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QCC Emergency Assistance Grants

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QCC recognizes the financial stresses our students are facing due to the COVID-19 crisis.  Emergency grant funds are available from multiple sources to assist students with their financial needs related to the pandemic:

  1. Federal CARES Act and CRRSAA Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEERF) Grants – This is the most substantial source of funding.
  2. QCC Foundation and/or Institutional Funding - Limited funding is also available through generous donations by and to the QCC Foundation.
  3. Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund - These funds are available to students with a complete financial aid file who meet state aid and other eligibility requirements.

Eligibility Criteria

You must be:

  • Actively enrolled (registered and attending/participating) and accepted to a degree or certificate program for the semester you are requesting funding, OR
  • Actively participating in programming and/or classes through the QCC Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education or the QCC Adult Community Learning Center. 

You must apply by the following deadlines:​

  • Spring 2021 (for CWDCE and ACLC courses between January and May) - May 11th

Funding is limited. Applying by the deadlines allows you to be considered, but does not guaranty funding. Eligible students will generally be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If awarded, we may not be able to meet your full financial need. The application may be closed earlier than the listed deadlines or your request may be delayed or denied if funding is exhausted. 

How to apply for Emergency Grant Assistance

Students must complete the QCC Application for Emergency Assistance Grants to request funding. The College will use the information provided to determine emergency grant eligibility and the amount of a grant. Please note that not all students will qualify and QCC may not be able to meet the full financial needs of all that do qualify. QCC has a limited amount of funding, and we appreciate students only asking for the amount needed so we can serve as many students affected by the coronavirus as possible.

Requests will generally be reviewed within 15 business days from their completed submission. Awarding of funds will be made on a case-by-case, “first-come, first served” basis. 

All information regarding your eligibility for emergency grant funding will be sent to your Qmail account, if you have one. Students who are not assigned a Qmail account will receive communication via the email account we have on record. Funds will be disbursed through your student account.  In most cases, federal emergency grants and most QCC Foundation funding sources will be refunded directly to you regardless of any balance you may owe to the College. You may provide written authorization for the College to apply your federal emergency funds to your student account balance. Institutional funds and some Foundation funds may be applied to balances owed to the College by the student first at the College’s discretion. 

Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Students must complete the FAFSA to be eligible for CARES Act funding.

What are the CARES Act and CRRSAA?

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020.  The CARES Act provided $14 billion to students and institutions across the U.S. to assist with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.  QCC students with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19 may be eligible to participate in the federal emergency grant program. 

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) was signed into law on December 27, 2020 and authorized additional Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds to institutions.  These funds are able to be used for any component of a student's Cost of Attendance or emergency expenses related to coronavirus.  Funds must be give to students with exceptional financial need.  As of December 27, 2020, the law also converted any remaining CARES Act funding to the new regulations. 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been granted an injunction in court that, while in effect, allows us to offer Higher Educational Emergency Relief Funds to students who do not meet the eligibility for Federal Financial Aid programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). 

Who is eligible for Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEERF) funds?

Students must be actively registered for courses in the Spring 2021 semester and be enrolled in a degree or certificate program (accepted through the Admissions Office).

Students must demonstrate exceptional financial need to qualify for HEERF student grant funding.  Students may demonstrate this through a Pell-eligible EFC on the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or through submitting the Emergency Assistance Grant Application.

 

What if I have not filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

A FAFSA is not required to be considered for Higher Education Emergency Relief funds, but you might consider doing so to be considered for other financial assistance through federal and state programs.  We strongly recommend that you use the FSA ID process to sign.  The College will receive your FAFSA in 5-7 business days if you sign electronically.  The FAFSA will request income from two years ago- please supply this as requsted.  If your income has changed since that time due to the pandemic or other extenuating circumstances, please contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss a reevaluation of your eligibility based on your 2020 or current income.

Please contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid [at] qcc.mass.edu or call 508.854.4261 for questions regarding how to submit the FAFSA.

What type of expenses/financial needs are allowable for HEERF funds?

For Spring 2021 and forward, these funds are able to be used for any component of a student's Cost of Attendance (tuition and fees, books and supplies, food, housing, health care, child care, etc.) or emergency expenses related to coronavirus.  Funds must be give to students with exceptional financial need.  As of December 27, 2020, the law also converted any remaining CARES Act funding to the new regulations.

For Fall 2020 and previous, applicants must have has expenses related to the disruption of QCC operations due to COVID-19. 

The disruption to QCC’s campus operations due to COVID-19 included, but were not limited to:

  • the change from a physical classroom experience to remote instruction,
  • the change to providing support services remotely, and
  • the limitations on usage of campus resources

As such, some examples of eligible expenses might be:

  • The purchase of a laptop because the college moved to remote instruction
  • Educational supplies, such as software, printers, paper, or ink due to no longer having access to these things on campus
  • An increase in a student's monthly utility bill because the college moved to remote instruction 
  • The need to add or enhance internet service in order to participate in remote instruction
  • Increased food expenses if a student was previously relying on QCC’s Food Pantry or other food resources

Please note these examples are not exhaustive.

