Covid 19 Emergency Fund - Columbia GSAPP

GSAPP Student Emergency Fund

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.

Eligibility: Who Can Apply

The Emergency Fund is for current GSAPP students who are enrolled in the Fall 2020 or Spring 2021 term.

Expenses must be directly related to the student and incurred during the current academic term.
The student’s need is exacerbated by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Selection: How Grantees Are Selected

The fund is intended to meet a variety of emergency needs. Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis provided that they meet the “Eligibility” criteria above. Eligibility does not guarantee funding, and priority is given to those cases in which the applicant does not have access to additional means. Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria below.

Does the need arise from additional financial strain as a result of COVID-19?
Does the need pertain directly to the student’s own circumstances (versus someone else’s such as a roommate or partner)?
Has the applicant exhausted all other possible resources, including personal assets, family and personal networks, and the various Columbia, government, or community resources? Links to additional resources can be found on the Office of University Life COVID-19 webpage.

Application Instructions and Deadline

Please use the online application form.

Requests for funding are reviewed on a case-by-case basis throughout the Spring 2021 semester.

Documentation required

Please use the application form to include the following documentation:

Detailed description of how COVID-19 has affected student’s circumstances and created this emergency need.
Estimated expenses demonstrating impact from COVID-19.
Other documentation as applicable to the specific nature of the request.

Contact

Please contact financialaid@arch.columbia.edu with any questions.

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GSAPP Student Emergency Fund