If you are Cerro Coso Community College (CCCC) student with expenses related to the disruption of CCCC operations due to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic, you may qualify for a federal CARES Act grant recently approved by Congress, which provides emergency funding for college students.  There are limitations placed by the Department of Education on eligibility for these funds.  Please review the eligibility below.  Because this eligibility is tied to these federal funds, Cerro Coso does not have flexibility in applying these eligibility requirements.

Please contact Financial Aid by phone (760-384-6221) or email (cc_faid@cerrocoso.edu) for access to the application and for more information.

Once received, please follow closely the instructions for completion of the application and complete each section thoroughly.  Any incomplete application may result in no award or delays in awarding grant funds.  Completion of the application is not a guarantee of receiving funds or receiving the amount requested, but we will do anything we can within the funding regulations to assist you.    

Eligibility

• Only students who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), may receive emergency financial aid grants, including the CARES Act grant funds. If you have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you have already demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 the HEA. If you have not filed a FAFSA but are eligible to file a FAFSA, you may receive emergency financial aid grants.  You do not have to have eligibility for any other forms of financial aid to be eligible for these funds, only eligible to apply. 
• Applicants must provide an explanation of expenses related to the disruption of Cerro Coso Community College operations due to COVID-19. 
• According to the CARES Act legislation, students who are in a program that is entirely online are not eligible for CARES Act funds. 
• At this time, students must be currently registered for a class(es) at Cerro Coso. 
• Students must have a high school diploma or GED or have completed high school in an approved homeschool setting. According to the legislation, concurrent enrollment or dual enrollment students are not eligible for these funds. 
• Students must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program that is approved for Financial Aid funding to be eligible for these funds. 
• Male students must be registered with Selective Service as required by law.

Reporting

Cerro Coso Community College has signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and 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.

Cerro Coso has received $454,479.

Cerro Coso has awarded $149,250 in funds to 149 students as of October 1, 2020.

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 is about 50% of our Total Student Population.

This is estimated to be 2837 students for Spring term 2020.

The methodology used for student selection was structured using eligibility determined by the Department of Education. This used student data from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as enrollment data to determine student eligibility for the first round of awards. Eligible students must be enrolled for spring, enrolled in an on-campus program, and eligible for the FAFSA. The second round of students will be those who are eligible to file the FAFSA (US citizens, HS graduates or GED, males registered with Selective Service), and the same enrollment criteria as above. These student populations are sent an electronic link to an Emergency Grant request form to be completed and returned for evaluation and awarding. Instructions and guidance are provided on the form.