Resources
Education
GradReady Online Learning Curriculum
GradReady is an online learning curriculum that has 3 modules for you to review. The student who completes all three of these modules is more ready for the financial adulting steps in the future.
CashCourse is another online learning curriculum that gives you plenty of resources to educate yourself on all things related to money.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Articles
Want to learn about paying off student loans, or are you interested in investing? Read below any of these articles.
4th Year Students
The articles below is a goldmine of resources that 4th year students might find helpful.
Centsible Students -if you have student loans, check this out!
"The percentage of college dropouts can be even higher among students who are the first in their families to attend college. Up to 89 percent of low-income first-generation students who are the first in their families to attend college leave without a degree. Dropping out of college has serious financial ramifications for students and can impact them over the short- and long-term."
Education Data. “College Dropout Rates." Accessed April 21, 2021.
Student Loans, Education and Tips
Student Financial Aid - how it works
Different Types of Federal Student Loans
NGPF Video Library for all things money
Borrowed Future-a podcast on the impact of student loans on your future
Emergency Fund Request
Requesting Emergency Assistance
When a student decides to apply for funding, the student will first meet with the Financial Success Coach or another member of the New College Emergency Fund Committee. After the initial meeting and the student submits their application, the New College Emergency Fund Committee will meet to review and determine the amount of funding, if approved. After the committee meeting, the student will be notified in an in-person meeting. Based on the student’s self-disclosed financial crisis, the Financial Success Coach or another appropriate member of the Student Support Team and/or New College Emergency Fund Committee will guide the student through the process as well as the emergency or crisis situation. Requests for emergency assistance are considered on the basis of what is recognized as an emergency by the committee. As such, the New College Emergency Fund Committee considers each request separately. The fund is sustained by monetary contributions.
Criteria for Applying to New College Emergency Fund
Be an actively enrolled New College of Florida student.
Be able to demonstrate an urgent financial need. (Supporting documentation will be required).
Appropriate documentation includes eviction/foreclosure notice, utility cut-off notice, medical bill, etc. and all must be submitted with the application.
Must have exhausted all sources of financial assistance and financial aid.
Recognized Emergency Categories
Requests for emergency assistance will be considered on the basis of what is recognized as an emergency, in the following categories:
Food: when the food pantry is not an option because of closure, the student has expended their food allotment, or is in greater need (i.e., supporting a family.)
Shelter: this includes possible eviction from present housing; in extreme cases, rent assistance on housing when legitimately unable to make a payment on own; to aid in case of disaster.
Utilities: to prevent utilities from being disconnected during an emergency situation. (Phone bills are not considered a utility.)
Transportation: to aid in costly repairs only when car is necessary to continue employment; aid not to include car payments, insurance premiums, taxes or normal maintenance and repair charges.
Deaths: to aid in travel expenses surrounding the death of immediate family (spouse, mother, father, child, legal guardian, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother, sister.)
Medical: to aid students in a recent medical emergency not reimbursable by insurance or where insurance coverage does not apply. Routine preventative health expenses are not eligible.
Other: pending approval, must provide explanation.
*These are general guidelines and each request will be reviewed by the Committee.
Application Process
The first step in the application process is to schedule to meet with Ceci Linton, the Financial Success Coach to discuss your situation. Using this link, schedule a time that works for you.
After an initial meeting with the Financial Success Coach or another member of the New College Emergency Fund Committee, the student will complete the online application form and supply necessary additional documentation. Applicants may be required to submit additional supporting documentation as deemed necessary by the Committee to receive final approval of the request. All funds awarded will be disbursed to the student via check or third party vendor pending committee decision. Receipts may be required from a vendor if paid directly to the vendor.
Students are required to provide proof of financial hardship such as bank statements, bills, shelter documentation, and/or legal notices providing evidence of their financial emergency. Additionally, each student’s financial records will be reviewed.
Application for Emergency Fund Request
Federal Benefits Program
Child Tax Credit
The American Rescue Plan increased the amount of the 2021 Child Tax Credit to support families with children. Eligible individuals may receive up to $3,600 for each child under age 6 and up to $3,000 for each child ages 6 through 17.
To get money to families quickly, during 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) paid half of the credit as monthly payments— up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 for each child ages 6 through 17. Eligible families will receive the other half by claiming the child tax credit when filing their 2021 federal income tax return in 2022. Most families can receive the full amount—even families with little to no income. Students are likely eligible for the full amount if they:
have children under age 18 who lived with them for more than half of 2021; and
are either a single parent making less than $112,500 or are married and the couple makes less than $150,000.
