CARES HEERF Student Funds

Century College will distribute the majority of the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds as CARES Base Award (grant aid) to all eligible Century students. The funds distributed as CARES Base Award aid are meant to help students pay expenses considered as the student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare due to COVID-19 related disruptions. If students have yet to experience financial stress due to COVID-19, these funds can help with upcoming unanticipated expenses.

The U.S. Department of Education required Century College and all higher education institutions to prioritize the majority of the funds to support students with the greatest financial need and also allowed us to provide a smaller amount of funds for students who did not file a FAFSA, but would have otherwise been eligible to file a FAFSA.

Based on the U.S. Department of Education and Minnesota State eligibility criteria, Century students enrolled as of the Friday prior to spring break (Friday, March 6, 2020), regardless of the number of credits for Spring 2020 semester, are eligible for a CARES Base Award as follows:

• Currently enrolled students who have not filed a FAFSA, but who are eligible to file a FAFSA, will each receive $100.00 as CARES Base Award aid. The award will be directly provided to students in cash funds. (Eligibility to file a FAFSA includes criteria such as: U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen; valid SSN; registration with Selective Services (if male); and high school diploma, GED, or equivalent).
• Currently enrolled students who have a FAFSA on file will receive $575.00 as CARES Base Award aid provided directly to students in cash funds.

All Century students, regardless of eligibility, have received communications regarding CARES Act funding based on all the guidelines listed above and those communicated by the federal government and Minnesota State.

Institutions must use the guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Education in order to be eligible to receive the CARES Act funds. Unfortunately, that means that not all students enrolled in higher education institutions across our nation can receive CARES Base Awards.

Using the U.S. Department of Education and Minnesota State guidelines, Century College students excluded from receiving CARES Base Award funds are students:

• not enrolled in face-to-face courses and enrolled exclusively in online courses in Spring 2020 semester prior to the COVID-19 emergency,
• ineligible to file a FAFSA: non-U.S. citizen or not an eligible noncitizen, concurrent enrolled high school students, postsecondary enrollment option students (PSEO)
• being assessed senior citizen tuition rates,
• enrolled in non-credit courses,
• incarcerated,
• withdrawn from Spring semester courses and were not enrolled as of March 6, 2020, or
• Minnesota State employees whose tuition is covered by a Tuition Waiver.

Although Century is unable to provide all students with support through these funds, qualifying students should still apply for student financial aid by filing a FAFSA. In addition, Century’s Counseling Services and the Resource and Support Center connects students to community resources for food, housing, transportation, childcare, healthcare, etc. The Century College Foundation provides emergency assistance grants and scholarships that students can apply for. Visit the Resource and Support Center for more information and to access basic needs resources. You can also schedule an appointment through Starfish with a counselor to discuss other emergency funding options or contact the Advising, Counseling, and Career Center at acc@century.edu or 651-779-3285.

All Century students, regardless of eligibility, have received communications regarding CARES Act funding based on all the guidelines listed above and those communicated by the federal government and Minnesota State.

In order to expedite distribution of these funds, eligible students will receive their cash funds through direct deposit provided by BankMobile, the system that Century College uses to process funds to students. Students who already have their direct deposit in place with BankMobile will receive funds as soon as next week. Students who currently do not have direct deposit set up with BankMobile should take immediate action to visit the BankMobile web page for more information and to set up a direct deposit preference. Students who do not set up a BankMobile direct deposit will delay receipt of their funds up to 2-3 weeks or more to allow for a paper check distribution process.

Students who receive CARES Base Award aid should note that the federal government has not issued guidance regarding the tax status of this disbursement. Please be advised this emergency assistance aid may be considered as income on your Federal and State 2020 tax returns. The Federal and State governments will provide that guidance at the time of filing in 2021.

CARES Special Circumstances Awards (grants) are available through an application process for eligible Century students and can be used to cover expenses related to COVID-19 disruptions in the same manner as the CARES Base Awards. These need-based emergency grant awards will be granted to students providing documentation of special circumstances in which these additional funds can help support and ensure students’ ability to continue their education at Century.

CARES Special Circumstances Awards can be used to cover expenses related to COVID-19 disruptions, such as, but not limited to: textbooks, course supplies and materials, testing fees, housing/rent, food/groceries, childcare, utilities, transportation, health/medical-related, computer/laptop, internet services, etc.

CARES Special Circumstances Award funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so all eligible students are encouraged to apply early. To help as many students as possible, maximum grant will be $500 per student for Fall 2020.

Applications are no longer available. Funds were awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds ran out.

Please feel free to send inquiries on this grant to: lena.collister@century.edu.