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 review of your current financial aid account and the financial aid programs you have received. Your account will be reviewed based upon your unmet need as calculated by Student Financial Aid, and if you have utilized all your financial aid options that are available to you.
For example, if you have not used your Federal Direct Student loans then you may not be eligible for emergency funds. We will also review your account history to see if you have received student emergency funds in the current and previous years. Students who have received the fund in the past may not be eligible for it again.
Student emergency funding may impact previously awarded financial aid. Students that already have a combination of financial aid programs up to their Cost of Attendance (COA) may have to provide additional documentation upon request to receive emergency funding.
Receipt of student emergency funding may require you to meet with the Office for Financial Success for financial management help.
Financial Management Help
If you expect to receive these funds and would like to discuss effective use of the money, we encourage you to make an appointment with the Office for Financial Success (OFS). OFS offers free and confidential financial coaching. Make an appointment using MU Connect or walk in.