The Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) was passed by Congress and signed into law 12/27/20 to provide economic relief from COVID.
Included in CRRSAA is another round of stimulus funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) for colleges to award as financial aid grants to students. which can be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs arising due to COVID, such as tuition, food, housing, course materials, technology, health care (including mental health care), or childcare.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CRRSAA?
The Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) provides funding to institutions of higher education to support college students with direct emergency cash grants in cases where student’s lives and educations have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID) outbreak. NTC received $741,189 to assist students that have incurred expenses related to the impact of COVID. Eligible emergency expenses include food, housing, course materials, technology, health care (including mental health care), tuition, or childcare.
Does CRRSAA emergency assistance funding need to be repaid?
No, CRRSAA emergency assistance funding is federal grant assistance that does not need to be repaid.
Am I eligible for CRRSAA funds?
You may be eligible for CRRSAA funding if you are enrolled in the Summer 2021 term.
Students must be actively enrolled in at least one post-secondary course.
The CRRSAA requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants, and now includes authorization for grants to students exclusively enrolled in distance education.
CRRSAA Citizenship Requirements
To be eligible for emergency financial aid grants through CRRSAA funding, students must be a U.S. Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen. Northcentral Technical College (NTC) uses the FAFSA to determine a student’s citizenship status as part of eligibility requirements. For students who have not completed a FAFSA, a self-certification of citizenship will be required.
How will CRRSAA funds be distributed?
The CRRSAA funds will be distributed to students in two phases:
Phase One (automatically disbursed with your financial aid)
Pell Grant eligible students will be identified and block grants determined based on the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated by the student’s FAFSA. Block grant calculation is determined as a percentage of the spring Pell Grant award or potential Pell amount for students not receiving financial aid but enrolled in a program.
10% of spring 2021 Pell Grant (based on Financial Aid EFC) awarded for eligible students as defined above:
- $317 maximum; $100 minimum,
- $201 average
These block grants must be used for emergency costs that arise due to COVID including:
- course materials
- technology
- food
- housing
- transportation
- health care (including mental health care)
- childcare
- tuition*
*The grant may be used to satisfy a student's outstanding balance provided the student gives written consent.
Receipt of the financial aid grant is not a condition of future enrollment.
Phase Two (application required)
Students who have exceptional need beyond emergency aid received through Phase One or eligible students with exceptional need who did not receive a block grant, can apply for Phase Two funding by completing an online application, which can be found in your myNTC account under “Billing & Financial Aid.”
Each application will be assessed on the funding categories listed above and need levels. Awards are based on the requested amount but are capped by category and in total to assist as many students as possible. High need students will be prioritized. Though students are required to affirm that these costs are accurate and related to COVID, NTC reserves the right to deny requests that appear inaccurately high or false.
CRRSAA emergency assistance funds will be added as a credit to the student’s NTC account, which will be refunded via BankMobile Disbursements. These emergency funds may also be used to satisfy a student’s outstanding tuition balance provided the student gives consent as part of the CRRSAA application form.
Will a CRRSAA award affect my financial aid or scholarships?
No, a CRRSAA award does not affect your financial aid or scholarships.
I am a Virtual College student. Will I receive a CRRSAA grant?
The CRRSAA authorizes grants to students exclusively enrolled in distance education. Virtual college students may be eligible for funds if meeting eligibility requirements.
Are CRRSAA funds available to incoming students that are beginning in Summer and Fall 2021?
Federal CRRSAA funds are first being awarded to spring 2021 semester students whose lives and educations have been impacted by COVID. An application to request funding for summer and fall 2021 will be available once those terms are under way.
How will I receive CRRSAA Funds?
CRRSAA emergency assistance funds will be added as a credit to your student account, which will be refunded via BankMobile Disbursements. These emergency funds can also be used to satisfy a student's outstanding tuition balance provided the student gives consent in the CRRSAA application request form.
How do I make a BankMobile Disbursements refund selection?
You can make a BankMobile Disbursements refund selection by following the steps below.
- Log in to MyNTC
- Click on Billing and Financial Aid MenuSelect BankMobile Disbursements Sign-On
- Select Make Your Initial Refund Selection
- Select how you want your money delivered
Have further questions or need assistance? Our staff is here to help.
- NTC CRRSAA Fund team: crrsaa@ntc.edu
- Financial Aid: financialaid@ntc.edu
- Advising: advising@ntc.edu
- Scholarships: scholarships@ntc.edu