Request Information
Get answers to your questions.
Posted: May 28, 2020 Updated: April 5, 2021
CARES Act funding at Worcester State University has been exhausted. No additional CARES Act awards can be made at this time. The CARES Act Supplemental Funds Application is no longer available.
The university was allocated funding through the federal CARES Act. The Act required that $2,111,417 go directly to students to cover emergency expenses arising from the disruption in campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. Worcester State began distributing CARES Act funds to eligible students starting the week of June 8, 2020.
An eligible student was defined as being eligible for Federal Title IV funds (as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – FAFSA) and being an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student (not exclusively in online courses) at the time of disruption in campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Worcester State distributed approximately 90% of the allocation directly to eligible students based on the number of credit hours a student took in the Spring 2020 semester. Distribution of student payments followed a tiered process:
Eligible students received payments through direct deposit. Students not then enrolled in direct deposit logged in to WebAdvisor and followed the direct deposit instructions under the Financial Information header. Students who were not able to enroll in direct deposit, received a paper check at the student’s last known address.
Worcester State reserved approximately 10% of the available CARES Act funding for supplemental emergency payments for students with additional critical financial needs as a result of the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic. Eligible students with additional financial need applied for CARES Act Supplemental Funds. Any supplemental funding approved were in addition to automatic payments as noted above.
To be considered for these funds, students applied for CARES Act Supplemental Funds to document that they have incurred an expense as a result of the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic and meet other eligibility criteria. Expenses could have related to food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses, among others. Students were asked to attach supporting documentation to their application, except for food expenses. CARES Act Supplemental Fund awards were made available until the funds were exhausted or April 27, 2021, whichever came first. The CARES Act Supplemental funds were exhausted in early February 2021.
Students enrolled in Spring 2020 were required to meet eligibility criteria including:
Students enrolled in Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Intersession 2021, or Spring 2021 were required to meet eligibility criteria including:
The CARES Act is Federal law that offered broad relief for disruptions due to COVID-19. Part of the CARES Act provided funding to colleges and universities to provide grant aid to students.
These funds were provided to students who had expenses related to the disruption of campus operations. Eligible expenses included food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care expenses, among others.
The CARES Act emergency student aid was available to graduate and undergraduate students. Students must have been eligible for Federal Title IV funds (as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – FAFSA) and had to have been enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student (not exclusively in online courses) at the time of disruption in campus operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
All students who were enrolled during the 2020-2021 academic year should have completed the 2020-2021 FAFSA. Students who graduated in the spring or summer of 2020 should have completed the 2019-2020 FAFSA. To be considered for CARES Act Supplemental Funds, students should have completed the CARES Act Supplemental Fund application, which is no longer available.
Students who had a need for emergency financial support and were not eligible to complete a FAFSA (i.e., DACA, international students) or were not otherwise eligible for CARES Act funding (not Title IV financial aid eligible) were encouraged to complete the separate Worcester State Student Emergency Fund application so that the university could assess their eligibility for institutionally funded assistance.
The Student Emergency Fund is still available to those eligible despite CARES Act Supplemental Funds being exhausted.
Students can complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. All students who will be enrolled during the 2020-2021 academic year should complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA. Students who will be enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year should complete the 2021-2022 FAFSA.
CARES Act Supplemental Fund awards were made available until the funds were exhausted or April 27, 2021, whichever came first. The CARES Act Supplemental funds were exhausted in early February 2021.
Awards ranged up to $2,000 per student, depending on a student specific review of needs.
Students were notified via their Worcester State email about the status of their application.
CARES Act Supplemental Fund awards were made available until the funds were exhausted or April 27, 2021, whichever came first. The CARES Act Supplemental funds were exhausted in early February 2021. Students who have a need for emergency financial support and are not able to apply, are not eligible to complete a FAFSA (i.e., DACA, international students), or are not otherwise eligible for CARES Act funding (not Title IV financial aid eligible) are encouraged to complete the separate Worcester State Student Emergency Fund application so that we can assess your eligibility for institutionally funded assistance to help meet your needs.
If you have any questions about the CARES Act Supplemental Funds application or process to be considered, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 508-929-8077 or visit the office located on the 3rd floor of the Student Center, Suite 344 (if the campus is open for in-person visits). If you have generic questions about the CARES Act, please contact Vice President for Enrollment, Ryan G. Forsythe, at 508-929-8497.
No, the CARES Act student emergency aid is a grant. This means the funds do not need to be repaid.
