Coastal Bend College

CARES Act Overview

Coastal Bend College serves a very broad and diverse community of students in the Coastal Bend Region. Respectively, the needs of our student population are also varied. In order to meet the needs of these students, CBC will provide a student service-based approach in allocating CARES Act funds to address the financial hardships experienced by our students during this challenging time. The College estimates that 2000 students at CBC would be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and therefore eligible to receive an emergency financial aid grant.

Coastal Bend College has signed and returned the CARES Act certification and agreement form and intends to use the funds to provide the mandated amount of at least 50% of the emergency financial aid grants to students.

CBC’s Approach to Distribution of Cares ACT Grants

The College will allocate approximately $1,066,771 in funds to assist students registered in the Spring 2020 semester needing assistance for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus as stipulated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act. Coastal Bend College expects to serve The college will allocate 60% of relief funds to “eligible” students who were enrolled full-time at CBC during the Spring 2020 Semester and 35% of relief funds to “eligible” students who were enrolled part-time at CBC during the Spring 2020 Semester. CBC will also designate 5% of relief funds for students who may qualify for CARES ACT relief aid and become eligible after the initial distribution of funds. The following table outlines this approach in further detail:

Who is considered an Eligible Student?

The Department of Education has issued the following guidelines on student eligibility:

Only students who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), may receive emergency financial aid grants. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 the HEA. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants.
Students must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens.
Students must have a high school diploma, GED, or have completed high school in an approved homeschool setting.
Male students must be registered with Selective Service.

Students who have financial hardship due to COVID-19 due to disruption in campus operations and who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), may receive emergency financial aid grants. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 the HEA. Students who have not filed a FAFSA but who are eligible to file a FAFSA also may receive emergency financial aid grants. The criteria to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA include but are not limited to the following: U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen; a valid Social Security number; registration with Selective Service (if the student is male); and a high school diploma, GED, or completion of high school in an approved homeschool setting.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Grants under the CARES Act are based on eligible student expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), and funding is not tied to existing financial aid programs such as Pell Grants. All funds are distributed directly to students as quickly as possible.

To be considered for CARES Act aid, students must be enrolled in the Spring 2020 semester. Students who withdrew in the Spring 2020 semester or graduated in the Spring 2020 semester must be enrolled in a future term at Coastal Bend College. CBC must be the student’s home institution for financial aid purposes for Spring 2020. The deadline to complete the 2019-20 FAFSA is June 30, 2020.

Which students are ineligible?

The Department of Education has issued the following guidance on students who are ineligible to receive CARES Act relief aid:

CBC Dual Enrollment Students
CBC undocumented students and international students are not eligible.
At institutions that provide both online and ground-based education, those students who were enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020, the date of the President’s Proclamation, “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak,” Federal Register Vol. 85, No. 53 at 15337-38, are not eligible for emergency financial aid grants.

Do the eligibility requirements mean that I must qualify for a Pell Grant to receive relief Aid?

No. Pell Grant eligibility is based on the following:

your Expected Family Contribution,
the cost of attendance (determined by your school for your specific program),
your status as a full-time or part-time student, and
your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

Eligibility requirements of the CARES Act relief funds outline that you need to be eligible for federal student aid programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education

Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). All federal aid is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be sure you have submitted yours for the 2019-2020 academic year. The deadline for the 2019-2020 FAFSA is midnight, Central Time, June 30, 2020.

How do I request CARES act relief funds as a CBC Student?

Students wishing to be considered for these funds will submit a CARES Act Emergency Aid Application. Applicants must provide an explanation of expenses related to the disruption of CBC operations due to COVID-19.

If eligible, will CBC apply the emergency financial aid grant to any outstanding balance (i.e., tuition, fees, fines) I may have at the College?

No. The disbursement of the emergency financial aid grant to the student must remain unencumbered by the institution; debts, charges, fees, or other amounts owed to the institution may not be deducted from the emergency financial aid grant.

Fall 2020 CARES ACT Application Process

The CARES Application for the Fall 2020 semester can be accessed using this link. If you have any questions, please email us at finaid@coastalbend.edu.

If eligible, how will I receive my emergency financial aid grant funds?

Funding will be disbursed using your refunding preference established with BankMobile. Please be sure your current address is on file with our admissions office.

For more information about BankMobile visit: https://www.refundselection.com/refundselection/#/welcome/continue. Please contact CBC’s Business Office for additional information about establishing your refunding preference.

Additional CARES Act Questions and Answers

What is the CARES Act?

The CARES Act is federal legislation which provides a variety of financial support to individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. One part of this federal program allocates money to Coastal Bend College, and a portion of that allocation can be awarded to students who are experiencing financial expenses because of the campus disruption in operations due to the coronavirus.

What kind of expenses are allowable?

Expenses need to be directly related to the changes in campus operations due to the coronavirus. Here are some examples:

If a student needs a laptop because the college moved to online courses, that would be an allowable expense.
If a student worked on campus and now the job is suspended, funds could be used to pay for expenses because the college changed operationally.
Students who used CBC’s Child Development Center for childcare may now have increased costs because the college closed that facility. If a student needs child care that costs more than our Child Development Center, that would be an allowable expense.

If you or a family member lost your job and cannot afford to pay for books, that expense would not be allowed because it does not relate to the college’s change in operations.

Funds can be used for food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, or child care. These expenses need to be tied directly to a specific change in how the college is operating due to the coronavirus.

Does the money need to be repaid?

No, money received through this fund does not need to be repaid.

Would this funding reduce my financial aid?

No, this fund does not negate nor replace financial aid, and it is a one-time grant.

Can I apply for funding more than once?

Students may be allowed to reapply again in the Summer and Fall semester. However, this will be determined by the amount of appropriated funds that may be available after relief aid is given to eligible students in the Spring 2020 semester.

What are the deadlines to apply?

Applications will be taken throughout the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. However, requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until federal funds provided have been exhausted.

Who can I call for more information?

If you have questions or need more information, please call the Financial Aid Office at (361) 354-2238. Students may also chat with a financial aid representative via PHP Live Chat.