CARES Act

Under the federal rules, not all students are eligible to receive these funds. International students, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students, students that are non-degree seeking, high school students in dual enrollment courses, as well as students already enrolled in fully online degree programs when the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded are not eligible for CARES Act funds. Prospective students not yet attending McNeese are also not eligible for CARES Act funds through McNeese.

Funding is based on several factors, including enrollment status as of March 5, 2020 and whether you received PELL Grant in Spring 2020. Please see the above table for more information on funding amounts.

Bank Mobile is a vendor McNeese uses to help distribute refunds after financial aid and scholarships are applied to student accounts. While CARES Act funds are not considered financial aid, McNeese will also use Bank Mobile to distribute CARES Act funds.

To ensure you receive funds quickly, please verify you have selected a payment preference with Bank Mobile. To set up a payment preference:

1) If you have never selected a refund preference, log into your MyMcNeese portal, then click on “REFUND SETUP (Bank Mobile)” under the Quick Links section on the homepage. You can opt to have your funds deposited to your Bank Mobile account (1-2 days), your personal checking account (2-7 days), or mailed to you via paper check (up to 21 days).

2) If you have previously set up a refund preference and need to update your information, log into your Bank Mobile account at https://mcneesechoicecard.vibeaccount.com/. If you need assistance with log in information, contact Bank Mobile Customer Care at 1-877-327-9515.

3) If you have previously set up a refund preference and no update is needed, no action is required. If no refund preference is selected, you will be issued a paper check.

CARES Act funds are designed to assist current students with education-related expenses and challenges directly associated with the more immediate impacts of COVID-19 such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare. Students may also elect to use their funds toward other educational expenses such as current and future tuition and fee payments, textbook expenses and related costs of attendance.

No, you do not have to be enrolled full-time to qualify for funds, though your enrollment status as of March 5, 2020 does affect the award amount. Please see the table above for more information.

No, CARES Act funds will not affect your financial aid eligibility. While these funds are being administered through the U.S. Department of Education, they are not designated as Title IV financial aid funds (such as PELL grants, loans and College Work Study programs) and will not adversely impact your current or future aid eligibility, based on current guidance provided by the department.

No. These funds are part of the U.S. federal government response to COVID-19 and do not have to be paid back if awarded to an eligible student.

Every institution is receiving a different allocation of funds based on student enrollment and other factors, and each institution has been given discretion for determining how and when awards are to be made.

If you have any questions that are not answered here, please email caresact@mcneese.edu