What if I am NOT eligible for HEERF emergency funding?

The following QCC students are NOT eligible for Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) but may qualify for QCC Foundation or Institutional Grant assistance (see below):

  • Early College, Gateway to College, and other dual enrollment students,
  • Students taking HiSet/GED/College Prep classes or English Language classes through the Adult Community Learning Center, and
  • Students who are not enrolled in a degree or eligible certificate program at QCC.
  • Students participating in programming through QCC’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education

**The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been granted an injunction in court that, while in effect, allows us to offer HEERF funding regardless of whether a student has the following statuses:

  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students
  • International students
  • Undocumented students

Emergency Assistance Grant – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is eligible for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund?

To be considered for GEER funding, students must:

  • Be Title IV eligible, as demonstrated through filing a complete 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Be a MA resident (including parents, if student is dependent) on or before August 1, 2019.
  • Not have earned a prior bachelor’s degree
Who is eligible for QCC Foundation and Institutional emergency funds?
  • You must be actively enrolled in a degree or certificate program for the Spring 2021 semester, OR actively participating in programming through the QCC Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education or the QCC Adult Community Learning Center. 
  • Students and financial needs that do not qualify under the CARES Act or CRRSAA may be prioritized in the determination of assistance from QCC Foundation and Institutional grant resources.
How much funding will I receive?

The College will use the information you provide on the QCC Application for Emergency Assistance Grants to determine your eligibility for and the amount of a grant.  We will be limiting the maximum dollar amount awarded to each applicant to try to assist as many students as possible.  Please note that not all students will qualify and the College may not be able to meet the full financial needs of all that do qualify. 

Am I required to repay the funds I receive?

No, the funds received through this program do not need to be repaid.

Will this funding reduce or change my financial aid award with QCC?

Federal emergency funds received through the CARES Act or CRRSAA will not impact your financial aid award, due to a special exception federal law. 

However, emergency funds received from the QCC Foundation, Governor's Emergency Education Relief program or Institution are considered a resource for the student and must fit into a student’s financial aid award, if they have one. If you have already received a financial aid award that meets your financial aid need and/or your Cost of Attendance, we may be required to reduce other funds. QCC will reduce student loan funds before other grants when required.  Because most emergency funds are refunded to the student regardless of any balance due, in rare cases, required adjustments can create a balance due to the College. You will receive a revised award letter any time a change is made to your Financial Aid Award. 

Can I apply for funding for more than one semester?

Yes, students can apply each semester if they continue to experience hardships and QCC has remaining funding.  Priority may be given to students asking for funding for the first time as we progress through the Summer and Fall semesters. The program is scheduled to continue as long as the funding is not exhausted and the federal emergency is still in effect due to the pandemic.

Are there deadlines to obtain emergency grant funding?

You must apply by the following deadline:

  • Fall 2020 (for CWDCE and ACLC courses between September and December) – By December 1, extended to December 22
  • Spring 2021 (for CWDCE and ACLC courses between January and May) - By May 1

Funding is limited.  Applying by the deadlines allows you to be considered, but does not guaranty funding.  Eligible students will generally be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.  If awarded, we may not be able to meet your full financial need.  The application may be closed earlier than the listed deadlines or your request may be denied if funding is exhausted.

For semesters which have not yet started, the federally declared emergency due to the pandemic must still be in effect.

What additional resources are available to me if I need access to food and other services?

The College has a COVID-19 resource page. We encourage all students to review the resources available to support their enrollment.

Who should I contact if I have questions about completing the QCC Emergency Assistance Grant application?
  1. If you are enrolled in a degree or certificate program at QCC, please contact us at emergencygrant [at] qcc.mass.edu for questions regarding how to submit the application.
  2. If you are participating in programming through the Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, please contact Kate O’Connor at  kaoconnor [at] qcc.mass.edu for questions regarding how to submit the application.
  3. If you are participating in programming through the Adult Community Learning Center, please contact Kimberly White at kwhite [at] qcc.mass.edu for questions regarding how to submit the application.
What if I need help with my bill or need more funding than what is provided?

If you have not already done so, you may still submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for financial aid for the Spring 2021 semester.  You may also be considered for the Fall 2020 semester if you meet all the eligibility criteria and will continue to be enrolled in the Spring 2021 semester! 

Be sure to select QCC to receive your application electronically.  Eligibility criteria do apply, and additional information may be needed to determine your eligibility. Please reply to all requests for additional information by QCC promptly.  If your income has changed due to the pandemic or other extenuating circumstances, please contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss a reevaluation of your eligibility based on your 2020 or current income.

Please contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid [at] qcc.mass.edu or call 508.854.4261 for questions regarding how to submit the FAFSA.and financial aid eligibility.