What is the CARES/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund?

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES Act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund. It set aside money for grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic. The CARES Act provides Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance. CARES funds must be used to provide funds directly to students to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronaviruses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.

Texas State Technical College has received an additional $21,292,313 with $4,982,578 to be used as emergency relief for students who are eligible. In addition, Texas State Technical College received $1,766,089 due to our Minority Serving Institution funds between the CARES Act and the HEERF II fund.

2,049 unduplicated students were awarded a total of $4,910,782.60 on or before May 28, 2021. TSTC has $71,794.40 remaining for emergency relief for students

Where does the CARES Act money come from?

The United States Senate and Congress passed a $2 trillion coronavirus response bill to assist and relieve the American economy. The CARES Act provided $14.25 billion in emergency aid to relief institutions of higher education. At least 50% of the funds will be used as emergency aid for students who are in need. The emergency aid provided by the federal government can include anything under a student’s cost of attendance.

For an institution to be eligible to receive and use funds, they will need to sign and return the certification and agreement form and that the institution has used, or intends to use, the funds to provide the mandated amount of at least 50% of the emergency financial aid grants to students.

Texas State Technical College signed and returned the certification and agreement form on April 21, 2020, and received a total of $9,965,155, with $4,982,578 to be used as emergency relief for eligible students. By September 23, 2020, 3,294 students were awarded a total of $4,982,578.

Are there other funds to help students?

We offer additional support to students through The TSTC Foundation, private donors, and federal, state and institutional grants. We care for our students and will do all we can to help you during this difficult time.

How can I apply for other aid?

To explore your options and apply for other aid programs, contact one of our Advocacy & Resource Coaches.

Who was eligible?

Students who meet all criteria below are eligible to apply:

Working toward a degree or certificate at TSTC.
Enrolled in Spring 2020 in at least one face-to-face course, even if that course moved to an online format due to the pandemic.

Students must be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

What did the funding cover?

The following is a list of expenses that can be considered for grant assistance if they were “related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.”

Food and housing.
Course materials and technology (such as having to buy a computer when courses were moved online).
Health care.
Child care.
Transportation.

Resources

See updates and notifications at the Federal Student Aid website.
Review the quarterly budget and expenditure report.

What is the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III?

Texas State Technical College has received an additional $37,633,773 with $18,938,740 to be used as emergency relief for students who are eligible. As of May 28, 2021 TSTC has not disbursed any HEERF III funds to students. Texas State Technical College also received an additional $1,945,979 in Minority Serving Institution Funds

What method(s) are used by the TSTC to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they receive?

To ensure access for the students who may need the emergency aid the most, TSTC prioritizes Pell recipients. Students are awarded based upon their self-reported individual needs and a semester calculation is utilized to determine each award amount.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2)quarterly Report 9/30/20: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2) 12.31.20: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2) 3.31.21: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2) 6.30.21: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2) 9.30.21: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2)quarterly Report 12/31/21: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion and 18004(a)(2)quarterly Report 03/31/22: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds 06/30/22: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds 09/30/22: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds 12/31/22: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds 3/31/23: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds 6/30/23: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds 9/30/23: Click here to review the quarterly report.

Federal Emergency Grant

The Federal Emergency Grants for Q2 2021

Texas State Technical College has signed and returned a Certificate & Agreement with the Department of Education to accept allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2. The ARP established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) to provide emergency financial aid grants. These critical funds help eligible TSTC students cover related to unanticipated travel, additional technology requirements, or other needs related to an emergency situation.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Reporting:

As of June 30, 2021, TSTC received $28,903,896 for students to fund the Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The estimated total number of students potentially eligible to be considered to receive Emergency Aid Grants in quarter 3 was 14,486. As of June 30, 2021, $2,869,139 in HEERF funds has been distributed to 1263 unduplicated students. The total number of funds awarded to date is $5,231,318.38. The total number of students awarded is 2289.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Criteria and Eligibility

Texas State Technical College initially made federal HEERF funds available to all enrolled students. For those students, grant awards were determined based on individual need. Students received an email with the link to the TSTC Emergency Aid request form that had to be completed.

Federal HEERF III funds were then made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for aid through the online college portal. An Advocacy & Resource Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on a standard award amount table.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts or checks mailed directly to students.

