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SUI Cares Act Cash Grant

Posted on May 8, 2020 - Posted in: News & Events

General Information

Sacramento Ultrasound Institute has received funding through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The College signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. The College has been authorized to receive $19,915.00 to provide direct emergency checks/direct deposit grants to college students whose lives and educations have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.

To date, the College has not distributed any grants to students. As of 5/8/20, the College is in still gathering student information to determine eligibility in accordance with Section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act prior to distributing Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The College estimates that approximately 50 students are eligible to receive these funds under Title IV, Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus, is eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants provided for by the CARES Act. The College is collecting applications and using information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine the students with the greatest need. This data will guide us in prioritizing which students will receive the Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much each student will receive. Our goal is to maximize the distribution and efficiency of the funds provided under the CARES Act.

Emergency grant amounts will be awarded to students with qualifying costs and prioritized based on need. A Committee has been established and they will review applications on an ongoing basis, until all funds are spent, in the order applications are received. The college will spend its share of the CARES Act funds in one calendar year.

Eligibility Requirements

Per the Department of Education’s guidance, students are eligible for CARES Act funds if they meet Federal Title IV requirements such as, but not limited to:

  • Eligible as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen*
  • Valid Social Security number
  • Registration with Selective Service (if the student is male)
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress in their course of study, and
  • Do not owe a refund on grants previously received or in default on any federal student loans
  • Additionally, students must have been enrolled in at least one class prior to March 13, 2020. If you already filed a FAFSA and received Title IV aid, you may be eligible for CARES Act funds.

* Generally, you are an eligible noncitizen if you are (1) a permanent U.S. resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551); (2) a conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C); (3) the holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms that you were paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or (4) the holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.

Definition of a Qualifying Situation

Sacramento Ultrasound Institute’s CARES Act funds for students will be used to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. This includes, but is not limited to, eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare expenses.

Financial Aid General Questionsrlease@sui.edu

Forms

CARES Act Grant Application

All students must complete SUI’s CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Application in order to be considered to receive funds.

Direct Deposit Form

Students are able to receive the funds by direct deposit or by check. If you wish to receive grant by direct deposit, please complete the form Direct Deposit Form

Complete FAFSA

Only students who are eligible to participate in Federal Title IV programs may receive CARES Act funds. If you have not already filed a FAFSA and are receiving Title IV aid, complete one now.

Q & A: CARES Act Student Relief Program

  • Do I need to complete an application to be considered for CARES Act funds?Yes, you are required to complete SUI’s online CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Application and you must have a 2019-20 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file at SUI.
  • Why do I need to complete the FAFSA to be considered for CARES Act funds?Per the Department of Education’s guidance, only students who are eligible to participate in Federal Title IV programs may receive CARES Act funds. Therefore, if you already filed a FAFSA and are receiving Title IV aid, then you are eligible to apply for CARES Act funds.
  • What are my options if I’m not eligible for Title IV aid through the FAFSA?If you are not eligible for Title IV aid as determined by completing a FAFSA, then you will not be considered for CARES Act funds.
  • Is there a deadline to apply for CARES Act funds?Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis until all funds are spent, in the order applications are received. The Committee’s goal is to distribute these funds as widely as possible to assist many students. Therefore, award amounts may be limited.
  • What expenses can I receive grant funds towards?You can request grant funds to help towards expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. This includes, but is not limited to, eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance as determined by the Financial Aid Office, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare.
  • Who reviews the CARES Act application?A Committee has been established and will consider applications on an ongoing basis until all funds are spent, in the order applications are received.
  • How much emergency grant aid will I receive?The Committee will determine the amount based on the results of your online application. Emergency grant amounts will be awarded to students with qualifying costs based on need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is important that you provide a detailed account of how you have been affected financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Missing or incomplete explanations may affect your ability to receive grant funds.
  • Are there minimum or maximum amounts a student can receive?The Committee has the authority to award differing amounts to students on a case-by-case basis, with no minimum or maximum required. For consistency, the Committee has standard allowable expenses assigned for each expense category shown on the application. It is important that applicants provide detailed explanations on the application so additional consideration can be given for students who have incurred expenses above and beyond our standard allowable expenses. The college’s goal is to distribute these funds as widely as possible to assist many students.
  • Do I need to pay back these funds?No, these funds are considered to be grant awards and do not need to be repaid to the college or federal government.
  • Do I need to keep track of how I use the emergency grant aid I receive?No, students who receive CARES Act funds are not required to record or track how it is spent.
  • How long will it take for me to receive emergency grant funds?Processing and sending the payment to the student may take up to fourteen (14) business days after approval by the Committee. The Committee will review applications on an ongoing basis and make decisions as quickly as possible.
  • How will I be notified of the Committee’s decision?The Committee will notify applicants of their decision via email.
  • How will the funds be distributed?CARES Act funds will be provided directly to the student through the Refund method on file in the Student Account Payment Center. Processing and sending the payment to the student may take up to fourteen (14) business days after approval by the Committee. For questions concerning your refunding preference or when you will receive your payment after you are approved, please contact Renee Lease at rlease@sui.edu.
  • Can the College apply these funds directly towards my student account?No, the college cannot apply any CARES Act funds towards an outstanding balance on a student’s account. These cash grants must be disbursed directly to the student.
  • Can I make a payment to the college towards my outstanding balance using a portion or all of the emergency grant aid I received?You can make a payment on your outstanding balance at any time. However, please note that it was Congress’s intent that CARES Act emergency cash grants be used by students to cover their emergency personal expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare. Please ensure you have what you need to cover these expenses before using any emergency grant funds to make payment on an outstanding SUI student account balance. SUI will not withhold any CARES Act funds to cover balances.
  • Can I apply for CARES Act Funds If I withdrew prior to March 13?No, only students that are currently enrolled in spring 2020 courses are eligible to apply for funds.
  • Who should I contact with questions?Students who require assistance in completing the application, or have other questions, may contact Renee Lease at rlease@sui.edu