Questions |
COVID-19 Relief Scholarship |
CARES Act Emergency Grant |
What are the overall eligibility criteria? |
Eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship differ for matriculated undergraduate and graduate/professional students. DACA and international students are eligible, including matriculated UOPI students. Undergraduates are not required to apply, must be enrolled full time and are limited to a maximum of eight semesters of eligibility (transfer students are limited to a maximum of six semesters of eligibility). Graduate and professional students are required to submit an application, are evaluated based upon financial eligibility (need*), EFC*, COA* and enrollment status, students are limited to a maximum of two semesters of eligibility. |
Matriculated undergraduate, graduate and professional students are eligible to be considered for the CARES Act Emergency Grant if they experienced campus disruption and have emergency expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens and must meet the same eligibility criteria as are required to receive Title IV* (federal) financial aid. To apply, students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA*), must complete the CARES Act Emergency Grant Application and may be required to submit receipts and other documentation of their emergency expenses. |
What are the minimum federal (Title IV*) eligibility criteria? |
Matriculated graduate and professional students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens are required to submit a FAFSA* and the university’s online application to apply for a COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. Students must
1. be eligible to receive Title IV* funds; and
2. be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible program; and
3. be maintaining SAP*; and
4. not owe a refund on any grant; and
5. have a valid social security number; and
6. have repaid any Title IV funds obtained by fraud; and
7. be a high school graduate or equivalent; and
8. not have borrowed in excess of loan limits; and
9. have registered with the selective service; and
10. have satisfied the drug offense question on the FAFSA*. Undergraduates are not required to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. |
To meet the minimum federal eligibility criteria to apply for a CARES Act Emergency Grant a student must submit a FAFSA* and the university’s online application. The student must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen; and
1. be eligible to receive Title IV* funds; and
2. be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible program; and
3. be maintaining SAP*; and
4. not owe a refund on any grant; and
5. have a valid social security number; and
6. have repaid any Title IV funds obtained by fraud; and
7. be a high school graduate or equivalent; and
8. not have borrowed in excess of loan limits; and
9. have registered with the selective service; and
10. have satisfied the drug offense question on the FAFSA*. For consideration students are required to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. |
Are there any academic requirements to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship or CARES Act Emergency Grant? |
Undergraduate recipients must maintain the university’s minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP*) standards as one condition of initially receiving and then renewing the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. Graduate and professional students must have a positive SAP status to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. The scholarship is not renewable for graduate and professional students after the 2020-2021 academic year. |
Federal regulations require that all recipients of CARES Act Grant Emergency funds must have a positive Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP*) status. The CARES Act Emergency Grant is not renewable after the 2020-2021 academic year. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are full-time undergraduate students (including DACA and international students) eligible? |
Undergraduate students must be enrolled full-time at the end of the Drop-Add period and must meet other eligibility criteria to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. Eligible undergraduates can receive the scholarship for a maximum of eight semesters. Students who entered Pacific as transfers are eligible for a maximum of six semesters. |
Undergraduate students can be enrolled either full-time or part-time to be eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are part-time undergraduate students (including DACA and international students) eligible? |
Undergraduate students must be enrolled full-time and must meet other eligibility criteria to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. Part-time undergraduates are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. |
Undergraduate students can be enrolled either full-time or part-time to be eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are undergraduates who are incoming first-year or transfer students for the fall 2020 semester eligible? |
First-year and transfer undergraduate students are eligible to be considered for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and are not required to apply. Eligibility is determined by the Office of Financial Aid. Eligible undergraduates who entered the university as first-year students can receive the scholarship for a maximum of eight semesters. Students who entered Pacific as transfers are eligible for a maximum of six semesters. |
CARES Act funding is intended to provide emergency financial aid grants to eligible students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, first-year undergraduate, graduate and professional students are not eligible to apply until after the start of the fall 2020 semester and only then if they experience disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The university anticipates that demand for CARES Act grants will likely exceed the available funding and that first-year students will only be considered if funding remains available. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are full-time graduate students (including DACA and international students) eligible? |
Full-time graduate students who meet all other eligibility criteria will be given preference over part-time graduate students in the application process. |
Full-time graduate students who meet all other eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are part-time graduate students (including DACA and international students) eligible? |
Part-time graduate students are eligible to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship, although full-time students who meet all other eligibility criteria will be given preference. |
Part-time graduate students who meet all other eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are students who are graduating in May 2020 eligible to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant? |
The COVID-19 Relief Scholarship begins in the fall 2020 semester. Therefore, students who are completing their programs prior to the fall semester are not eligible for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. |
Graduating students who experienced COVID-19 related financial emergency expenses are eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant program. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are students who are graduating in December 2020 eligible to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant? |
The COVID-19 Relief Scholarship begins in the fall 2020 semester. Eligible undergraduate students can receive the scholarship for the fall semester. Graduate and professional students who are completing their programs in December 2020 who meet all eligibility criteria can apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship for the fall semester. |
Graduating students who experienced COVID-19 related financial emergency expenses are eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant program. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are incoming graduate students for the fall 2020 semester eligible to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant? |
