Badgers may face financial emergencies during their time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The resources below provide an overview of emergency financial support options. If you are experiencing current emergency circumstances that are preventing you from meeting immediate and essential expenses, then there may be financial assistance available to support. Essential expenses may include limited access to food, lack of housing, or an emergency medical situation. Funding is limited and financial assistance may not be available to fulfill each request.
The General Emergency Support Form can be accessed via your MyUW Student Center. See directions to access the form here.
Find Additional Basic Needs Resources.
Emergency Financial Support
While resources are limited, there may be a variety of options available to provide some assistance if you are currently experiencing a financial crisis.
- Submit an Emergency Support Request via your MyUW Student Center to be considered for emergency support options, including limited grant funding and loans. Prior to submitting a request review the Chart your Success section to to ensure you’ve considered all options.
- Consider School/College Emergency Support below to see if your School or College has additional funding available to support.
- Consider additional support to help navigate a financial emergency, such as Basic Needs support, employment, mental health support, financial aid advising, and the Dean of Students Office.
Submit Emergency Support Request
All actively enrolled students may submit a request for support via your MyUW Student Center. To access the Emergency Support form, follow these steps:
- Go to your MyUW Student Center
- Select the ‘Student eForms’ Tile
- Select the ‘Financial Aid Folder’
- Complete the ‘Emergency Support’ Form
Contact finaid@finaid.wisc.edu with any questions or for assistance in completing the form.
To help figure out the best Emergency Support Option for you, first find out if you are eligible to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All students who are currently enrolled are encouraged to consider the support options below if you are experiencing a financial emergency.
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Eligible to Complete a FAFSA
As a student who is eligible to complete a FAFSA, please follow the steps below to explore financial support from the institution.
STEP 1: Complete the 2020-2021 Free Application or Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Review the Applying page of our website to learn more about submitting the FAFSA.
STEP 2: Accept Financial Aid that has already been offered
- Review Your Offer page of our website to better understand your offer as well as next steps.
- Contact us via finaid@finaid.wisc.edu with any questions.
STEP 3: Submit an Emergency Support Request
- Submitting an Emergency Support Form allows our office to review your current situation to determine if there are any financial support options.
STEP 4: Students may also Consider Submitting an Appeal/Special Circumstance
- If your family has experience significant changes in income or have additional expenses that are not reflected on the FAFSA, you may be eligible for a professional judgement. A professional judgement all financial aid offices to adjust certain elements on the FAFSA to account for a special circumstance. Special circumstances are considered n a case-by-case basis. Please review more on submitting a special circumstance here: https://financialaid.wisc.edu/applying/#SpecialCircumstance
STEP 5: Consider Additional Financial Resources by School/College
- Reference the School/College Support options to see if you may be eligible for additional emergency financial support.
STEP 6: Consider Additional Support Options
- Reference Additional Support Options to get connected to a Financial Aid Advisor, the Dean of Students Office, Mental Health Support, as well as Basic Needs Assistance.
Not Eligible to Complete a FAFSA
As a student who is not eligible to complete the FAFSA, please follow the steps below to explore financial support from the institution.
STEP 1: Consider the financial support options below:
- DACA/Undocumented Student Support & Scholarship: The Multicultural Student Center provides a variety of Scholarships and additional support for DACA/undocumented students.
- Dreamers of Wisconsin Scholarship: All high school, undergraduate, and graduate undocumented/DACAmented students in Wisconsin are eligible to apply.
- International Student Services: Review funding and scholarship options available to international students.
STEP 2: Submit an Emergency Support Request
- Submitting an Emergency Support Form allows our office to review your current situation to find are any financial support options available.
STEP 3: Consider Additional Financial Resources by School/College
- Reference the School/College Support options to see if you may be eligible for additional emergency financial support.
STEP 4: Consider Additional Support Options
- Reference Additional Support Options to get connected to a Financial Aid Advisor, the Dean of Students Office, Mental Health Support, as well as Basic Needs Assistance.
School/College Emergency Support
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College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
The College of Agricultural & Life Sciences Office of Academic Affairs offers short term loans to students who are in need of emergency funding. Email deanoncall@cals.wisc.edu for additional information and support.
Wisconsin School of Business
Wisconsin School of Business Together Forward Scholarship
Email wisconsinbba@wsb.wisc.edu for additional information or support.
Dean of Students
The Dean of Students Office has a variety of ways to support including the Dean of Students Crisis Loan, housing resources, community support, and the ability to work with faculty to advocate with you during your financial emergency. Reach out to dean@studentlife.wisc.edu to get connected for support.
School of Education
School of Education Scholarship
Submit an Emergency Support Request via your MyUW Student Center to be considered for emergency support options, including limited grant funding and loans.
College of Engineering
College of Engineering
The College of Engineering offers short term loans to students who are in need of emergency funding. Email engracademicdean@engr.wisc.edu for additional information and support.
School of Human Ecology
School of Human Ecology
The School of Human Ecology may provide one-time emergency grants to students with financial need. Connect with the undergraduate or graduate contacts below for additional information and support.
Undergraduate Students: Sr. Assistant Dean Patrick Jackson, Patrick.Jackson@wisc.edu
Graduate Students: Assistant Dean Michelle Holland, Gradprog@sohe.wisc.edu
Wisconsin Law School
Law School
The Law School provides short term loans for students in need of emergency financial assistance. Law students should contact the Law School Director for Scholarship Administration & Recruitment at lori.hickman@wisc.edu for support.
School of Medicine and Public Health
The School of Medicine and Public Health has grant options available to support your financial crisis. To get connected, contact Brian Nunez, Director of Career Advising and Student Wellness at bnunez@wisc.edu.
School of Nursing
School of Nursing
The School of Nursing has emergency funding available thanks to the generous gifts of donors. This funding is intended to support School of Nursing students who may be experiencing a financial crisis. To be considered for support, please complete an Emergency Support Request and a representative from the Office of Student Financial Aid will follow-up with potential next steps.
Division of Continuing Studies
The Division of Continuing Studies provides emergency grant assistance for students in need. University Special Students and students enrolled in UW-Madison Online degree programs should contact Adult Career and Special Student Services (advising@dcs.wisc.edu or 608-263-6960) for support.
Additional Support Options
- Financial Aid Advising
- Dean of Students Office
- Basic Needs Support
- University Health Services
- Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH)
- Student Employment
We encourage you to schedule some time with one of our Financial Aid Advisors who are ready to continue the conversation with you. Our advisors can talk with you about additional funding options, discuss special circumstance appeals, and can share financial wellness resources and strategies with you. Appointments can be made through StarFish or via email at finaid@finaid.wisc.edu.
The Dean of Students Office has resources to help connect students with campus resources and support, as well as the place to report incidents like hate and bias, sexual assault, and hazing. Crisis Loans are also available when unexpected life events or circumstances take place that cause financial hardship in a student’s life. Connect with the Dean of Students Office by phone, email or live chat.
Basic Needs Support including 1:1 support to help navigate Basic Needs resources are available to students by connecting with a Basic Needs Assistant. The Office of Student Financial Aid also offers additional resources through Success Services to help support your experience on campus.
University Health Services is committed to supporting students as we all are navigating these unprecedented times. Many of the UHS services are available remotely including SilverCloud, an online, self-guided, interactive mental health resource that provides students with accessible cognitive behavioral interventions 24 hours a day.
The Wisconsin Scholarship Hub features a wide variety of scholarships available to UW-Madison students. Learn more about applying for scholarships here.
Student Jobs provide not only an opportunity to support financial needs, but also to build important skills and gain valuable connections. Explore student employment opportunities both on and off campus within the Student Jobs website.
