CARES Act

Campus Life

Financial Aid

CARES Act - Emergency Grant Funding for Students

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020. The more than $2 trillion economic relief package includes financial relief for students in higher education. Phase I of the CARES Act funding is to be distributed as emergency grants to eligible students that have expenses related to disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.   

Who is eligible to receive CARES Act Emergency Grant funds? 

A student must have a completed 2019-2020 FAFSA prior to the end of the Spring 2020 semester and be on file with Reinhardt. The student must also meet the basic requirements to receive Federal (Title IV) Financial Aid to be eligible for emergency grant funding. These basic requirements are listed below: 

  • Must be a United States citizen or an Eligible Non-Citizen (Permanent Resident) 
  • Must have a valid Social Security Number 
  • Must be registered for Selective Service if male 
  • Must have either a high school diploma, GED, or completion of high school in an approved homeschool setting 

In addition, the Department of Education has specified that students who were enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020 (when a national emergency was declared) are not eligible for the emergency grant funding. An explanation is provided in the FAQ from the Department of Education.

“The formula provided by Congress for calculating the distribution of funds to institutions excludes students who were exclusively enrolled in distance education courses. Additionally, the emergency financial aid grants to students are for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, and students who were enrolled exclusively in online programs would not have expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.” 

Letter from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
Frequently Asked Questions from Department of Education

How will the emergency grant funds be distributed to Reinhardt students?

Reinhardt University leadership has determined that the transition to fully online coursework during the Spring 2020 semester caused a requirement for all students enrolled in on-campus coursework to have the technological capability to participate in fully online coursework, along with any other expenses they may have incurred due to the pandemic.  

With this in mind, Reinhardt has developed a policy to distribute CARES Act Emergency Grant funding to all students who were enrolled in on-campus coursework, completed attendance through the end of the Spring 2020 semester (not fully Withdrawn), and meet the basic eligibility requirements. Due to guidance from the Department of Education to prioritize students with the greatest need, students who are eligible for Pell Grant will receive a higher amount of CARES Act Emergency Grant funding. 

Funding will be distributed to eligible students via paper check mailed to their permanent address on file with Reinhardt. Eligible students are required to submit a simple online application to receive funding. 

How do I know if I am eligible to receive CARES Act Emergency Grant funds?

Reinhardt students who are eligible for CARES Act Emergency Grant funds will receive an e-mail from the Office of Student Financial Aid on or after 5/8/20. These e-mails will only be sent to eligible students’ Reinhardt e-mail addresses and will include a link to the simple online application. The application MUST be completed and submitted by an eligible student for them to receive funding. The e-mail will also include the current permanent address that you have on file with Reinhardt.  

It is very important that eligible students confirm their current address in EagleWeb prior to submitting their online application for CARES Act Emergency Grant funds. 

After the application is submitted, eligible students will receive a follow-up e-mail confirming their permanent address that the check will be sent to along with a timeframe of when the check will be sent.  

Any students who did not receive e-mail communication regarding CARES Act Emergency Grant funding on or after 5/8/20 but believe they are eligible for funding can contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. 

Office of Student Financial Aid

Phone: 770.720.5667
Fax: 770.720.9126
financialaid@reinhardt.edu

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday: 8:30 AM-5:00 PM