Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II)

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HEERF II
Important Announcement
The HEERF II application is now closed. All funds have been distributed.

Montgomery County Community College has received $2,146,404 as part of the Federal Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) to directly support students who have demonstrated need and are facing financial challenges because of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The disbursement, from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the CRRSAA Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II), is designed to prioritize students with the greatest demonstrated financial need.

  • Estimated total number of students at Montgomery County Community College eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and therefore eligible to receive an emergency financial aid grant: 4,457
  • Total number of Montgomery County Community College students who have received a HEERF II Grant as of April 10, 2021: 2,773
  • Total amount of HEERF II Grant funding that has been distributed to Montgomery County Community College students as of April 10, 2021: $1,830,202
  • Total number of Montgomery County Community College students who have received a HEERF II Grant as of June 7, 2021: 2,943
  • Total amount of HEERF II Grant funding that has been distributed to Montgomery County Community College students as of June 7, 2021: $2,247,725
Quarterly Student and Institutional Expenditure Report
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

Effective May 2021, the College will distribute funds in two ways: automatic distribution to federal student aid applicants with the greatest identified need as described below and by application for those who do not qualify for an automatic distribution.

For the automatic distribution, each recipient must meet the following criteria:

  1. Have a completed and accepted 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the Financial Aid Office.
  2. If selected, must have completed federal verification requirements.
  3. Must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
  4. Must have an expected family contribution between $0-$5,711.
  5. Must be currently attending classes in a degree or certificate program at Montco. Non-degree, guest students, and students who have graduated or withdrawn are not eligible for emergency grant funding. New students must have started courses at the College to be considered for emergency grants.

Award amounts to eligible students can range from $750 to a maximum of $1,000. The highest grant amounts are provided to eligible students who exhibit the highest financial need as determined from their FAFSA. Please see below for the awarding methodology.

HEERF II Emergency Grant Automatic Distribution Amount

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Amount
0 $1,000
1-5,711 $750

The remaining HEERF II funds are available for students who did not qualify for the automatic distribution or have had additional unexpected expenses or incurred hardship because of COVID-19 in a semester in which the student has not received an automatic distribution. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, tuition, books, food, housing, health care, mental health care, or child care.

HEERF II Student Emergency Grant funding to assist with current student account balances will only be considered as last resort option. To be considered, you must:

  • Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Have an accepted 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Have completed all financial aid requirements (required documents, verification, etc.) and either:
    • Did not qualify for financial aid funding (i.e., exceeded Pell and/or Federal Direct Loan limits, in student loan default, not making satisfactory academic progress, etc.)
    • Did not receive enough financial aid funding to cover course load (Note: If you have eligibility for Federal Direct Loans, and have made a personal choice not to borrow student loans, we respect your decision. However, you cannot be considered for assistance with your student account balance in lieu of student loan borrowing.)
  • Certify the relief is due to COVID-19 circumstances

Generally, the HEERF II funds awarded via the emergency grant application will not exceed $500 for emergency expenses and $1,000 for tuition. Please note that with the exception of funding for a current account balance, students who receive the automatic distributions are not eligible to apply for additional student emergency grant funding.

Disbursement of Funds

An email will be sent to your College email if/when the funds have been awarded. Emergency grants will be processed through your Montco student account and, if you are enrolled in direct deposit, the funds will be deposited into the bank account on file. If you do not have direct deposit set up with the College, you will receive a refund check in the mail.