Columbia GSAPP established a $250,000 Emergency Fund to assist students with unexpected expenses related to COVID-19. The fund was created by the Dean’s Office with the generous support of donors and alumni, who contributed specifically to support the student community.
An initial round of funding met 100% of requests by disbursing $91,138 in October 2020. As many students continue to experience financial hardship during this period, GSAPP opened applications for a second round of funding in the Fall 2020 semester rather than later in the academic year. The second round of funding also met 100% of requests by disbursing an additional $126,654 in December 2020.
The GSAPP Emergency Fund is for current GSAPP students who have urgent financial need that cannot be addressed by any other sources. These taxable stipends may vary in amount and will not exceed $1,000 per student. Students who have already received a stipend from the fund’s prior round may re-apply for an additional stipend.
Requests for emergency funding can be made through the online form and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.