CARES Act Funding is Ending – What Should You Do?
If you used CARES Act funding to cover a portion of your tuition or fees at Lackawanna College, you may owe a balance for the Fall 2022 semester as that funding source has expired.
What is the CARES Act?
The CARES Act (Coronovirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security), as well as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) refers to a total of more than $110 billion in government support for education that was provided to students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How am I affected?
If you received CARES Act or HEERF funds and used that money to pay for your tuition and fees, it will no longer be available as of the Fall 2022 semester. This means you may owe more money to Lackawanna College than you did during the 2021-22 academic year.
I got CARES/HEERF money. How am I going to pay my college bills?
There are many simple ways to make sure you have the money you need to pay for college:
- FAFSA
First, be sure you have filled out your FAFSA for 2022-23. The FAFSA for next year opened on Oct. 1, 2021. You should file your FAFSA by May 1 at the latest to be eligible for free grant money from the state of Pennsylvania. If you don’t live in Pennsylvania, please contact Student Financial Services to see if your home state has earlier FAFSA deadlines. - Scholarships
Lackawanna College offers several scholarships for second-year students. Please visit lackawanna.edu/scholarships to see what opportunities are available. There are many other chances to earn scholarships from sources outside of Lackawanna. Schedule a visit with Student Financial Services to discuss what options might work best for you. - Payment Plan
Did you know that Lackawanna offers a payment plan so you can make smaller payments throughout the semester? Student Financial Services can help you sign up for the payment plan and make your first payment. - Alternative Loans
You may be eligible to take out additional student loans to cover the balance of your education. Student Financial Services can help you look and apply for additional loans.
For more information on the CARES Act and other COVID-19 updates head to https://www.lackawanna.edu/coronavirus-information/.