COVID-19 Programs Offered by LC

• Title IV eligible students that received an email must complete a CARES Act application

• U.S. Citizen or an eligible non-citizen (including a U. S. National or Permanent Resident)

• Have completed the 2019 – 2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Complete Verification, if selected

• Must meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate)

• Be enrolled for at least 3 eligible credit hours or more in an eligible degree or certificate program for the Spring 2020 Semester

• Students that were enrolled in 100% online courses, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic are not eligible for the CARES Act Funding

• Food/Groceries

• Housing/Rent/Utilities/Mortgage (cell bill)

• Lack of Educational Support/Course Materials

• Technology (Internet Services, Online Books, Equipment, Software/Hardware, Hotspot Internet Devices, Laptop, etc)              

• Health Care/Medical Expenses/Health insurance (co-pays)      

• Childcare/Dependent Expenses

• Transportation (Gas/Uber, Vehicle Repairs, Insurance, etc.)                    

• Other

Yes, students must have a successfully completed FAFSA on file. Students who have not filed a FAFSA, and are in need of financial assistance, should immediately file a 2019-2020 FAFSA.

The eligibility criteria to file a FAFSA, as outlined in Section 484 of the Higher Education Act (HEA), include but are not limited to the following: 

• U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen

• Valid Social Security number 

• Registration with Selective Services, if male 

• High school diploma, GED, or completion of high school in an approved homeschool setting

No, unfortunately those students are not eligible.  

No, international and undocumented students are not eligible for CARES Act funding.

You are not eligible for CARES Act funds if you were enrolled exclusively in an online program as of March 13, 2020. However, if you were enrolled in a combination of online and in-person classes, you are eligible.

No, only students enrolled in a degree-seeking program are eligible.

Yes, to be eligible for CARES Act funding, you must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, which are established by the Financial Aid & Veterans Affairs Services Center following Federal guidelines.

No, the funds will be sent directly to you.

Requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Direct deposit is the fastest way to receive your funds. If you do not have direct deposit with the Bursar’s Office, please request the BankMobile Option.

No, CARES Act Funds will not reduce your financial aid package.

CARES Act Grant is legally exempt from 1098-T reporting and exempt from taxation altogether.

$4,463,111.00

No, the CARES Act requires institutions to provide the emergency financial aid grants to student. It will be up to the student to use the CARES Act Emergency Funding to pay the outstanding balance.

2020 CARES Act Grant Certification Agreement

Laredo College has received the U.S. Department of Education Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF), funded by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Laredo College received a total amount $8,926,222 of which $4,463,111.00  will be distributed to eligible Title IV students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Laredo College has identified approximately 6,713 Title IV eligible students to receive the Emergency Cares Act Funding

Out of 6,713 Title IV eligible students 4,421 have received Emergency Financial Aid Grant

• Laredo College awarded from $800.00 to a maximum of $1,200.00 to all students who were Title IV eligible for 19-20 aid year and submitted a Cares Act application. 

• U.S. Citizen or an eligible non-citizen (including a U. S. National or Permanent Resident) 

• Have completed the 2019 – 2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), to apply visit www.fafsa.ed.gov

• Complete Verification, if selected 

• Must meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate) 

• Be enrolled for at least 3 eligible credit hours or more in an eligible degree or certificate program for the Spring/Fall 2020/Spring 2021 semesters 

• Students that were enrolled in 100% online courses, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic are not eligible for the CARES Act Funding 

*CRRSAA and ARP emergency funds under guidance published by the Department of Education to provide clarity regarding existing requirements-May 11, 2021, allowed institutions to award emergency funds to undocumented, DACA, and international students. Under the new Biden Administration, all students are eligible to HEERF funds including students enrolled at an eligible institution on or after March 13, 2020.  HEERF I, II and III can be paid retroactively for cost incurred on or after March 13, 2020.

Laredo College created a CARES Act information website dedicated to provide up-to-date CARES Act Funding information to Laredo College students and community

• Title IV eligible students that received an email must complete the GEER application by clicking on the following link: https://forms.laredo.edu/forms/geer/   

• Be a Texas resident as defined by Board rules;  

• U.S. Citizen or an eligible non-citizen (including a U.S. National or Permanent Resident)  

• Have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2020-2021 academic year  

• Complete verification, if selected  

• Must meet the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate)  

• Be eligible for Title IV federal student financial aid;   

• Show financial need, as defined by Board rules;   

• Have suffered a financial impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic as determined by the institution:  

• Be enrolled in coursework leading to an associate or baccalaureate degree or undergraduate certificate program at an eligible institution; and  

• Have either:

  • Graduated from high school between September 1, 2019 and August 31, 2020; or   

  • Have been enrolled in coursework at an eligible institution during the 2019-2020 academic year.  

• No grant exceeds the least of: $2,500; 

• The student's financial need minus all gift aid, as defined by Board rules, the student has been offered at the time the Emergency Educational Grant is offered; or

• The sum of the student's tuition, fees, and supplemental expenses minus all gift aid the student has been offered at the time the Program grant is offered. Supplemental expenses are defined as an estimate of course materials determined by the institution that is not to exceed $500.

• Emergency Educational Grant funding may not be used for any purpose other than paying for tuition, fees, and supplemental expenses incurred by the student related to enrollment at an eligible institution for the semester for which funding was offered. 

• Emergency Educational Grant funding must supplement, and not replace, gift aid received by the student for educational expenses.

The Emergency Educational Grant is a “last-dollar” scholarship, which may not exceed $2,500. The grant has an additional limitation that it may not exceed remaining financial need.

• Add together the student's tuition, fees, and supplemental expenses for the fall semester. Supplemental expenses are defined as an estimate of course materials determined by the institution that is not to exceed $500.

• Add together all gift aid the student has been offered at the time the Emergency Educational Grant is offered. Gift aid is defined as grants, scholarships, exemptions, waivers, and other financial aid provided to a student without a requirement to repay the funding or earn the funding through work.

• Subtract the total gift aid from the total tuition, fees, and supplemental expenses.

• If the result is greater than $2,500, reduce the calculated value to $2,500.

• Subtract the student’s Excepted Family Contribution from the student’s Cost of Attendance to determine the student’s financial need.

• Subtract the student’s total gift aid from the student’s financial need. Gift aid is defined as grants, scholarships, exemptions, waivers, and other financial aid provided to a student without a requirement to repay the funding or earn the funding through work.

• If the result is greater than $2,500, reduce the calculated value to $2,500.

• A student’s eligibility is the lesser of the last-dollar calculation or the remaining financial need calculation.