Financial Relief Available to CCC Students

By Desiree Salinas
Staff Writer

With the effects of the pandemic putting financial stress on students, some may find it difficult to continue their education. In response to this, the City Colleges of Chicago is participating in a federally funded relief program.

Students are eligible to apply for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), designed to help alleviate the effects of the pandemic. The application is accessible through the end of the semester, or until the remaining funds are exhausted.

Applications for this semester opened in September of 2022 and remain open.

Students can find the application via their my.ccc.edu account, under the “Announcements” section in bold red labeled “2022 HEERF Application”.

The financial aid grant may be used for any component of a student’s tuition or emergency costs that arise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as tuition, food, housing, healthcare, or childcare. 

“Application is open as long as funds are still available. We currently have a little under a million dollars to still give out this and next semester, if funds are still available,” said Vice President of Harold Washington College Kent Lusk.

Students qualify depending on individual circumstances, with relief amounts ranging from $1250 to $1500.

“How the amount of each student grant is calculated is determined by the institution that receives the federal funding. HWC Financial aid office would have more info about this,” said Press Representative Theresa V for the Office of Dick Durban.

With the pandemic coming to an end, the financial relief program is set to end this semester.

“HEERF will not be available again, as this was pandemic emergency relief; however, HWC may have some funds remaining. It would be best to check with financial aid office,” said Theresa V.

According to Theresa V, HWC received over $27 million in funding from the HEERF program, a portion of the more than $134 billion in total allocated to three iterations of the program included in the 2020 CARES Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act, and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

For more information, students can visit the CCC HEERF page at: www.ccc.edu/site/Pages/HEERF-II-Funds.aspx