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CARES Act FAQ and Reporting

The Federal CARES Act

In a world where COVID-19 has taken center stage, your health, safety, and success remains the focus at the College of Southern Idaho. While we are anxious to return to normal, we will do so following guidance and recommendations from our public health officials and our state leaders.

The COVID-19 impact has been felt everywhere, and to help mitigate the effect on your academic experience, the Department of Education has allocated funding to directly support you. Known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the funding will be provided to help you cover costs incurred from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Making sure our students with the greatest need receive assistance is a priority for College of Southern Idaho. Our goal is to provide access to funds that are intended to help you with expenses, including course materials, distance-based technology, food, housing, health care, and childcare.

  • Why did I get this money?
    • The Department of Education has made CARES Act funds available to students who incurred expenses as a result of COVID-19 related disruptions to their campus operations. In our initial round of fund distributions, College of Southern Idaho identified a pool of eligible students that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 related disruptions to normal campus operations.
       
  • I got this money as a refund. Does this mean my CSI account balance has been paid off?
    • No. Distribution of CARES Act funds is made directly to students and not applied by the College toward any outstanding balances that may still be owed by the student. As such, receipt of these funds does not indicate the recipient has satisfied their financial obligations to College of Southern Idaho for any debts incurred during the spring 2020 term or any terms prior. Please check your current account balance to determine what you may still owe.
       
  • Can I use this money to pay off my CSI balance?
    • Yes. College of Southern Idaho is not authorized to apply CARES Act funds toward any outstanding balances that may still be owed by a student. However, once the funds are received as a refund, students may choose to use the funds to pay off their outstanding account balance.
       
  • Can CSI just apply the funds to my account balance with my approval or permission?
    • No. Federal regulations stipulate that all CARES Act funds must be disbursed directly to the student and may not be applied toward outstanding balances. To use these funds to pay-off an outstanding balance with CSI, a student must make a payment to their account through the Business Office.
       
  • What are the eligibility criteria to qualify for CARES Act funding?
    • Based on guidance provided by the Department of Education, students must meet the following eligibility parameters to qualify for CARES Act funds:
      • Be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. (e.g., be eligible to receive federal financial aid funds such as the Pell Grant, TEACH Grant, Direct Loans, etc.).
      • Not enrolled in an exclusively online program on or prior to March 13, 2020.
      • Be a degree-seeking student enrolled in 1 or more credit hours for the Spring 2020 term.
         
  • Am I eligible to receive CARES Act funds if I have a suspended Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status?
    • No. Guidance issued by the Department of Education indicates that students with a suspended SAP status are not eligible for CARES Act fund distributions.
       
  • Are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students eligible for CARES Act funds?
    • No. Guidance issued by the Department of Education indicates that students must be eligible to submit a FAFSA in order to qualify for the CARES Act funds. This limits eligibility to U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, or other Title IV eligible non-citizens.
       
  • Are international students eligible for CARES Act funds?
    • No. Guidance issued by the Department of Education indicates that students must be eligible to submit a FAFSA in order to qualify for the CARES Act funds. This limits eligibility to U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, or other Title IV eligible non-citizens.
       
  • Do I have to pay this money back?
    • No. Any funds a student receives from the CARES Act will not need to be repaid.
       
  • Does this money count against my financial aid package?
    • No. Money from the CARES Act is not considered financial assistance under federal statue, nor Department of Education regulations. As such, these funds will not impact your eligibility for regular financial aid (e.g., grants, scholarships, loans).
       
  • Is money received from the CARES Act considered taxable income?
    • The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not yet announced how the funds will be treated for tax purposes.

  • Where is the money going?