The CARES Act Emergency Grant funds for students were provided to colleges and universities and must be distributed in accordance with the guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Education. One of the guidelines is that students must be eligible to file a FAFSA and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs, and when a student completes the FAFSA, student federal student aid eligibility is automatically checked by the U.S. Department of Education.

It usually takes approximately 3-5 business days for Montco to receive a student’s completed FAFSA.

The College received a limited amount of funds. Grant amounts will be determined based on the number of applications received and the specific needs presented in the application. We cannot guarantee that all applications submitted will be eligible for funding.

Emergency grants will be processed through your Montco student account and, if you are enrolled in direct deposit, the funds will be deposited into the bank account on file. If you do not have direct deposit set up with the College, you will receive a refund check in the mail.

According to guidance from the Department of Education, the maximum award is based on the Pell eligibility maximum of $6,195. However, the actual award amounts will vary based on the review of documentation submitted to support the request and/or the awarding formula used to evaluate each request type.

You can set up your direct deposit through the online Payment Center. Log in to Montco Connect and select “Finances” and then “Payment Center” to follow the prompts for your refund delivery preference selection.

The full amount of the emergency grants will be given directly to you, and will not pay outstanding balances owed. Any outstanding balance owed to Montco will remain your responsibility.

No. The CARES Act emergency grant will not impact your financial aid eligibility.

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

As of May 1, 2020, it is unclear if emergency grants are taxable.

Currently, you may apply multiple times for new, unexpected expenses as a result of the disruption to campus operations or the transition to distance education.

Applications will be accepted throughout the year until funds are exhausted.