The Federal Emergency Grants for Q3 2021

Texas State Technical College has signed and returned a Certificate & Agreement with the Department of Education to accept allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2. The ARP established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) to provide emergency financial aid grants. These critical funds help eligible TSTC students cover related to unanticipated travel, additional technology requirements, or other needs related to an emergency situation. The total number of funds awarded to date is $9,247,589.04.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Reporting:

As of September 30, 2021, TSTC received $28,903,896 for students to fund the Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The estimated total number of students potentially eligible to be considered to receive Emergency Aid Grants in quarter 3 was 15,868. As of September 30, 2021, $4,016,271 in HEER funds has been distributed to 2,190 unduplicated students. The total number of funds awarded to date is $9,247,589.04. The total number of students awarded is 4479.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Criteria and Eligibility

Texas State Technical College initially made federal HEERF III funds available to all enrolled students. For those students, grant awards were determined based on individual need. Students received an email with the link to the TSTC Emergency Aid request form that had to be completed.

Federal HEERF III funds were then made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for aid through the online college portal. An Advocacy & Resource Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on a standard award amount table.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts or checks mailed directly to students.

Beginning August 4, 2021, Texas State Technical College began utilizing grant funds to provide tuition assistance to students for the Fall 2021 semester. The process was as follows:

Federal HEERF III funds were made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for tuition assistance through the online college portal. An Enrollment Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on their tuition and fees balance. Students signed an agreement allowing the college to utilize their funds for this purpose.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts.

Quarterly report for Q4 2021

The Federal Emergency Grants for Q4 2021

Texas State Technical College has signed and returned a Certificate & Agreement with the Department of Education to accept allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2. The ARP established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HERF III) to provide emergency financial aid grants. These critical funds help eligible TSTC students cover related to unanticipated travel, additional technology requirements, or other needs related to an emergency situation.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Reporting:

As of December 31, 2021, TSTC received $28,903,896 for students to fund the Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The estimated total number of students potentially eligible to be considered to receive Emergency Aid Grants in quarter 4 was 10,026. As of December 31, 2021 , $5,427,447 in HEER funds has been distributed to 2739 unduplicated students. The total number of funds awarded to date is $14,675,036.04. The total number of students awarded is 7218.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Criteria and Eligibility

Texas State Technical College initially made federal HEERF III funds available to all enrolled students. For those students, grant awards were determined based on individual need. Students received an email with the link to the TSTC Emergency Aid request form that had to be completed.

Federal HEERF III funds were then made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for aid through the online college portal. An Advocacy & Resource Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on a standard award amount table.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts or checks mailed directly to students.

Beginning August 4, 2021, Texas State Technical College began utilizing grant funds to provide tuition assistance to students for the Fall 2021 semester. The process was as follows:

Federal HEERF III funds were made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for tuition assistance through the online college portal. An Enrollment Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on their tuition and fees balance. Students signed an agreement allowing the college to utilize their funds for this purpose.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts.

Quarterly report for Q1 2022

The Federal Emergency Grants for Q1 2022

Texas State Technical College has signed and returned a Certificate & Agreement with the Department of Education to accept allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2. The ARP established and funded the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HERF III) to provide emergency financial aid grants. These critical funds help eligible TSTC students cover related to unanticipated travel, additional technology requirements, or other needs related to an emergency situation.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Reporting:

As of March 31, 2022, TSTC received $28,903,896 for students to fund the Federal Emergency Financial Aid Grants. The estimated total number of students potentially eligible to be considered to receive Emergency Aid Grants in quarter 1 was 8,613. As of March 31, 2021 , $4,491,403.40 in HEER funds has been distributed to 2347 unduplicated students. The total number of funds awarded to date is $19,166,439.44. The total number of students awarded is 9565.

Federal Emergency Aid Grant Criteria and Eligibility

Texas State Technical College initially made federal HEERF III funds available to all enrolled students. For those students, grant awards were determined based on individual need. Students received an email with the link to the TSTC Emergency Aid request form that had to be completed.

Federal HEERF III funds were then made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for aid through the online college portal. An Advocacy & Resource Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on a standard award amount table.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts or checks mailed directly to students.

Beginning August 4, 2021, Texas State Technical College began utilizing grant funds to provide tuition assistance to students for the Fall 2021 semester. The process was as follows:

Federal HEERF III funds were made available through an online TSTC Emergency Aid Application to all enrolled students
Students submitted a request for tuition assistance through the online college portal. An Enrollment Coach met with each student to determine their needs and awarded funds based on their tuition and fees balance. Students signed an agreement allowing the college to utilize their funds for this purpose.
Distribution process included funds into students’ accounts.