The Emergency Fund is a joint venture led by Student Affairs in close consultation with the Office of Financial Aid. Students may request funds for an emergency situation, or for unanticipated and compelling circumstances that jeopardize their ability to successfully continue in school. Student Emergency Funds will be provided in the form of grants, and typically will range from $100 to $1,000 depending on the need.
Students may apply for funds when they are experiencing a financial barrier or obstacle, and have exhausted all other resources.
Emergency aid is not a substitute for financial aid. Students who are seeking funding will be required to utilize all offered financial aid resources before being awarded emergency funding.
To request funding, please complete the online emergency funds application funds form. This form will be forwarded automatically to members of the Student Affairs and Financial Aid offices. Each request will be reviewed, and the student will be notified of a funding decision and next steps.
To be considered eligible, the student must:
- Be currently enrolled.
- Demonstrate financial hardship due to an emergency, or for unanticipated and compelling circumstances that jeopardize the student’s ability to successfully continue in school.
- Consider and utilize other sources of funding as appropriate, such as recommended student loans, unless not available in a sufficiently timely manner.
Expenses that will be considered include, but are not limited to:
- Emergency medical expenses.
- Replacement costs of essential personal belongings in the event of fire, theft or natural disaster that are not covered by insurance.
- Travel in the case of the death or serious illness of a family member.
- Temporary support costs for a student in a dangerous situation due to threats or acts of violence.
- Individually-recommended or required services that are considered critical to a student’s success, for example, diagnostic testing for Accessibility Resources.
- Overdue utility bills reaching a turn-off notice.
- Support for emergency dependent-related expenses, for example, child care.
Expenses that will not be considered are as follows:
- Tuition, fees, room, board, books, and other standard expenses associated with attending Arcadia University.
- Non-essential personal bills such as: current utility, credit card, cable, cell-phone, etc. • Parking tickets, library fines, or other expenses mistakenly incurred.
- Costs of optional programs, entertainment, recreation, non-emergency travel and other non-essential expenses.
- More than one emergency request per year (grant and loan).
Applicants must complete all questions in full and submit supporting documentation as the situation allows.
Application Process
Completed applications are reviewed by members of Student Affairs and the Office of Financial Aid. Someone from Student Affairs will respond to emergency application submissions within two business days of receipt.
The maximum emergency aid allocation to a student will be $1,000 per emergency request. Generally, payment is made to vendors or another third party (e.g., utility company, medical provider, airline) and not to the student. Payment will be distributed as soon as possible but will depend upon many factors, including whether that vendor is available to the College accounts payable system. In limited cases, payment may be made directly to the student.
Funds disbursed through the Emergency Fund may affect the students’ aid package. The Emergency Fund is not a substitute for financial aid. Students who are seeking funding will need to complete all required Financial aid forms and that their aid record must be in good standing. The Office of Financial Aid will work directly with emergency aid applicants to determine the effect of the award, if any, on their aid.
Additionally, emergency funding may create a taxable event that could require reporting to the IRS by the recipient.
