Emergency Funds
Emergency Grant Application:
The Emergency Grant application is closed and will reopen August 2025.
The Emergency Grant Application is for students who are experiencing an unforeseen, unexpected expense or hardship to apply for institutional emergency aid funds from KU. Emergency financial aid funding is limited and awarded until funds are depleted. Applying does not guarantee you will receive funding. Funding is usually offered in the amount of $500 or less. Please review the information listed below before submitting an application.
If you have questions or concerns about your application, resources listed on this website, or need guidance, please contact emergencyaid@ku.edu.
We also encourage you to explore campus and community resources on the student resources page. You can also look at the other emergency aid resources listed below.
Defining Emergency Aid
For emergency aid, an emergency is defined as an unexpected/unforeseen crisis that impacts student success and is beyond a student’s control.
Examples of an emergency include, but are not limited to:
- Displacement/homelessness
- Food insecurity, lack of access to food
- A death or illness that has resulted in financial hardship
- Victim of a crime or accident, or a natural disaster
- Unplanned non-discretionary expenses (such as emergency medical bills, or unexpected car repairs, etc.)
Applications that are submitted for one of these expenses should explain why the circumstance is unexpected/unforeseen. Some of these expenses may be considered in extreme cases where an emergency is present; different funds have different requirements.
- Expenses that have already been paid and there is no longer a financial need
- Expected/recurring/ongoing expenses, such as monthly bills (rent, utilities, car insurance, etc.) where an unexpected emergency/crisis is not present
- Tuition and fees; educational expenses
- If you are looking for financial aid options for your tuition and other educational expenses, please discuss your options with the Financial Aid & Scholarships office
- Payment of educational/student loans, or other personal debt not related to an emergency
- Conference travel, study abroad expenses, or application fees
- Opportunity scholarships for these expenses may be available through your school or department; you can usually find applications for opportunity scholarships in the KU Scholarship Portal
- Expenses incurred by someone who is not the student that is applying for aid
- Please review available campus and community resources
- Childcare expenses
- Please review available resources
- Pet expenses
- Please review available resources
- Legal/court fees
- Please review available resources
- Routine medical/dental expenses
- Please review available resources
- Lack of budgeting/planning for expected expenses is not generally a stand-alone reason for approval of funding
The Emergency Grant application is closed and will reopen August 2025.
Other Emergency Aid Options:
The following are other emergency aid options available to KU students:
The Interpersonal Violence Fund provides financial assistance to students who have been impacted by sexual assault, violence and harassment, stalking, and/or intimate partner/dating violence.
Awards from this fund are $800 or less.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Student must be currently enrolled at KU and experiencing a temporary financial hardship due to an act of interpersonal violence.
Expenses Covered/Not Covered:
Typical expenses covered include, but are not limited to:
- Safety-related needs (changing locks, housing relocation, etc.)
- Acute and post assault medical care
- Mental health treatment
- Bedding/clothing replacement
Expenses not typically covered:
- Tuition
- KU housing expenses
How to Apply:
- Contact the CARE Coordinator at Watkins Health Services to discuss your situation. The CARE Coordinator is a confidential resource for students who have been impacted by any form of interpersonal violence.
Contact Information for the CARE Coordinator
Phone: 785-864-9255 Email: care@ku.edu
The KU Endowment Association Loan Office provides long-term loans, as well as short-term and emergency loans to KU students. Students can use these loans to cover a variety of different expenses.
Short-term and emergency loans are typically awarded in the amount of $1000 or less. Long-term loans have different amount limits listed here.
Eligibility Requirements:
Exceptions to these requirements are made on a case by case basis and must be discussed with the KU Endowment Loan office.
- Must be a current, degree-seeking student enrolled at least half-time
- Maintain a 2.0 cumulative KU GPA
- Have a cosigner on the loan - not applicable to independent or non-traditional students
How To Apply:
Contact Information for KU Endowment Loan Office
Phone: 785-832-7450 Email: loanoffice@kuendowment.org
The Interpersonal Violence Fund provides financial assistance to students who have been impacted by sexual assault, violence and harassment, stalking, and/or intimate partner/dating violence.
Awards from this fund are $800 or less.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Student must be currently enrolled at KU and experiencing a temporary financial hardship due to an act of interpersonal violence.
Expenses Covered/Not Covered:
Typical expenses covered include, but are not limited to:
- Safety-related needs (changing locks, housing relocation, etc.)
- Acute and post assault medical care
- Mental health treatment
- Bedding/clothing replacement
Expenses not typically covered:
- Tuition
- KU housing expenses
How to Apply:
- Contact the CARE Coordinator at Watkins Health Services to discuss your situation. The CARE Coordinator is a confidential resource for students who have been impacted by any form of interpersonal violence.
Contact Information for the CARE Coordinator
Phone: 785-864-9255 Email: care@ku.edu
The KU Endowment Association Loan Office provides long-term loans, as well as short-term and emergency loans to KU students. Students can use these loans to cover a variety of different expenses.
Short-term and emergency loans are typically awarded in the amount of $1000 or less. Long-term loans have different amount limits listed here.
Eligibility Requirements:
Exceptions to these requirements are made on a case by case basis and must be discussed with the KU Endowment Loan office.
- Must be a current, degree-seeking student enrolled at least half-time
- Maintain a 2.0 cumulative KU GPA
- Have a cosigner on the loan - not applicable to independent or non-traditional students
How To Apply:
Contact Information for KU Endowment Loan Office
Phone: 785-832-7450 Email: loanoffice@kuendowment.org