Emergency funding

Sometimes, even with the best planning, you may run into a situation that is out of your control and you may need help to deal with the problem. One option might be short-term, usually one-time, emergency funding to help cover a shortfall due to an unexpected emergency situation when no other financial options are available. Emergency funding does not need to be repaid.

Example situations for which students have reached out include:

An unexpected change in living situation

• Food insecurity
• Delays in transferring funds out of a country
• Illness or death in the family
• An exceptional medical situation
• Other unforeseen circumstances you could not have planned for

Examples of emergency funding cases

• A student’s rental unit flooded. Despite having rental insurance, the student did not have the $250 needed to help pay for some of the cost associated with moving suddenly.
• A student became ill and required a specialized diet that doubled their food budget for 2 months. The unexpected grocery bill was over the regular budget for a total of $300.

Some items that UBC does not provide funding for are tuition, student fees, credit card payments, car payments, gym membership, and pet care.

How to apply

If you find yourself in an emergency situation or faced with an unexpected expense, email us at  awards.ubco@ubc.ca.