LSA students are presented with amazing opportunities, and many face difficult challenges—often when it's least expected. The LSA Emergency Fund, supported by U-M alumni and other generous donors, is intended to minimize the burden of a sudden emergency and help LSA students continue their studies.
The maximum amount for emergency funding is $2,500.
Funding is based on each student's unique situation. LSA Emergency Funds cannot be used to replace scholarships lost due to transferring Colleges, cover a student's tuition, nor can it replace student loans. Students cannot be granted emergency funds beyond what their aid package allows.
Minimum Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria to apply for LSA Emergency Funding: (Meeting these requirements does not guarantee funding.)
- Must be an undergraduate currently enrolled full-time and pursuing a degree program (or MDDP) in the College of LSA.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
- Must apply for and receive need-based support through the Office of Financial Aid.
- Must have a FAFSA and CSS profile on file with the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) and must renew their FAFSA annually.
- Must utilize all available funding sources before requesting emergency funds. (This includes accepting all Federal student loans (subsidized and unsubsidized) offered through the Office of Financial Aid (OFA).
Please note: Your emergency fund application will be denied if you have not accepted all eligible Federal Student Loans to cover your requested expenses at the time of submission.
What Can the LSA Student Emergency Fund Help With?
- Emergency medical expenses & sudden illness
- Expenses due to the loss of an immediate family member
- Natural disasters that impact a student's immediate family, who is supporting their College expenses
- Theft or damage to educational materials
- Unexpected car repairs (student must live off campus and use the vehicle to commute to attend classes)
- Food or housing insecurity resulting from recent income loss (such as a recent job loss)
Proper documentation must be provided. An emergency must have happened in the current term.
What the LSA Student Emergency Fund Doesn’t Cover
- Health or car insurance
- Laptop replacement/repair
- Fees associated with study abroad programs
- Legal costs
- Tuition, books, and other educational expenses
- Fees associated with attending conferences
- Application fees for post-undergrad activities
- Expenses that have occurred outside the current term
- Future anticipated housing, medical, or personal expenses
- Lack of financial planning/budgeting for anticipated expenses
Review Process
For expenses that are within our guidelines, the LSA Student Emergency Funding Committee will need to check financial aid eligibility and a student’s unmet financial need. Our funding is need-based, and students cannot be granted emergency funding beyond their Cost of Attendance, as it would negatively impact existing and future aid offers. Students must also provide appropriate documentation before the committee can begin reviewing their application.
Applications are reviewed weekly by the LSA Scholarships Emergency Funding Committee. You will be contacted by the committee via your UMICH email address within three to five business days of the submission of your application with a decision or request for additional information regarding the emergency funding request.
If a student is granted this funding, it will be placed on a student's financial aid package and disbursed as a refund. The Office of Financial Aid will process your refund in 2-5 business days after approval. Depending on your bank, direct deposit may take additional time for the funds to be available in your account.
Students are encouraged to take this timeline into account when they are planning for funding around their emergency.
How do I apply?
Follow the link below to complete the LSA Emergency Fund application.
Applications can be edited until you click the submit button to finalize the application.
