CARES Act

ATTENTION STUDENTS

CARES ACT - EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANTS
DISTRIBUTION OCCURING NOW

CARES Institutional Update

Dear PCCUA Students, 

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas has signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification, Agreement, and the assurance that we will use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to our students. The College has received a total of $455,000 from the Department of Education for the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to be distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of May 13, 2020. Please note that the criteria used to determine the amount and whom would receive the Emergency Financial Aid Grants was based upon Title 4 eligibility, degree seeking, and college status enrollment. Students enrolled in 6 hours or less received 1-point amounting to $312.00; students enrolled 7 – 11 hours received 11/2-points amounting to $468.00, and students enrolled in 12 hours or more received 2-points amounting to $702.00.

Currently, we have 595 students at the college whom are eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants. However, only 225 students have completed the online certification to receive funding. More funding will be distributed after more students complete and submit their online certification in the coming days. Please review the instructions below to complete the online certification to receive the PCCUA CARES Emergency Funding:

• Any student enrolled in one or more face-to-face or online course as of March 13, 2020, must log in to My RidgeNet and complete the PCCUA CARES Emergency Grant Certification Form as soon as possible to document they have experienced a disruption of their education due to the coronavirus in order to be considered for an emergency financial aid grant.
• Only those who meet the requirements and complete the certification will be eligible to receive an emergency grant. 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.
• Notification of grant distribution will be provided to you via email on your campus account, the college website, and social media. 

For additional information please contact our office at 870-338-6474 Ext. 1235 or at kjohnson@pccua.edu.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kimberley Johnson

Frequently Asked Questions

CARES ACT STUDENT RELIEF FUND (DEADLINE JUNE 1)

We know that you have experienced some challenges during this time frame and we wanted to provide you with information that will assist you in the transition of our “new normal” living and learning conditions. The federal CARES Act (“Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act”) contains provisions for funding of emergency financial aid grants to eligible students who have experienced disruption to their education due to COVID – 19.  These grants are to supplement the expenses that you incurred while transitioning into a new academic environment. These expenses include food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care.

PCCUA has received funding to assist you and will begin the distribution of emergency financial aid grants to eligible students in the very near future! Please be patient, as we work diligently to process the criteria for student eligibility and to distribute the funds within the federal requirements.

Please review the following information to begin the process:

Any student enrolled in one or more face-to-face or online course as of March 13, 2020, must log in to My RidgeNet and complete the PCCUA CARES Emergency Grant Certification Form as soon as possible to document they have experienced a disruption of their education due to the coronavirus in order to be considered for an emergency financial aid grant.
Only those who meet the requirements and complete the certification will be eligible to receive an emergency grant. 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.

Notification of grant distribution will be provided to you via email on your campus account.