What emergency funds are available to enrolled Simmons University students?
Since March 2020, Simmons has offered the The SOS (Supporting Our Students) Fund to students experiencing gaps in basic needs as a result of an acute emergency. The Fund is a collection of donations from staff, faculty, alum, student organizations, Board of Trustees members, Gerstner Philanthropies, and community friends to assist current students facing urgent and immediate expenses.
The fund is available to provide financial assistance to undergraduate, graduate, and online students who are currently enrolled in classes. Fund guidelines are subject to change on a yearly basis and those updates will be reflected on our website.
What are the eligibility requirements for Simmons’s Emergency Funds?
- Acute emergency (can be solved with a one-time grant)
- The situation that the grant resolved is likely to be stable going forward
Emergencies that qualify for funding include:
- Loss of job or income
- Medical, dental and safety emergencies
- Imminent homelessness or threat of eviction
- Overdue utility bills/turn-off notice
- Lost clothes, personal items or furniture because of theft, a fire in living quarters, or a natural disaster
- Impacted by intimate partner violence
For questions, please reach out to [email protected].
Emergency Funds FAQs
- How often are the Emergency Funds reviewed?
Emergency Fund requests are reviewed on a weekly basis (each Tuesday) by the Emergency Fund Committee. Depending on the type of request, students can expect to receive funds within 5-7 business days (with direct deposit) once they have received outreach that their application has been approved. Students should expect longer waiting periods for mailed checks. When applying for housing and utility support , students can expect to hear back about their request within 5 business days; however, more time may be needed to gather information from utility or housing management companies/landlords.
- What is taken into consideration when determining student needs and fund allocation?
Each student submits a description of their current situation, needs, and requested funding as it relates to these needs. The Emergency Fund Committee that reviews this information is also taking into account the financial aid information of each student request in partnership with Student Financial Services to determine eligibility. If your overall financial need has changed, please reach out to Student Financial Services to inform them at [email protected].
- What needs typically cannot be met by the Emergency Funds at Simmons?
- Ongoing needs that can not be solved by receiving one time emergency funding
- Non-urgent expenses or needs that extend beyond the month your application is received
- Anticipated costs or requests that are not tied to a specific event/emergency. For example, the SOS Fund is not able to cover general/expected semesterly expenses such as textbooks, certification fees, moving fees, etc.. (unless related to a specific unforeseen circumstance).
- Simmons University tuition or on-campus housing costs
- Requests on behalf of family members who are not dependents
- Pet care and fees
- Licensure exams, job training fees, and other academics program application fees
- Grocery expenses for residential students
- Personal laptops/computers, unless lost due to theft, natural disaster, etc..
- Outstanding debt, including credit card debt and medical bills
- Legal fees and court costs (case by case basis)
- Books or school supplies
A student who is on a Leave of Absence or is unenrolled at the time of submitting their application is typically not eligible to receive funding.
- Will Simmons Emergency Funds connect me to other campus resources?
Yes! When applicable (especially for on the ground students), our team will offer options for long term support or will direct students to more sustainable support within the Simmons community.
- How will the Student Assistance Program impact eligibility for basic need funding for on-the-ground students?
There are two separate Student Assistance Programs (Compsych and UWILL) available to undergraduate, graduate, and online students. Both SAPs provide free and confidential mental health care. We encourage students to utilize this resource before planning to pay mental health costs out of pocket. If you are requesting funding for anticipated mental health care, our team will confirm that you are first knowledgeable of this option.
- Will I need to pay back the funds that I receive?
No, this funding is a grant and therefore, does not have to be paid back to the institution.
- How much money should I expect?
Our Emergency Funds can be limited and the amount of funds a student is eligible for depends on the funds currently available. Grants average around $400 historically but can be more based on the student need. The amount allocated for a student is based on the urgent needs disclosed by the student within the academic year they apply. We suggest that students request what they need.
- What if I need more aid later? Is there a limit to how much funding I can receive?
Emergency funding is meant to offer support to address an acute emergency on a one time basis. Students can re-apply for funding if their needs continue, but please keep in mind that the Emergency Funding Committee will likely connect with you to think of more long term solutions upon receiving your application.
- How long will it take to receive funds?
In advance, we highly recommend setting up a direct deposit option. Instructions for setting up direct deposit can be found at the Student Financial Services website under ‘Direct Deposit Student FAQ’ and will be included in the email confirmation you receive from the SOS Fund.This can expedite the process. With direct deposit, it will take an additional 3-5 business days for your bank to post the amount in your account.
For requests related to housing and utilities, the timeline will depend on our ability to contact your utility company/housing management company once we receive your application. We will do so within 5 business days of receiving your application.
*If you already receive direct deposit for your financial aid refund, there is no additional action needed.
*Please note that being set up in Workday is not the same as direct deposit for financial aid.
- What if I have a balance on my account? Will the funding go toward my balance?
No, we have worked with billing to have any awarded funding sent to the student or landlord/housing management company/utility company separately.
- What if my needs change and I no longer need funding?
Please let us know if you no longer need funding, as this will help us provide the funding to another student in need. We understand that needs change often, and you still have the option to request aid later if needed.
- What else should I know?
We also encourage you to meet with our Support Specialists at the REEF Support Center to determine if applying to either emergency funds is right for you, as well as other Simmons and local resources. We encourage you to visit the REEF Support Center webpage.