Student Emergency Assistance

The Dean of Students Office is a central resource for students seeking emergency funding regardless of their school/college or class standing. Funds are available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in all 19 schools and colleges within U-M Ann Arbor.

Emergency funding is designed to help meet immediate, essential expenses due to temporary hardship related to an unforeseen or emergency situation. This reduces the negative impact of financial emergencies on U-M students, supporting their academic success and overall well-being.

Join us in fostering an environment where every student realizes their potential and leaves a positive, lasting impact on campus, the community, and the world.

Your gift helps the Dean of Students Office provide:

• Immediate Financial Relief: Provides crucial assistance during emergencies, preventing students from dropping out.
• Encourages Persistence: Motivates students to persist, knowing they have support.
• Access to Basic Needs: Helps cover essential costs like housing, emergency transportation and medical expenses.
• Safety Net for Vulnerable Students: Acts as a safety net for students lacking family support.

Each year the university allocates money to support students in an emergency, but the need is much larger and increasing each year. This need is often complex and non-traditional in nature (outside of tuition, books, and room & board expenses), making the DOS Student Emergency Fund vital for students without financial means to receive the support they need to navigate a difficult situation as they work toward graduation and beyond.

Your gift allows us to make a difference for students in emergency situations. These may include:

• Food insecurity;
• Rent (normally one month) 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;
• Emergency medical treatment/medication when the student has no ability to pay and the costs cannot be covered by insurance;
• Emergency temporary lodging for students who find themselves homeless or unsafe in their current dwelling;
• Technology needs;
• Personal belongings lost in a fire, flood, or other disaster impacting a student’s home.