Cost & Affordability
COVID-19 Emergency Grant Information
CARES funds
Dawson Community College (DCC) is pleased to announce our partnership with the U.S. Department of Education in the delivery of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
DCC completed the Certification and Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education and agrees to provide 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 students. The federal program provides grants to students for expenses directly related to the disruption of their education due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The expenses a student can request assistance for may include technology, books/supplies, food, housing and living expenses, health-care, childcare costs as well as other expenses related to the impact from COVID-19.
DCC was awarded $71,076 in funding by the Department of Education pursuant to the institution's Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial aid Grants to Students. DCC estimated that approximately 200 students enrolled in the spring 2020 semester who may be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act.
As of April 1, 2021, DCC has distributed $71,076 funding to 107 students and this is the final reporting for CARES Act.
DCC chose to distribute the CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students through an online request process. The grant award amount varies based on each applicant's request and available funding. The maximum award amount is $750.
Students with an Expected Family Contribution according to their 2020-2021 FAFSA
EFC AWARD AMOUNT
EFC = $0 - $5,576 $750
EFC > $5,576 $600
Students are asked to complete a consent to pay institutional charges prior to receiving their refund. Students who fail to complete the consent will have funds refunded directly to them and will be held responsible for paying any outstanding balances on their student accounts.
At this time, DCC is not accepting requests for Cares Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants. Learn more and apply.
Students who applied must meet the eligibility criteria*:
- Must be enrolled in Spring 2020 in on-campus courses as of March 13, 2020
- Must be Title IV financial aid eligible
Students received notification via email of the grant opportunity and information regarding the grant was shared with DCC employees. DCC also provided information via our website.
Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and refunded directly to students. If you currently have a balance due on your student account, the emergency grant will not be applied toward your balance.
HEERF II funds
Dawson Community College (DCC) is pleased to announce our continued partnership with the U.S. Department of Education in the delivery of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II), created under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). Emergency Financial Aid Grants are available to assist students who have had emergency expenses arise due to the Coronavirus while attending DCC. Assistance is available to help cover any component of the cost of attendance including tuition, fees, other institutional charges, food, housing, transportation, course materials, technology, health care (including mental health) and child care.
DCC was awarded $71,076 in funding available through the student and institutional portions of CRRSAA for Emergency Financial aid Grants to students. DCC estimates that approximately 250 students may be eligible to receive automatic Emergency Financial Aid Grants and application requests will be granted on a first come first served basis as funding is available.
As of Oct 31, 2021, DCC has distributed funding to award $101400 to 151 students for HEERF II.
Student Eligibility
- Enrolled DCC student during the Spring 2021 and/or Summer 2021 semester in credit courses.
- Be a U.S. Citizen, permanent resident or other eligible non-citizen.
*NOTE: Based on the Department of Education announcement on May 14, 2021, DCC modified the eligibility for students and allowed international students, refugees, asylum seekers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients, other DREAMers, and similar undocumented students to qualify for HEERF student grants.
Phase 1: automatic grants
The HEERF II guidelines required schools to prioritize students who demonstrated the greatest need. Therefore, students who have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to DCC with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be awarded an automatic award for the Spring 2021 semester as follows:
Students with an Expected Family Contribution according to their 2020-2021 FAFSA
EFC AWARD AMOUNT
EFC = $0 - $5,711 $750
EFC > $5,711 $600
Students are asked to complete a consent to pay institutional charges prior to receiving their refund. Students who fail to complete the consent will have funds refunded directly to them and will be held responsible for paying any outstanding balances on their student accounts.
HEERF III funds
Dawson Community College (DCC) will continue our partnership with the U.S. Department of Education in the delivery of Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) for the 2021-2022 academic year, created under The America Rescue Plan (ARP). Emergency Financial Aid Grants are available to assist students who have had emergency expenses arise due to the Coronavirus while attending DCC. Assistance is available to help cover any component of the cost of attendance including tuition, fees, other institutional charges, food, housing, transportation, course materials, technology, health care (including mental health), and child care.
DCC was awarded $333,870 in funding available through the student and institutional portions of ARP for Emergency Financial aid Grants to students. DCC estimates that approximately 350 students may be eligible to receive automatic Emergency Financial Aid Grants and application requests will be granted on a first come first served basis as funding is available.
As of April 8, 2022, DCC has distributed $333,875 funding to 379 students.
Student Eligibility
- Enrolled DCC students during the Fall 2021 and/or Spring 2022 semester.
- Funds are available to students attending DCC in credit, continuing education, and dual enrolled courses.
Phase 1: automatic grants
Like HEERF II, the HEERF III guidelines required schools to prioritize students who demonstrated the greatest need. Therefore, students who have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to DCC with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be awarded an automatic award as follows:
EFC AWARD AMOUNT
EFC = $0 - $5,711 $1,100
EFC > $5,712 $726
Phase 2: Application Request
Students are to request funding through an application-based process. Students must meet the basic eligibility criteria. Grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis as funding is available.
Students received notification via email of the grant award and opportunity. Information regarding the grant was shared with DCC employees. DCC also provided information via our website.
Funding will be awarded to the priority populations noted above in Phase 1 with additional emergency financial aid grants awarded by application request on a first-come, first served basis.
Spring 2021
Reporting
