Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) disbursed $1,660,378 from the American Rescue Plan, 2021 Institutional Funds and the remaining balance of $40,422 of our Direct to Student Aid Funds.
As of, December 14th 2022, VWCC distributed $1,700,800 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 314(a)(1) of the ARP.
VWCC distributed 100% of these funds to students who had already established Title IV eligibility with respect to Section 484 of the Higher Education Act equaling a total of $1,700,800. There was no application required. VWCC sought to model the distribution of funds consistent with the methodology used to determine the amount of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF) VWCC would receive and two additional institutionally determined eligibility requirements.
74% of our funds were distributed to Pell eligible students and the remaining 26% were distributed to non-Pell eligible students as determined by EFC on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- The student must be in at least 6 credits.
- The student had an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) between 0 and 20,000.
All eligible students (2,126) for Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 314(a)(1) of the ARP were awarded the same dollar amount ($800). Our method aimed to promptly make available emergency financial aid grants from the advanced funds directly to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses. As of December 14th, 2022, there were potentially 5,625 students eligible for HEERF III funds.
Funds were disbursed directly to each eligible student in its entirety, no funds were held for possible debts owed to VWCC. Additionally, VWCC provided eligible students with this information:
Dear Student:
As the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted college students across the nation, the federal government passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2) and included in it the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III). $1.7 million was designated for this round of emergency aid grants for eligible students at Virginia Western Community College.
Using guidelines provided by the federal Department of Education, Virginia Western has identified the population of students eligible to receive the funds, and this message serves to inform you that you are included in this population.
Financial aid grants for students may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or childcare.
The amount that will be issued to you is: $800. The college will begin to issue these funds on Wednesday, December 14th, 2022, and you should expect to see them within 10 business days, depending on your current refund preference. Please verify your refund preference prior to this date.
If you have questions about the tax implications, please contact a tax professional. However, these funds are considered untaxable.
NEXT STEPS:
You will receive your funds either by direct deposit or a check will be mailed to the current mailing address on file. Please know that changing your refund preference to direct deposit can allow you to receive your refund 10-14 days quicker than a paper check. If you are already set up for direct deposit from the college and/or your mailing address is current and correct in SIS, then no additional action is required.
To check the mailing address the college has on file or to verify your refund preference, login to your MyVWCC account and click the SIS (Student Information System) tile. Then go to the ‘Student Center’ and scroll to the bottom of the page to review and edit your mailing address. To verify your refund preference, click on the Manage Refunds link on your Student Center page (this will redirect you to our third-party refund site).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Virginia Western is committed to supporting your educational goals now and in the future. We hope that you will continue to pursue your educational goals with Virginia Western in the upcoming summer and fall semesters. We continue to provide resources to you in this changed learning environment and are here to answer any questions you may have related to the HEERF, financial aid, and class enrollment in the upcoming semesters. Contact the Student Support Center by visiting this link: https://mysupport.virginiawestern.edu/ to chat or submit a question, or you can call 1-855-874-6690.
For previous updates, visit the CARES Act Reporting Archive page here.
Need help registering?
Call our Student Support Center at 855-874-6690 or visit the Student Support website.