Student Emergency Aid
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The Alamo Colleges District and its family of colleges—Northeast Lakeview College, Northwest Vista College, Palo Alto College, St. Philip’s College and San Antonio College—have, like everyone around the globe, been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has caused the district and colleges to make some difficult decisions to ensure the health and safety of our community. Learn More About Our Operational Changes However, even in these unprecedented times, the district’s mission is unchanged: to remain focused on student success and access, putting students first and empowering the community. To support our students through this crisis, Alamo Colleges District has established Student Emergency Aid to provide emergency resources for students who need temporary assistance. This overarching program of financial relief for students is made up of several different funds including:
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0ALAMO COLLEGES grants provided via HEERF FUNDS
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0of those students are students with dependents
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$0Total Dollars in Student Emergency Grants Awarded($72.9 M from Student Grants + $10.3 from Institutional and Minority Serving Grants)
Federal Emergency Aid |
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In order to assist all students who are eligible to receive funds under the various federal emergency aid packages provided to us, the Alamo College District leadership made the decision to act and provide a one-time payment of $200 to all students enrolled for the Fall 2021 semester on or before August 5, 2021. Eligible students who do not receive aid under this first distribution of one-time payments can submit an application for Federal Emergency Aid as outlined below. Allocations to each individual college for student emergency aid were determined by the U.S. Department of Education. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Grants under all federal aid programs are based on emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus. The funding is not tied to existing financial aid programs such as Pell Grants and can be used by students for any component of the cost of attendance at the colleges. Student eligibility requirements for all Federal Emergency Aid are based on guidance and criteria provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
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To be eligible for Federal Emergency Aid students must: |
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How to Apply for Federal Emergency Relief Funds |
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The Federal Emergency Assistance Application is now closed. If you still need emergency assistance, please contact one of the colleges’ Student Advocacy Centers through the Alamo Colleges Advocacy Helpline at 210-486-1111. Follow these steps:
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Federal Emergency Aid FAQs
The Alamo Colleges has received federal emergency funding for students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund authorized by the CARES Act, the CRRSAA, and the ARP Act.
All three allocations will help Alamo Colleges’ students deal with the financial burden caused by the COVID-19 crisis and assist with the costs of attending college.
Based on the guidance and criteria provided by the US Department of Education, full or part-time students can apply. This includes those enrolled in academic courses, credit or no-credit bearing courses, dual enrollment courses, or continuing education courses.
Please see the eligibility section above for more details.
Emergency financial aid grants may be used for any component of your cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as textbooks, tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
You determine how to use your emergency financial aid grant within the allowable uses.
Follow these steps:
- Log into the ACES portal using your Username and Password
- Select the ‘Student’ option from the sidebar menu
- Select the ‘Web Services’ link
- Select the ‘Financial Aid’ tab
- Click on ‘Federal Emergency Assistance Application’ from the list of options
- This will open an Adobe Sign page
- Follow the prompts to complete the application
The Alamo Colleges will work diligently to award emergency grants as soon as possible after receipt of a student’s application.
Any amount awarded will be visible on your student account summary (bill) via ACES within 48 hours of approval.
To view your student account summary, follow these steps:
- Log into ACES
- Select ‘Student’ from the menu along the left
- Select on ‘Web Services’
- Select on ‘Student’
- Select on ‘Student Account’
- Select on ‘Account Summary’
- Locate your award and amount
PLEASE NOTE: The amount awarded will NOT show up under your Financial Aid awards in ACES – it will only be visible on your bill.
Please allow up to 2 weeks for your application to be processed and for an email to be sent to your ACES student email with status. The amount awarded may be more or less than the amount requested. Please budget accordingly.
If awarded a grant it, it can be processed as a refund to you based on your selection in ECSI.
Grants can be processed as:
- Direct deposit to your existing bank account on file with ECSI, or
- If not signed up for direct deposit, a check will be mailed to your current address on file in ACES.
A grant can also be used towards paying current or future tuition or unpaid balances at the college.
For more information on refund options, visit the ECSI's website or phone toll-free at 1-844-760-6052.
Awarding of grant funds will be made on a case-by-case basis. Several factors will be considered in awarding grants.
The amount of a grant will be determined based on the number of applications received, availability of funds, and the specific needs presented in the application.
Alamo Colleges cannot guarantee that all applicants will be selected for funding or that they will receive the full amount of their request.
Under the new guidance from CRRSAA and ARP, a student can affirmatively elect to use their student emergency aid towards payment of any unpaid balances owed to the Alamo Colleges.
No. This grant will not be used in calculating your current or future financial aid awards.
If a student doesn’t qualify for CARES Act Emergency Aid, they may qualify for other aid and assistance from the colleges’ Advocacy Centers.
To apply for other available emergency assistance please contact the Student Advocacy Center at the Alamo Colleges Helpline, 210-486-1111.
Operating Hours for the Helpline are:
Monday – Friday:
8:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M.
Award amounts depend upon the availability of funds.
Due to this, we are not currently processing applications for a future semester. If funds remain once a future semester begins, we encourage you to apply at that time.
Remember, you can apply for emergency funds multiple times.
What if a Student Doesn't Meet the Qualifications Listed for the Federal Emergency Aid? |
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| If a student doesn’t meet the qualifications for federal emergency aid, the student may qualify for other emergency aid: | |||||
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