SOS Emergency Funds

Students can apply to the SOS Emergency Funds and the Helping Hands Emergency Fund simultaneously, as they focus on different basic need requests.

Emergency Fund requests are reviewed on a weekly basis (each Tuesday) by the Emergency Fund Committee and processed on Wednesdays. When applying to the SOS Fund, students can expect to receive funds within 3-5 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 the Gerstner Helping Hands Emergency Fund, 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.

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].

• 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.

Yes! When applicable (especially for on the ground students, both Emergency Funds will offer options for long term support or will direct students to more sustainable support within the Simmons community.

There are two separate Student Assistance Programs (SAP) available to undergraduate, graduate, and online students. Both SAPs provide free and confidential mental healthcare, legal support, and other resources. 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 healthcare, our team will confirm that you are first knowledgeable of this option.

Before submitting any medical bill related requests, please contact the billing department of the provider where you received care and set up a monthly payment plan. Additional instructions can be found on our Payment Plan 1 Pager.

No, this funding is a grant and therefore, does not have to be paid back to the institution.

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 for the SOS Emergency Funds and can be up to $3,000 for the Helping Hands Emergency Fund. The amount allocated for a student is based on the urgent needs disclosed by the student within the academic year they apply.

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.

For the SOS Emergency Funds, 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.

*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.

For the Helping Hands Emergency Fund, the timeline will depend on our ability to contact your utility company/housing management company. We will do so within 5 days of receiving your application.

No, we have worked with billing to have your SOS Fund funding sent to you directly or the Helping Hands funds sent directly to your utility/housing management company.

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.

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.