PENDLETON – Tri-County Technical College plans to award more than $7.1 million in grant funding to eligible students during the upcoming 2021-2022 academic year. These funds are part of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) authorized by the American Rescue Plan to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colleges and universities are required to use HEERF funding to provide grants to students for expenses related to disruptions to their education due to COVID-19, including things like tuition, fees, course materials and technology, as well as food, housing, health care and child care.

TCTC awarded more than $2.1 million in HEERF I funds authorized by the CARES Act and nearly $3 million in HEERF II funds authorized by the CRRSSA Act to eligible students during the 2020-2021 academic year.

As with the previous two grant cycles, grants awarded during the 2021-2022 academic year will be based on demonstrated financial need. To be eligible for a COVID-19 Relief grant, students must be enrolled at Tri-County Technical College for the fall 2021 semester and complete a 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

For the fall 2021 semester, individuals who are Federal Pell Grant recipients will receive a one-time grant of $1,250. Those who are not Federal Pell Grant recipients will receive a one-time grant of either $1,000 or $400 depending on the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), an index number colleges use to determine how much financial aid a student is eligible to receive based on their income, assets and benefits.

“By awarding these grants at the start of the fall semester, we can help students stay on track academically and meet the goals they set prior to the pandemic,” said TCTC President Dr. Galen DeHay. “These funds will also empower new students to start their college career when they previously thought they could not afford to do so.”  

Tri-County’s admission deadline for the fall 2021 semester is August 12. To apply, visit tctc.edu/apply or call (864) 646-1550.

 

About Tri-County Technical College

Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, industrial electronics, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities.