Emergency Funds
Unanticipated circumstances can prevent students from continuing their education and achieving academic success. UB has two unique resources to connect students to emergency funding.
On this page:
What are Emergency Funds?
Student emergency funds at the University at Buffalo seek to award grants to eligible students who are experiencing an unforeseen hardship that could impact their ability to remain enrolled in school. Temporary financial assistance is available for immediate and current emergency situations. Examples of qualifying emergency situations include:
- Death in the family
- Victim of a crime or accident
- Loss of property or income
- Unanticipated educational expenses (beyond tuition)
The student emergency funds are designated to off-set short-term financial need and are not intended to replace or supplement financial aid or scholarship. All situations are unique and will be evaluated carefully and confidentially.
Response Time
Response time may vary depending on which option you choose. Student Conduct and Advocacy will respond to all completed applications within 2-5 business days.
Eligible Expenses
Grants can be used for a variety of expenses that are necessary to support a student’s well-being. Examples of eligible expenses include:
- Off-Campus Rent
- Utilities
- Transportation
- Food
- Medical care
- Child care
Ineligible Expenses
Examples of ineligible expenses include Student Account charges (tuition, University fees, meal plan, residence hall rent, etc.) parking tickets or credit card debt.
Emergency Fund Options
1/18/22 Update on Emergency Fund Resources
We recognize that students faced hardship as a result of COVID-19. Each fund has a unique application and set of criteria and students may apply to one fund that best meets their need.
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provides emergency financial assistance to eligible students who have experienced financial hardship due to the disruption of campus operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students must be currently enrolled and matriculated in a degree program. Students who meet federal financial aid requirements may be eligible to receive funding if a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is on file at UB. Information about the FAFSA is online. HEERF was established as part of the U.S. federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
HEERF was made available to the University at Buffalo in three phases. HEERF I was distributed shortly after the end of the spring 2021 semester and through the fall 2021 semester. In the spring 2021 semester, additional funds were available through HEERF II and the deadline to apply was April 16, 2021. HEERF III was available for the fall 2021 semester and the deadline to apply was December 10, 2021. More information about HEERF is online through Financial Aid's COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions.
Some academic units have developed emergency funds for students studying within their programs. If your primary degree program is within one of the below listed areas, utilize your school-specific resource.
- School of Architecture and Planning COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund
- Graduate School of Education Student Emergency/Hardship Fund
- School of Law Emergency Student Assistance Fund
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Murray J. Ettinger Student Emergency Fund
- School of Dental Medicine Student Emergency Funds
- School of Nursing Julia Buscaglia Student Support Fund
- School of Social Work Students Helping Students Fund
Additional emergency funds include:
Students who do not meet criteria for one of the above referenced funds may consider either the Gerstner and Heckscher Student Emergency Fund or the UB Student Life Emergency Gift Fund. Criteria for these funds is outlined below.
1. Gerstner and Heckscher Student Emergency Fund
Gerstner and Heckscher Student Emergency Fund
The Gerstner Family Foundation and the Heckscher Foundation for Children support grants for UB students who are facing an emergency situation in the short-term, and to ultimately help them graduate from college in the long-term.
Grants are only available during the fall and spring semesters, may be no more than $2,000 and must be paid directly to a third party that is not the University at Buffalo.
Students applying must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
- Currently enrolled UB student pursuing a first bachelor’s degree
- Students who are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status
- Course load is the equivalent of at least half the number of credits to be fulltime
- Minimum GPA of 2.0
- Demonstrate/document the need for an eligible expense as noted above
Due to COVID-19, response time and processing of approved applications will take longer than usual.
Each application is evaluated carefully. Not all requests can be accommodated.
Should you experience technical difficulty with your application to the Gerstner and Heckscher Student Emergency Fund, contact Scholarship America directly at sunysef@scholarshipamerica.org or 1-800-248-8080 x545.
2. UB Student Life Emergency Gift Fund
UB Student Life Emergency Gift Fund
The UB Student Life Emergency Gift Fund offers temporary financial assistance for immediate and current emergency situations to students who do not meet the criteria of the Gerstner and Heckscher Student Emergency Fund. The average gift size ranges from $200-$400. Students applying must meet the following criteria:
- Currently enrolled UB student
- Demonstrate/document the need for an eligible expense as noted above
Before submitting an application, review the criteria for the Gerstner and Heckscher Student Emergency Fund to confirm that you are not eligible for that resource.
Due to COVID-19, response time and processing of approved applications will take longer than usual.
Each application is evaluated carefully. Not all requests can be accommodated.
The UB Student Life Emergency Gift Fund is partially supported by the UB Fund for Student Life, the Random Acts of Kindness endowment and by generous individual donors and private foundations. Your contribution can help a student in need persist towards graduation.
Additional Resources
Financial Planning
Some situations are not uncommon, and may not require the use of an emergency gift fund if you are proactive and able to plan accordingly.
Paycheck Gaps
When you start a job, on or off campus, it is common for your first paycheck to be delayed. Make sure you speak with your supervisor early on to familiarize yourself with the payroll schedule.
Delayed Financial Aid
Student financial aid, including benefits for veterans, is applied to your student account on a unique, individual basis and not always at the beginning of the semester. Work with your advisor in Financial Aid or Veteran Services to anticipate when your aid will be received.
Financial Literacy Tools
SUNY offers UB students the opportunity to use Smart Track® resources that cover the spectrum of personal financial literacy, from budgeting, responsible credit card use and avoiding identify theft to the basics of banking, borrowing and working through college.
Food Support
Consistent access to nutritious food is a necessary part of being a successful, healthy student. Should you experience an unanticipated hardship, we can help connect you to groceries.
Blue Table, a virtual pantry service, links students with a variety of food options when they are in need. UB also has a partnership with the UPC Food Pantry across the street from South Campus.
HIRED: Professional Clothing Boutique
UB coordinates a free professional clothing boutique, HIRED, which is dedicated to providing students and recent graduates with apparel, accessories, and personal care items that will help them achieve their career development goals. HIRED's inventory, is supplied through generous donations by community members, and has a wide array of high-quality, contemporary items. Students may try on as many items as they wish and take home one complete outfit per semester.
Mental Health and Wellness Resources
Short-term on campus mental health support
Student Life
University at Buffalo
120 Richmond Quadrangle, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261
Phone: (716) 645-2720; Fax: (716) 645-2175
Primary, non-emergency medical care
Student Life
University at Buffalo
Michael Hall, 3435 Main Street, South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214
Phone: (716) 829-3316; Fax: (716) 829-2564
Preventative health and wellness education
Student Life
University at Buffalo
114 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: (716) 645-2837; Fax: (716) 645-6234
Additional Resources
Crisis Text Line
Need to talk? The Crisis Text Line provides 24-hour support for people experiencing a mental health or situational crisis. Users are connected to a trained Crisis Counselor, who will help them develop a plan to stay safe. Messages are confidential, anonymous and secure. Data usage while texting the Crisis Text Line is free and the number will not appear on a phone bill. Text: “GOT5” to 741-741
Scholarship Portal
You work hard to earn scholarships and the scholarship portal makes it easy to find them. A general application opens in early October and remains open through the spring semester. Once you complete it, you can return regularly to view new opportunities the system has matched with your academic record and responses.
Support for Crime Victims
On-campus emergencies and crime prevention, 24/7
Bissell Hall, North Campus
Phone: (716) 645-2227; Emergencies: (716) 645-2222
Additional Resources
Need Help?
Student Life
University at Buffalo
9 Norton Hall, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: (716) 645-6154; Fax: (716) 645-3376