Eligible students attending Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) were sent information about how to request emergency funds for education-related expenses created by COVID-19.
The funding is available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed by Congress on March 27. OCTC received $894, 862 designated as emergency financial aid to go directly to students.
The CARES Act provides assistance to college students, who beginning on March 13, 2020, experienced hardships caused by COVID-19 related to:
Housing
Childcare
Medical Care
Course materials/Technology
Extended program length (to accommodate clinicals/labs)
Food Insecurity (due to shutdown of college food pantries)
OCTC, in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, will make CARES Act funds available to students who would otherwise qualify for federal financial aid as confirmed by a FAFSA filed for 2019-20.
Based on ED requirements, applicants must be current OCTC students who are eligible for Title IV financial aid and have experienced hardships created by disruption of campus operations and COVID-19. They must complete a request form and upload it to OCTC’s Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.
OCTC has an application review committee that will prioritize aid by financial need as the ED has outlined. In addition to following ED guidance, the KCTCS plan follows guidance from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Students who have questions or need help should contact OCTC’s Financial Aid Office, [email protected]. Completion of the request form is not a guarantee of funding. For more information visit https://owensboro.kctcs.edu/affording-college/cares-grant-q-a.aspx.