About Us

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund I, II, III

These relief funds consist of awards from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES, also referred to as HEERF I), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA, also referred to as HEERF II), and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP, also referred to as HEERF III).  The funds were distributed to institutions of higher education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

For OCtech Students

HEERF funds provide assistance to qualified students in need during the pandemic.  This assistance was created to help students stay in college and meet their educational goals, ultimately securing a better financial future.  For qualifications and other details, view the below FAQ’s.  Should you have any questions or need additional information about the award, please call 803.535.1224 or email Dr. Sandra Davis at davisss@octech.edu.

Student Aid Reporting

Questions and Answers

To be eligible for the HEERF grant funding, you must meet all the following criteria:

  • You must have been enrolled at OCtech in an eligible program of study and have unpaid tuition and fee balance.

Students who are not eligible for the HEERF grant include:

  • transient
  • non-degree seeking

Students with an unpaid tuition and fee balance will be awarded funds and forwarded the CARES/HEERF authorization. Once the student returns the completed, signed authorization to the Financial Aid Office, the funds are transmitted to the students account. Students who fail to return a completed affidavit are not eligible for a disbursement of funds.

Check your OCtech Self Service account to identify your disbursement amount or you may contact (803) 535-1224 to speak with one of our financial aid representatives for further information. Please recognize that individual disbursements will vary by student based on the extent of their unpaid tuition and fee balance.

According to the Federal Department of Education, it can be used for expenses related to the cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.

No, this is a grant and you will not be required to pay it back.

Yes.  All students enrolled in an eligible program and attending classes are considered for HEERF funding.

For OCtech Institution of Higher Education

HEERF funds for institutional use provide resources for costs related to providing technology hardware and software upgrades due to moving students to an online learning environment, personal protective equipment (PPE), enabling social distancing in classrooms and offices campus-wide, replacing lost revenue from decreases in enrollment, and other expenses related to COVID-19.  The funds reported below include both the Institutional portion Section 18004 (a)(1) and Minority Serving Institutions Section 18004(a)(2).

Institutional Reporting

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