Chattanooga State will begin disbursing CARES Act funding to qualifying students by the end of May. The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is federal emergency financial assistance for students approved by Congress.
The funds are intended to help qualified college students cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including cost-of-attendance eligible expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The payments will not affect students’ regular financial aid.
“We hope that this provide some financial relief to our students during this unprecedented time,” states Dr. Rebecca Ashford, Chattanooga State president.
Qualifications to receive funding are set forth in federal guidelines that include:
• An individual must have been a student as of March 13;
• Student must be degree-seeking, enrolled full- or part-time for the Spring 2020 semester;
• Student cannot have been enrolled solely in an online format as of March 13;
• Student must be eligible to participate in Title IV financial aid programs (Pell Grant, federal student loans, and other federal financial aid programs); and
• High school dual-enrollment students and employees in special-industry training programs do not qualify for the CARES Act emergency grant aid.
Payments to individual students will vary, in part, because the federal formula allocating funding to each college includes a factor weighted toward the percentage of its students receiving Pell Grants. Eligible students will receive the payments through check or direct deposit.
“While I wish it could be more, I am glad that the CARES Act provided us the opportunity to give back to our students,” shares Dr. Ashford.
For more information visit chattanoogastate.edu.