CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF 1)

Learn about the disbursal of emergency grants to students.

Students walk on BC

Public Disclosure Information for HEERF 1 – Emergency Grants to Students and Institutional Funds for HEERF 1, 2 and 3

Bellevue College received $14,719,714 in institutional funds under CARES Act Section (a)(1) and $101,401 under Section (a)(3). Please use this link to access The Quarterly Institutional Budget and Expenditure Report:

Bellevue College has also signed and returned to the Department of Education the Certification and Agreement related to the receipt and subsequent disbursement of the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Funds. On April 23, 2020 the college received $2,072,545, which represents one-half of the total funds allocated to Bellevue College, and intends to use these funds as emergency financial aid grants to students.

The college estimates that approximately 4,500 Bellevue College students are eligible to participate in the programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and are therefore eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants the college may award to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

As of November 30, 2020, the college has disbursed $2,072,545.00 to 2602 eligible students under the CARES Act. The college has exhausted the funds allocated to the college for student emergency grants. In determining student eligibility and how much students may receive, the college took the following steps:

  1. Formed a campus task force to discuss process, develop an application, identify student needs related to the campus moving to remote learning, and student eligibility requirements.
  2. Based on task force discussions, subsequent guidance from the Department of Education and recommendations of education and regulatory agencies and organizations, the college adopted the following student eligibility requirements:

Note: After June 15, and based on Department of Education Guidance, students are required to submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and demonstrate eligibility for Federal Title IV aid.

  1. Identified five areas of student financial need related to the campus closing and moving all services and instruction to a remote or online system. These include:
  2. For spring quarter the college established two levels of funding: students registered for 1 – 8 credits and students registered for 9 or more credits.
  3. For spring quarter the college also awarded funding based on the type of need identified.
  4. For summer and fall quarters three levels of funding have been established; 1 – 5 credits, 6 – 11 credits, and 12 or more credits. The type of need no longer determines the amount a student may receive.
  5. The college expects to exhaust CARES Act funds by the end of fall quarter 2020.

In determining which students may receive Emergency Financial Aid Grant funding, and how much they may receive, the college established the following procedures:

  1. Students submit an online application identifying areas of financial need related to the campus moving all classes and services to a remote or online system.
  2. Applications are sorted by campus eligibility criteria, which includes GPA, citizenship and permanent resident status, program of study, coding based on student type, and number of credits registered for.
  3. For spring quarter, If eligible, the amount of award is determined by the criteria listed above. number of registered credits, and the type of need identified by the student. Maximum award is $1500 for students registered for nine or more credits, and $750 for students registered for 1 – 8 credits.
  4. For summer and fall quarters, if eligible, the amount of award is $1000 for students registered for 12 or more credits, $750 for students registered for 6 – 11 credits, and $450 for students registered for 1 – 5 credits.
  5. All awards are entered into the financial aid management system and disbursed by Bank Mobile.
  6. Awarded students receive an award letter with instructions on how to access their funds. Ineligible students receive an email to their BC email account.

The college also created a website with information about the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Funds, which includes FAQs. An email with this same information was sent to all registered students and to the campus community.

Website Information includes eligibility criteria, a statement that funding is based on financial hardship related to the campus closing and moving classes and services to a remote or online system, the maximum amount a student may receive, and a link to the application. Additionally, students are told that the college does not apply the funds to any account balance or provide directions on how the students must spend the funds. The students are also provided with information on how to contact staff if they have additional questions.