Worcester State University 30 Day Report / 45 day report(s), Quarterly Report Sponsor: U.S. Department of Education Award #: P425E203852 Award Amount: $2,111,417.00 Report Dates: 6/3/2020, 7/17/2020, 9/2/2020, 9/30/2020 (Quarterly Report), 12/31/2020 (Quarterly Report), 3/18/2021 (Final Quarterly Report)
An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
Worcester State University has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement, and intends to use no less that 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students. Please refer to PDF, ‘Worcester State University Certification and Agreement’, below:
Worcester State University Certification and Agreement
The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
Worcester State University is eligible to receive $2,111,417.00 from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certificate and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
UPDATE (7/17/2020): Worcester State University has received $2,111,417 from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certificate and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
UPDATE (11/16/2021): Worcester State University received a total of $2,111,417 associated with the CARES Act. (HEERF1). Worcester State University received a total of $2,111,417 associated with the CRRSAA (HEERF 2). Worcester State University received a total of $6,660,064 associated with ARP (HEERF3). In total (combining HEERF1, HEERF2, HEERF3), Worcester State University received $10,882,898. The following section explains the CARES (HEERF1) distribution. For additional information on CRRSAA (HEERF 2), please visit: https://www.worcester.edu/admissions-aid/enrollment-management/crrsaa-act-heerf-ii/. For additional information on ARP (HEERF 3), please visit: https://www.worcester.edu/admissions-aid/enrollment-management/arp-heerf-iii/.
The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).
Worcester State University will distribute $1,896,300.00 beginning the week of 6/8/2020.
UPDATE (7/17/2020): Worcester State University has distributed $1,974,984.68 as of 7/17/2020.
UPDATE (9/2/2020): Worcester State University has distributed $2,005,724.68 as of 9/2/2020.
UPDATE (9/30/2020): Worcester State University has distributed $2,024.224.68 as of 9/30/2020.
UPDATE (12/31/2020): Worcester State University has distributed $2,084,509.68 as of 12/31/2020.
FINAL UPDATE (3/18/2021): Worcester State University has distributed $2,111,417 as of 3/18/2021.
The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
The estimated total number of students at Worcester State University eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Cares Act is 3,815.
The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
Of the 3,815 students identified in response #4, above, 63 were deemed ineligible as they withdrew prior to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, or they were enrolled exclusively in online courses. As a result, 3,752 students are scheduled to receive an Emergency Financial Aid Grant, beginning the week of 6/8/2020.
UPDATE (7/17/2020): 3,752 students received Emergency Financial Aid Grants as of 7/17/2020.
UPDATE (9/2/2020): 3,752 students received Emergency Financial Aid Grants as of 9/2/2020.
UPDATE (9/30/2020): 3,753 students received Emergency Financial Aid Grants as of 9/30/2020.
UPDATE (12/31/2020): 3,764 students received Emergency Financial Aid Grants as of 12/31/2020.
FINAL UPDATE (3/18/2021): 3,771 students received Emergency Financial Aid Grants as of 3/18/2021.
The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
Worcester State University separated the response into two parts: 1.) Eligibility determination, and 2.) Distribution methodology.
*Note: Eligible students enrolled during subsequent terms may receive emergency financial aid grants even if they were not enrolled during the spring 2020 term.
Distribution Tiers
UPDATE (7/17/2020): Worcester State University has distributed approximately 90% ($1,895,300) of the allocation directly to eligible students based on the number of credit hours a student took in the Spring, 2020 semester. Worcester State University continues to issue supplemental emergency payments to students with additional critical financial needs.
UPDATE (9/2/2020): Worcester State University has distributed approximately 90% ($1,895,300) of the allocation directly to eligible students based on the number of credit hours a student took in the Spring, 2020 semester. Worcester State University continues to issue supplemental emergency payments to students with additional critical financial needs. Worcester State University has issued $110,424.68 in supplemental emergency payments as of 9/2/2020.
UPDATE (9/30/2020): Worcester State University has distributed 90% ($1,895,300) of the allocation directly to eligible students based on the number of credit hours a student took in the Spring, 2020 semester. Worcester State University continues to issue supplemental emergency payments to students with additional critical financial needs. Worcester State University has issued $128,924.68 in supplemental emergency payments as of 9/30/2020.
UPDATE (12/31/2020): Worcester State University has distributed 90% ($1,895,300) of the allocation directly to eligible students based on the number of credit hours a student took in the Spring, 2020 semester. Worcester State University continues to issue supplemental emergency payments to students with additional critical financial needs. Worcester State University has issued $189,209.68 in supplemental emergency payments as of 12/31/2020.
FINAL UPDATE (3/18/2021): Worcester State University has distributed 90% ($1,895,300) of the allocation directly to eligible students based on the number of credit hours a student took in the Spring, 2020 semester. Worcester State University distributed 10% ($216,117.00) of the allocation to students with additional critical financial needs. In total, Worcester State University has distributed 100% of the allocation ($2,111,417) as of 3/18/2021.
Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
Worcester State University communicated instructions, directions and guidance directly to students via individualized emails. Please refer to PDF, ‘Student Communication Example’, below:
Student Communication Example
On behalf of all members of the Worcester State University community, we wish to thank all those involved in helping to support our students.
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3) as of 9/30/2020.
2020 Q3 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3) as of 12/31/2020.
2020 Q4 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting under CARES Act Sections 18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion, 18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3) as of 3/31/2021.
2021 Q1 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Report – Final Report
