Student Emergency Fund

The Student Emergency Fund grants confidential emergency financial assistance to students who are facing unusual and severe financial strain due to a sudden, unforeseen crisis outside of their control that would result in an inability to attend classes or continue with their education. Students may receive one-time crisis assistance once per academic year.

Students seeking emergency financial assistance must be:

• A returning student with less than a two-semester absence who has completed at least 6 credits
• Currently enrolled at SUNY Schenectady (full time or part time)
• Matriculated in a degree or certificate program
• In good academic standing, as defined by SUNY Schenectady
• Experiencing unusual, severe financial strain because of a sudden, unforeseen crisis outside of their control that would result in an inability to attend classes or continue with their education
•  Able to demonstrate that all other sources of potential funding have been exhausted, e.g., offered student loans, student opportunity program funding, family, etc.

Examples of qualifying crisis events:

• Fire, flood, or natural disaster which compromises living arrangements
• Being the victim of a crime
• Death in the immediate family
• A personal medical or dental emergency not covered by medical insurance
• Domestic emergencies, e.g., spousal/partner abuse, facing eviction from one’s home through no flagrant fault of the student, temporary emergency housing, emergency child care expenses, funeral or burial expenses, emergency travel and gas
• Unanticipated car repairs if no public transportation is available

Examples of circumstances that may not be eligible for emergency financial assistance:

• Regularly occurring payments, e.g., rent, car insurance, phone bills, utility bills
• Credit card debt and other elective expenses
• Medical bills covered by medical insurance, legal or professional fees
• Course materials covered by student’s financial aid package

Application and Review Process

1. Complete the Student Emergency Fund Request Form and forward to karen.smith@sunysccc.edu. Incomplete forms will be returned.
2. Application information is verified with the student and/or relevant third parties.
3. Ineligible requests are returned. Approval of emergency financial assistance is based on a demonstrated, unusual and severe financial strain resulting from an isolated event due to a sudden unforeseen crisis outside the student’s control.
4. Applicants will receive notice of the final determination within ten (10) business days.
5. If emergency financial assistance is granted, the student will be required to complete the Emergency Fund Acceptance Form and a thank you letter addressed to the SUNY Schenectady Foundation Board.

Please contact Karen Smith, Student Emergency Fund Coordinator, at 518-381-1276 for more information.