Eligible students who did not qualify for Federal Pell Grants (406 students) received $778.56. Total disbursements to students for emergency grants for HEERF III totaled $790,240. Those checks were distributed by the Business Office.

Click below to view the Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act

Year Quarter Ending Report
2022 6/30/2022 (Final Quarterly Report) Click here to view
2022 3/31/2022 Click here to view
2021 12/31/2021 Click here to view
2021 9/30/2021 Click here to view
2021 6/30/2021 Click here to view
2021 3/31/2021 Click here to view
2020 12/31/2020 Click here to view
2020 9/30/2020 Click here to view
2020 6/30/2020 Click here to view
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Erskine College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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