Student Financial Aid offers a one-time emergency aid application to undergraduate students who cannot meet immediate, essential expenses due to temporary hardship arising from an unforeseen or unusual situation.
Important Details
- Funding is limited; most awards do not exceed $250.
- Students are generally eligible only once.
- Not all requests can be fully funded.
If you don’t qualify or need additional help, we’ll work with you to find other resources and solutions.
Expenses Generally Covered*
Situations that may warrant the use of emergency funding include:
- Food insecurity
- Rent assistance and/or utility bills due to lost wages or other unexpected financial hardship
- Travel expenses to return home due to a family death or other emergency
- Out-of-pocket emergency medical treatment/medication expenses
- Personal belongings lost in a fire, flood, or other disaster
*Supporting documentation may be required to demonstrate need.
Expenses Generally Not Covered
Situations that would not warrant the use of emergency funding include:
- Expenses due to lack of financial budgeting and planning
- An outstanding balance due to Mizzou
- Legal fees and court costs
Criteria to Apply
- Undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree
- Students must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours per semester at Mizzou
Exceptions are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Complete the Student Emergency Aid application at the link below.
What Happens After I Apply?
Your eligibility will be determined after a review of your student account and the financial aid programs you have received. This review will assess whether you have fully utilized all financial aid options available to you, including Federal Direct Student Loans. If you have not exhausted your other aid options, you may be ineligible for emergency funds.
We will also review your account history to determine whether you have received emergency funds from our office in the current or previous academic years. Students who have received this funding in the past may not be eligible again, and receipt of emergency funding may impact previously awarded financial aid.
Financial Management Help
We encourage all emergency funding applicants and recipients to make an appointment with the Office for Financial Success (OFS). OFS offers free and confidential financial coaching and can assist with budgeting and financial management. You can make an appointment with OFS using MU Connect.