Westchester Community College, State University of New York

The distribution of Federal COVID Student Emergency Aid at WCC ended on December 8, 2023.

WCC’s campus eligibility and distribution plans since the beginning of COVID and HEERF Funds, (March 2020) are provided below.

NOTE: Students who were eligible to receive a Federal COVID Student Emergency Aid award in Fall, 2023 have already been contacted by email, with checks mailed in December 2023. Students have 90 days to cash their checks (must be cashed by March 13, 2024).

Any student who filed a FAFSA was automatically reviewed and if eligible, received an email and text notifying them of their status. Students should be sure to check and make sure their home address is up to date with WCC. Students can check their home address on file by logging onto their MyWCC account.

• Eligibility conditions varied slightly from semester to semester and are described below.
• Eligible students were notified by email and text during the semester of the award.
• A check was sent within 10 days of the award being applied to students’ account.
• The check went to students’ home address on file with the college.

Award Round 8

Award Round 8 (September 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023):

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning September 1, 2023 students enrolled in Fall 2023 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications have been sent via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper). Students have 90 days to cash their checks. Checks must be cashed by March 15, 2024.)

Retired Award Round 7 (January 1, 2023 – August 30, 2023):

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning January 1, 2023, students enrolled in Spring 2023 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

Retired Award Round 6

AWARD ROUND 6: METHOD 6 for Student Eligibility for the Period September 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022:

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning September 1, 2022, students enrolled in Fall 2022 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

Retired Award Round 5

AWARD ROUND 5: METHOD 5 for Student Eligibility for the Period January 1, 2022 – Present (March 31, 2022) :

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning January 1, 2022, students enrolled in Spring 2022 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

Retired Award Round 4

(Retired) AWARD ROUND 4 :  METHOD 4 for Student Eligibility for the Period September 13,  2021 –  December 21, 2021
SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

Beginning September 13, 2021, students enrolled in Fall 2021 and who are Title IV (PELL) eligible will be notified of the availability of ARP Act Funding (This will continue for Spring 2022 until funds are exhausted).

ARP Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption  due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc. Students  must complete a certification statement on the college’s website to attest and certify that they are COVID-19 impacted to be eligible to receive funds.

Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below:

Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement (electronic and/or paper).

NOTE:

• At this time, the HEERF Student Emergency Grants are only for Title IV eligible students. This includes students who are in an eligible degree or certificate program; have completed the FAFSA (or will be able to complete the FAFSA) and successfully met the database matches; are in Good Academic Standing for the fall 2020 semester; and have a high school diploma or equivalency. As such, this does not allow HEERF funds to be distributed to international, DACA students, or students not in good academic standing.
• Eligibility requirements to receive HEERF Student Emergency Grants are students with additional expenses due to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, childcare, and/or transportation.
• Awards will be granted to eligible students until funds are exhausted.

Retired Award Round 3

[Retired]-Award Method 3: (October 29,2020 – September 13, 2021) Westchester Community College is currently processing CARES Act grant applications for Spring 2021 until such funds are exhausted. CARES Act Funding is for continuing expenses based on the ongoing campus disruption due to COVID-19. Expenses include but are not limited to technology needs including laptops and associated conferencing equipment (headphones, better speakers, larger monitor, etc.) and software, Wi-Fi and associated utilities, course materials, etc.Awards will be made to eligible students based on the tiered structure below, whereby Tier 1 and 2 to meet SUNY Priority 1 (PELL eligible, high need, low estimated family contribution).

• Tier 1 PELL eligible students who have a 0 EFC– award is $1,400.
• Tier 2 Pell eligible students who have an EFC greater than 0 on the 2020-21 FAFSA – award is $700.

Note: Previous Fall 2020 awards which are lower than stated above will be adjusted to reflect these amounts.

• Notifications will go out via email (MYWCC and personal accounts) with instructions for the completion of the Certification Statement. Students will confirm they are COVID impacted through this Certification Statement. (electronic and/or paper).
• Once the Certification Statement is received, awards will be processed through the Office of Student Financial Services and disbursed to the student’s account. This award is not a part of the student’s financial aid package and a direct payment will be processed via check to the student by the Bursar’s Office.

Retired Award Round 2

Award Round 2, Method 2: August 28, 2020- October 29, 2020

Beginning August 28, 2020, new and continuing enrolled students who are Title IV eligible and registered for FALL 2020 SEMESTER (and for subsequent semesters as CARES Act funds are available), can receive CARES Act Grants (Up to $700 for full-time students 12 credits and above and $350 for part-time students less than 12 credits).

• Priority 1
  Meet the emergency needs of students who have been impacted by COVID 19 who are Pell recipients and students with the lowest EFC’s on the FAFSA.
• Priority 2
  Meet the needs of eligible students who are Title IV eligible undergraduates willing to complete the FAFSA and students with the lowest EFCs.

Students must have filed a FAFSA and must also complete and submit an attestation (certification) that they are impacted by COVID disruptions (link retired) to the Financial Aid Office at finaid@sunywcc.edu

Eligible students will receive $1400 from the Federal CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. This money is available to certain college students who had expenses due to the disruption of campus operations.

See the screenshot of the application which has been retired.

Retired Award Round 1

Award Round 1, Method 1: June 1, 2020 – August 28, 2020:

SUNY Westchester Community College has prioritized awarding of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to its students in the following manner:

• Priority 1 – Pell recipients
  70% of the funds received will be used to meet the emergency need of students impacted by COVID-19 in this category.
• Priority 2 – Eligible Non-Pell recipients
  25% of the funds received will be used to meet the emergency need of students impacted by COVID-19 in this category.
• Extra funding – Eligible students in special circumstances
  5% of the funds received will be used to supplement amounts of the max awards of $1,000 for students who have special circumstances and a particularly pressing need (up to Pell max of $6,195 per award).

Under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, students may receive awards ranging from $500 to $3,100, with additional awards available up to the maximum Federal Pell grant threshold of $6,195 per award. Students must have filed a FAFSA and must also complete and submit an application (link retired) to the Financial Aid Office at finaid@sunywcc.edu

See the screenshot of the application which has been retired.