The Student Emergency Fund at MSU Texas is a grant program to provide limited financial assistance to currently enrolled students experiencing a financial hardship due to an emergency, to assist with basic needs and expenses.
An emergency is defined as a recent unexpected and/or unforeseen expense, event, or circumstance resulting in an immediate financial hardship that could cause a loss of momentum toward student success. Funding is considered for emergencies occurring within the past 30 days.
Grants are awarded directly to a receiving student, and range from $25-$250. Students are limited to receiving one grant per academic year.
A student must be enrolled full-time for the current semester, and in good academic standing to apply. Other possible financial resources must have been considered and deemed insufficient or not available in a timely manner to cover the basic needs and expense(s). Domestic (U.S.) students must have submitted a FAFSA/TASFA for the current school year and accepted all Financial Aid offered by MSU Texas (including loans) to be eligible for a grant. A student who has received a financial aid refund greater than $1,000 for a semester is not eligible to receive an emergency grant that same semester. Grant applications from international students may be shared with the Global Education Office to ensure the accuracy of financial capability information as submitted during the student Visa process. Grants are not considered taxable income and do not require payment.
Examples of basic needs expenses that may be considered for emergency funding include:
- Housing (e.g. rent or emergency shelter)
- Food and/or water (e.g. groceries)
- Prescriptions, health, and/or urgent medical expenses
- Utilities (e.g. electricity, natural gas, water/sewer)
- Transportation-related expenses (e.g. tire repair, insurance deductible from accident, automobile payment)
- School-related expenses (e.g. textbooks, school supplies, mandatory test proctoring fees)
- Safety-related needs (e.g. lock change on vehicle or home)
- Replacement of essential items due to accident, fire, natural disaster, or theft (e.g. eye glasses, clothing, etc.)
- Childcare-related expenses (e.g. day care)
Examples of non-basic needs, which are not eligible for an emergency grant:
- University tuition and/or fees
- Insurance
- Parking tickets or other fines
- School applications or testing fees
- Costs for entertainment, recreation, or non-emergency travel
- Medical expenses or support for a student's family member or friend
Application
To apply for funds, click on the "Complete the Student Emergency Fund Application" button below. The application is a secure online form through MustangsLink, which requires a student to log in using their myMSUTexas portal credentials. A student will receive notice of their application being approved or denied through MustangsLink.