Although incoming graduate students are eligible to apply to be considered for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship, preference is given to students who will complete their programs during the 2020-2021 academic year. |
CARES Act funding is intended to provide emergency financial aid grants to eligible students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, incoming graduate students are not eligible to apply until after the start of the fall 2020 semester and only then if they experience disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The university anticipates that demand for CARES Act grants will likely exceed the available funding and that new students will only be considered if funding remains available. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Can students apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant for the summer as well as in the fall and spring semesters? |
The COVID-19 Relief Scholarship is only available during the fall and spring semesters. Students are not eligible for the scholarship for summer enrollment. |
The university is permitted to begin disbursing CARES Grant funding during the summer of 2020 and until March 2021. Funding is limited and demand will likely exceed the amount available; therefore, students are urged to apply promptly. |
Are full-time professional students eligible? |
Full-time professional students who meet all other eligibility criteria will be given preference over part-time professional students in the application process. The scholarship amount may be adjusted based upon the student’s enrollment at the end of the Drop-Add period. |
Full-time professional students who meet all other eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are part-time professional students eligible? |
Part-time professional students are eligible to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship, although full-time students who meet all other eligibility criteria will be given preference. |
Part-time professional students who meet all other eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are incoming professional students for the fall 2020 semester eligible? |
Although incoming professional students are eligible to apply to be considered for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship, preference is given to students who meet all other eligibility criteria and who will complete their programs during the 2020-2021 academic year. |
CARES Act funding is intended to provide emergency financial aid grants to eligible students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, incoming professional students are not eligible to apply until after the start of the fall 2020 semester and only then if they experience disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The university anticipates that demand for CARES Act grants will likely exceed the available funding and that new students will only be considered if funding remains available. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
Are students who are enrolled in the university’s formal Study Abroad program eligible? |
Matriculated students who are enrolled full-time in the university’s Study Abroad program can receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship so long as they meet all other eligibility criteria. |
Matriculated students who are enrolled in the university’s Study Abroad program and meet all other eligibility criteria can apply for the CARES Act Emergency Grant. Unfortunately, DACA and international students are not eligible for the CARES Act Emergency Grant due to the federal rules governing the program. |
If the student’s total aid exceeds the Cost of Attendance (COA*), can the student receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant? |
Under federal law, the university is required to limit students’ total assistance so that it is equal to or less than the COA*. As such, eligible students can receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship unless it in combination with other financial assistance exceeds the COA (or is limited by NCAA or CSAC’s* Cal Grant restrictions). In most cases, if the student’s total aid exceeds the COA, other aid (such as loans) will be reduced first. |
Normally under federal law, the university is required to limit students’ total assistance so that it is equal to or less than the COA*. The CARES Act Emergency Grant is an exception to this rule. Although the CARES Act Emergency Grant is a type of federal financial aid it is not restricted by the COA and students who are eligible for CARES Act funding may retain it even if their other financial aid is equal to their COA. |
Are students who receive athletic scholarships eligible to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant? |
If a students’ scholarships and grants do not cover all of their tuition, they may be eligible for the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. If the student has an athletic scholarship, the Office of Financial Aid and the Athletics Department will review the student’s total financial assistance. This review will be based upon the athletic aid agreement and specific NCAA and institutional policies and will determine if the student is eligible to receive the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship. |
The information below is copied from the 2020 NCAA Division I COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide (last updated April 24, 2020), NCAA Division I Bylaw 15 – Financial Aid Impact of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act Grants on Financial Aid:
Question: Is there an individual or team limit impact for funds received by institutions pursuant to the CARES Act that are then disbursed to student-athletes?
Answer: If provided on a basis unrelated to athletics, then the funds provided by institutions to student-athletes pursuant to the CARES Act are excluded from NCAA individual and team limit legislation. |
If the student has other grants and scholarships that cover full tuition, can the student use the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant toward housing, food and other enrollment expenses? |
If when combined with other financial assistance the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship exceeds tuition, it can be used toward costs for fees, housing, food or other enrollment expenses that the student incurs on or off campus (except when limited by NCAA and CAL Grant regulations). |
The CARES Act Grant is intended to assist eligible students with emergency expenses that are related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-tuition expenses include costs such as for food, housing, course materials (books, supplies and equipment), technology, healthcare, transportation, childcare, study abroad and disability. The CARES Act Emergency Grant will be paid directly to students, who can then use the funds for tuition and/or other enrollment costs. |
Can students who receive a CARES Act Emergency Grant subsequently apply for a second grant for additional expenses? |
This question does not apply to the COVID-19 Relief Scholarship program. |
If students have subsequent, different COVID-19 related emergency expenses, they may apply to be considered for a second grant. The university anticipates that demand for CARES Act Emergency Grants will likely exceed the available funding; therefore, a second grant will only be considered if funding remains available. |
Will the amount of the student’s COVID-19 Relief Scholarship and/or CARES Act Emergency Grant increase from year to year? |
The COVID-19 Relief Scholarship for eligible undergraduate students is renewable so long as the recipient meets all renewal criteria. The amount of the scholarship will not increase. The COVID-19 Relief Scholarship for eligible graduate and professional students is offered only for the 2020-2021 academic year and is not renewable. |
The CARES Act provides for emergency grants that are offered only during the one-year period from April 2020 to March 2021. |