The Emergency Fund is open for students registered for the Fall term. Due to the limited nature of our funding, all students must demonstrate an immediate financial need to be considered for a grant. Please provide as much information as possible in your application, and be aware that if you are awarded a grant, it may not be for the full requested amount.
The Salem State University Emergency Funds were created through the generous donations of alumni, community members, local businesses, staff, faculty, and students to support unexpected personal financial emergencies.
Applying is not a guarantee that you will be eligible to receive funds, as funds are based on various factors including, but not limited to, availability of funds, matriculation status, and nature of your emergency.
Though not required, we strongly suggest that students who have not filed a 2024-2025 FAFSA (and are eligible to file one) please do so. Filing a FAFSA may open additional grants or low interest federal and state loan opportunities for students.
If you have unused financial aid eligibility, such as Federal Direct Loans, you might be asked to use all or part of those funds along with any emergency funds we can provide to achieve your desired financial outcome.
Due to the emergency nature of the fund, students will be able to receive funds once per semester. Some examples may include:
- Job loss
- Medical expenses (ex. Prescriptions, Broken bone, etc)
- Housing/Food insecurities (ex. Fire, Eviction, etc)
Applying for Emergency Funds
All requests will be considered. Please note we cannot guarantee we will cover the total amount of your expenses. We will work with you to access other resources if we cannot meet your full request.
To make an emergency fund request, Students should log in to their navigator account using their Salem State University username and password and go to the Fall application to apply.
If the emergency fund is closed or you have health/medical expenses, please email careandconcern@salemstate.edu with information about your request.
Next Steps
If you have not done so already, please sign up for direct deposit/eRefunds by logging into Navigator (Financial Information>Student Accounts>Refunds). For more detailed information, visit how to set up direct deposit/ eRefund.
Your application will be reviewed by a team of staff at Salem State University, and one of the following will happen:
If approved:
- For external issues (utilities, rent, prescriptions. etc.), funds will appear on your Touchnet Account first, and you'll be issued a refund within 1-2 weeks
- If your request for funds was to help in paying your Salem State expenses and/or to reduce the balance on your account, funds will be applied directly to your Touchnet Account
If denied:
- You will receive an email detailing the reason for the denial
Need Help?
If you have questions or concerns about applying for emergency funds or your refund, please email navcenter@salemstate.edu
If you have questions or concerns about food or housing security, please visit our Food and Housing Resource page.