ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Winthrop University began distributing federal student emergency assistance funding to qualifying graduate and undergraduate students during the week of May 4.
The university received $2,691,065 through the CARES Act to use strictly for emergency assistance to students. An additional equal amount has been applied for in order to offset some of the university's COVID-19 related costs, such as technology to support online instruction and employees working from home; facilities cleaning aligned with CDC guidelines; and campus security, among others.
Federal guidance was used to determine students' eligibility to receive funds. Eligible students had to have filed a FAFSA for the 2019-20 year; must be degree seeking and have been enrolled through the end of the spring 2020 semester (three exceptions included students in the counseling and development certificate program, the dietetics internship program and the Winthrop Think College program), and, if a graduate student, be enrolled in a campus-based program (instead of one of the university's 100 percent online graduate programs).
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) students, international students and those students who did not complete a FAFSA form are not eligible to receive funding.
Winthrop identified 3,835 students who were eligible to receive the emergency funding assistance. For Pell-eligible undergraduates, the amount of the assistance is $750 per student. Non-Pell-eligible undergraduates will receive $550, the same amount that will go to eligible graduate students. These emergency assistance grants are being disbursed directly to students regardless of their account balances with the university. These funds have been processed, and direct deposits/checks were distributed during the week of May 4.
Students who have not graduated, who did not file a FAFSA, but had expenses related to COVID-19, and wish to file a FAFSA before June 30, 2020, may do so and submit a CARES appeal for consideration. Submitting a FAFSA/appeal does not guarantee funding.
Students should contact the Financial Aid Office, at finaid@winthrop.edu, if they have questions about their eligibility for CARES Act emergency funds or to inquire about submitting a FAFSA or about the appeal process.
