Any Owen student in good standing may consider applying for up to $500 in emergency funding for costs incurred. Anticipated expenses that have yet to be incurred cannot be considered. Financial assistance through this application process is not guaranteed, with priority given to expenses related to the eligibility considerations listed below.
Note: Owen students with demonstrated need through the FAFSA and/or PROFILE financial aid applications are also eligible to apply for funding from the Vanderbilt University Student Critical Support Fund. This can be in conjunction with, or in addition to, your application to the Owen Emergency Student Fund.
Students meeting the eligibility criteria for the Emergency Student Fund must complete an application to be considered. All funding requests for expenses incurred will be reviewed and processed by a four-member staff committee in a timely fashion, within 1-2 weeks of submission. To respect the personal nature of this process, requests will be kept strictly confidential. Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision via email. Administered by the Finance and Administration Team, all approved funding will be credited to your student account first and provided via direct deposit or, if you do not have direct deposit, will be mailed to your home address.
Eligibility
The Owen Emergency Student Fund serves to provide help to students who encounter unanticipated financial emergencies through an expense reimbursement process. The emergencies include, but are not limited to:
- Emergency transportation costs (e.g., emergency airfare, flight change fees, disabled car repairs).
- Unanticipated one-time health-related expenses (e.g., medical, dental, and/or mental health)
- Other critical needs
Examples of ineligible expenses that cannot be covered by the Emergency Student Fund and cannot be reimbursed include, but are not limited to:
- Recurring living expenses (e.g., monthly rent, credit card bill payments)
- Tuition and/or other institutional fees
- Dues for student organizations and/or campus events
- Fees for corporate recruiting and/or other career-related events
- Commencement regalia
To access the application form, please click here.