Emergency Assistance

New funding will help ensure students stay on track toward graduation in times of trouble. (Photo by Mark McCarty)

ALBANY, N.Y. (Feb. 13, 2018) – Do you know a student who is experiencing a financial emergency?

Maybe a loss of employment is hindering their ability to pay rent on time. Or their health insurance won't cover medical bills from a recent trip to the hospital. It could even be that their laptop was damaged and needs to be replaced.

Whatever the reason – new funding is available to keep them on track toward graduation.

UAlbany’s New Emergency Fund:

UAlbany students experiencing unforeseen financial hardship can seek immediate assistance through a new on-campus student emergency fund.

In December, the SUNY Foundation announced the launch of this fund at seven pilot campuses, including UAlbany. It is supported by donations from the Gerstner Family Foundation and the Heckscher Foundation.

Grants are available now through Student CARE Services in the Division of Student Affairs.

“Assisting students who experience emergencies that threaten to derail their success is central to our mission,” said UAlbany Vice President for Student Affairs Michael Christakis. “A robust student emergency fund will allow us to respond quickly to such crises and be increasingly proactive in identifying students who need our help.”

Who is Eligible?

Emergency funding will be awarded to undergraduate students facing an unexpected emergency such as theft, fire, domestic violence, homelessness or the threat of eviction, a medical emergency, natural disaster, and/or loss of employment.

Examples of eligible expenses include rent, utilities, clothing, furniture, medical expenses, back-up childcare, back-up transportation, and replacement of stolen items needed for school.

To be eligible, a student must:

• Have an emergency need supported by documentation
• Have exhausted all other financial possibilities (including loan options)
• Be a current matriculated undergraduate student at UAlbany
• Be registered for a minimum of six credit hours
• Have a 2.0 cumulative GPA
• Not be a referred party in a student conduct case that could result in suspension or dismissal from the University

If you know students who meet the criteria above, encourage them to complete an application on UAlbany Student Emergency Fund website. Once the application is received, students will be contacted for a follow-up interview.

You can learn more about the program here.

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