About the Student Emergency Fund

The Student Emergency Fund is managed by the Office of the Dean of Students housed within the Division of Student Life. The purpose of the Student Emergency Fund at Notre Dame of Maryland University is to provide a nominal amount of money to eligible students who face serious financial hardship due to unanticipated expenses. Each situation will be considered on an individual, case-by-case basis. 

Eligibility Requirement

  • Must be currently enrolled as a degree seeking NDMU student to apply and at the time of award distribution;
  • Demonstrate financial hardship due to crisis, accident, illness, or other unforeseen events;
  • The student applicant has considered (or has exhausted) alternative funding options for assistance;
  • Students must complete all questions on application in full, including how the monies will be spent;
  • Students must describe other sources of funding and financial resources that have been considered (including student loans, Medicaid, personal financial accounts, community resources) and are insufficient, unavailable, or not available in a timely manner.
Types of verified crises that can be used to apply for the Student Emergency Fund

All covered expenses must be connected to a temporary hardship related to an unforeseen emergency.

  • To minimize immediate critical needs of students caused by acute financial stress;
  • To provide for short-term financial assistance with unusual or unforeseen medical expenses;
  • To provide assistance with unexpected medication/prescription expenses;
  • To provide assistance with mental health crisis related expenses (unexpected medication cost);
  • To provide support for temporary housing and/or other essential needs such as food, due to displacement by natural disaster or other unforeseen environmental hazards; 
  • To provide support with safety-related needs (e.g. lock change, crisis shelter, etc.);
  • To provide assistance with sudden food insecurity; 
  • To support shelter for a student in a dangerous situation due to acts of violence or other victimization;
  • To fund travel or transportation of a student or a student's belongings home due to family crisis, crisis, or death.
Types of verified crises that do NOT qualify for the Student Emergency Fund

Expenses that are not related to a temporary hardship due to an unforeseen emergency are not covered by the fund.

  • Loss of employment or reduction in wages due to voluntary resignation, temporary employment, or known/scheduled time off;
  • Routinely occurring bills such as electric, rent, car payment, etc. (unless in default due to a qualifying unforeseen event); 
  • Moving expenses (unless due to a crisis situation such as domestic abuse, housing insecurity, etc.); 
  • Child support payments; 
  • Expenses of family or extended family;
  • Routine medical expenses such as annual health check-up, dental cleanings, etc; 
  • Tuition/university fees expenses (this includes parking tickets, library fines, residence hall fees, etc…)
  • Legal fees and court cost (unless due to a crisis situation such as domestic abuse, housing insecurity, etc.); 
  • Expenses due to lack of financial planning.
Application Procedure
  • Complete the application. Please be sure to fill out all the information and attach any relevant documentation if available. (Documentation is not required but is helpful in some cases. For example, if you are requesting assistance in paying a bill, then please attach the bill.)
  • A staff member from the Office of the Dean of Students will email/call you to discuss your application and discuss next steps.
  • If approved, you will work with that same staff member on next steps and connection to other resources at NDMU.
  • If not approved, that staff member will connect with you about the reason and share other resources at NDMU and in the Greater Baltimore Area.
  • Several weeks after the process has been completed, a staff member will reach out. You may be asked to write a brief reflection paragraph on how this grant has assisted you and can be kept anonymous if you choose. Your reflection may be shared with donors to the Student Emergency Fund.
  • If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact studentlife@ndm.edu or call 410-532-5488.

Apply for Student Emergency Fund