Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Important Financial Aid Updates and FAQ's

What happens if I withdraw from all of my classes for the Spring 2020 semester due to COVID-19?

If you withdraw from all of your classes as of 3/12/2020, we are required to calculate your eligibility based on the number of days you attended the semester, however no Return of Federal Funds will be made. The statutory requirement for institutions to return Title IV funds has been waived as a result of COVID-19 related circumstances.

How will selecting a credit/no credit grade affect my Financial Aid?

There are circumstances where selecting a credit/ no credit grade can affect your financial aid. Please visit https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/credit-no-credit-policy/faq/
For more information.

Direct Loans:

What is COVID-19 Impact to Loans?

Acting on President Donald J. Trump's Presidential Memorandum signed August 8, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today directed Federal Student Aid (FSA) to extend the student loan relief to borrowers initiated by the President and Secretary in March 2020 through December 31, 2020.

All borrowers with federally held student loans will have their payments automatically suspended until 2021 without penalty. In addition, the interest rate on all federally held student loans will be set to 0% through the end of the calendar year. Collections on defaulted loans will also remain halted until 2021, and non-payments will count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and income-driven repayment (IDR)progress. Borrowers will continue to have the option to make payments if they so choose. Doing so will allow borrowers to pay off their loans more quickly and at a lower cost.

Federal Work Study:

Fall 2020 Federal Work Study Placement begins September 11th, 2020 through November 13th, 2020.

Due to COVID-19, Students can only work REMOTELY, either in positions on campus or off campus. Off Campus positions are affiliated with Public Service Corps.

Please note, we have very limited positions available at this time and we may not be able to place all students.

If you require additional assistance please contact the Federal Work Study coordinator Ms. Hall at HHall@citytech.cuny.edu for any questions.

Special Circumstance Appeals:

If my family is financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, can I request a change to my financial aid for the 2020-2021 academic year?

The Financial Aid office will consider revisions to financial aid for families directly affected by COVID-19. To be considered for a special circumstance you will need to fill out the Request for Special Circumstance due to Unusual Circumstances and schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor. The deadline for the Fall 2020 semester is November 12, 2020. Please see more information below:
http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/financial-aid/circumstances.aspx

What is the CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant?

The CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant Fund provides emergency financial aid assistance to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus as stipulated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). Awards will be distributed to eligible City tech undergraduate students based on need as determined by the 2019-2020 FAFSA.

How do I know if I am eligible for the student emergency grant?

For more information on the CARES Act Emergency Relief Act please go to:

• CARES Act Student Emergency Grant Program — FAQs
• CUNY's Implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Student Emergency Grant

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for the CARES Act Grant?

Students must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (permanent residents with a Permanent Resident Card - formerly known as an Alien Registration Receipt Card; conditional permanent resident – I-551C; other eligible noncitizen with an Arrival-Departure Record, I-94 from the Department of Homeland Security showing Refugee, Asylum Granted, Indefinite Parole, Humanitarian Parole, or Cuban-Haitian Entrant; or a citizen of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM)).

How can I submit my financial aid documents?

You can upload your documents by clicking here Upload my Documents and following the directions on CUNYFirst

Make sure you read your To do list on CUNYFirst to see what specific documents we need to resolve your verification. Here is a list of some of the items you may need.

If you are selected for verification for the 2020-2021 award year make sure you have:

1. 2020-2021 Verification Worksheet
2. ISIR Correction Worksheet
3. 2018 Federal taxes returns signed by parents if you are a dependent student as well as 2018 Federal taxes signed by student if you are an independent student. If you are a dependent student and have filed taxes, we will also need a copy of your tax returns.

You can download the forms on our website by clicking on Downloadable Forms and tabbing to the 2020-2021 column.
If you need to submit proof of citizenship, please provide one of the following documents:

1. US Passport
2. Certificate of Naturalization
3. Birth certificate (if born in the United States) 
4. Add the Confirmation of Citizenship/Immigrations Document Statement

Please refer to your CUNY "To Do List" in your CUNYFirst Student Center and make sure to resolve any financial aid items.

You can also review Guide to CUNYFirst for information on how to view your award letter, pay you bill, and check your "To Do" list.

Based on guidance received by HESC and the University, at this time, NYS Aid Programs for the Spring 2020 term should not be substantially affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. In general, students must continue to maintain minimum program enrollment requirements to receive aid.

Students unable to complete the term due to direct impact by Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will be advised to file for an appeal in future term. Documentation will be requested. Please reach out to the TAP office for further information at TAPinfo@citytecvh.cuny.edu

Further information from HESC can be found at: www.hesc.ny.gov/coronavirus

HESC has reopened the call center with a new scheduling system that allows students to book an appointment with HESC. Students will be able to avoid long wait times, as an HESC representative will "call back" the student/parent during their scheduled appointment time.

To schedule an appointment, students can also use this link, https://reservation.hesc.ny.gov/scholarships.

If I am a currently enrolled student affected by the COVID-19 crisis, what resources are available to me?

This link provides resource information for students directly affected by COVID-19.

You can call our office at 718-260-5700 and leave a message. A representative will contact you within 48 hours to return your call. You may also email us at financialaid@citytech.cuny.edu

You can also join us by clicking here or manually entering the zoom meeting ID 7182605700.