Most parents should have received the tax credit automatically, but if for some reason they did not and they are eligible, then they should receive the full amount of the credit when they file their income tax return. The credit is fully refundable, meaning that even those who do not owe any taxes can claim the full amount and get a payment back equal to the full amount of the credit.
Recovery Rebate Credit / Economic Impact Payment
Students who did not receive an Economic Impact Payment under the American Rescue Plan, and on whose behalf as a dependent a payment was not made, could be eligible for a $1,400 per-person Recovery Rebate Credit when they file taxes in 2022. To be eligible for the full amount, a student would typically have to be:
single and make less than $75,000/year;
the head of a household and make less than $112,500/year; or
married and the couple together makes less than $150,000.
For more information on eligibility, visit the IRS website on Economic Impact Payments. If students are eligible and haven’t filed a 2020 income tax return, filing a 2020 return will allow the IRS to automatically pay students the first two economic impact payments they may have missed (by filling in the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit line of the 2020 income tax return). If students are eligible for the third impact payment of up to $1,400 per person and haven’t received them, they should claim it by filing a 2021 income tax return in 2022 and claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. Students claimed as a dependent for tax purposes are ineligible for economic impact payments on their own dependent portion of the economic impact payment.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Students may be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a Federal program that provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of low-income individuals and families so they can purchase healthy food. Eligible students can use SNAP benefits to buy food for their households, including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, and other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages.
Generally, students attending an Institute of Higher Education half-time or more are not eligible for SNAP unless they meet certain requirements, such as working 20 hours per week or caring for a child. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 temporarily added two new provisions allowing eligibility for students who have an expected family contribution (EFC) of zero (0) or who are eligible to participate in State or Federally funded work study. These temporary provisions are in effect until 30 days after the end of the Federal COVID-19 public health emergency.
In many States, students can apply online, in-person, by phone, or by mail. Students can find their local office or State SNAP webpage using the SNAP State Directory of Resources . For more information about student eligibility and other student exemptions, visit the SNAP Students webpage .
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act modified and extended the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP) to a longer-term broadband affordability program called the Affordable Connectivity Program. The aim of this $14.2 billion program is to provide eligible low-income households, especially households with students, with access to broadband service at an affordable rate. Students who received a Pell Grant are one category of people who are eligible for the subsidy. Eligible households can receive a benefit of up to $30 off their monthly internet bill (or up to $75 per month if the household resides on qualifying Tribal lands). Students can apply here starting on December 31, 2021. Households that were fully enrolled in the EBBP by December 31st will continue to receive their current monthly benefit until March 1, 2022. Some participating providers are also offering an additional one-time benefit of up to $100 off a connected device (desktop computer, laptop, or tablet) supplied by that participating provider. Households are required to contribute more than $10 but less than $50 toward that connected device.
Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan. There are three ways for eligible households to apply:
1. Contact a participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process. If an eligible household is unable to apply directly, it may apply by using option 2 or 3 below, and then contacting a participating provider to select a service plan.
2. Go to ACPbenefit.org to apply online and to find local participating providers. After applying, contact a participating provider to select a service plan.
3. Call (877) 384-2575 for a mail-in application or print a copy, and return it along with copies of documents showing proof of eligibility to:
Affordable Connectivity Program Support Center
P.O. Box 7081
London, KY 40742
To receive this benefit, a student will need to provide documentation that the student received a Federal Pell Grant for the current award year. The student may provide along with their application a screenshot from the student’s StudentAid.gov profile that displays their receipt of the Federal Pell Grant or other records provided by the Institute of Higher Education to serve as that documentation.
Health Insurance Enrollment
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to high quality, affordable health insurance through the ACA health insurance marketplaces, such as HealthCare.gov, and Medicaid. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) temporarily expanded the financial assistance available for individuals buying their own health insurance through the ACA health insurance marketplaces, saving
individuals, on average, $50 per month. Four out of five enrollees will be able find a plan for $10 or less per month after the ARP’s expanded financial assistance is applied. Individuals who enroll in health coverage through Medicaid will have access to free or low-cost quality, health care.
Other Federal Assistance
Unemployment Insurance
If students have become unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under State law), and meet other eligibility requirements of State law, they may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Unemployment insurance payments (benefits) are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers who meet the requirements of State law.
Each State administers a separate unemployment insurance program within guidelines established by Federal law.
Eligibility for unemployment insurance, benefit amounts, and the length of time benefits are available are determined by the State law under which unemployment insurance claims are established.
Students can contact their State Unemployment Insurance agency as soon as possible after becoming unemployed.
Housing Assistance
The American Rescue Plan expanded numerous COVID-19 housing supports for homeowners, renters and landlords who may be struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. We encourage IHEs to inform students about the Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) and local Emergency Rental Assistance programs. Links to available resources and applications are available through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau .