Emergency Student Assistance Fund

Program Guidelines

Purpose

The Student Affairs Emergency Student Assistance Fund was established to provide assistance to Trinity students due to one-time, unexpected financial emergencies or hardship.  This assistance is intended to help students stay in school and meet their educational goals, ultimately securing a better financial future for themselves and their families.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Be currently enrolled, degree-seeking student at Trinity Washington University
  • Be actively attending courses in the semester in which you are applying.
  • Be facing a verifiable, documented, and unforeseen financial emergency.

Eligibility Restrictions

  • Emergency grants are not a substitute for financial aid options to cover semester’s cost of attendance expenses like books or transportation.  Emergency expenses can fund these items, but the request must be connected to unexpected financial hardship due to illness/injury; lack of or under employment; family status changes; natural disasters, fire or loss; death of a family member; etc.
  • Emergency grants typically range from $250 to $1000 depending on the nature of the Emergency.
  • DC Futures Scholars, your eligibility is considered through the DC Futures Emergency Grant program.  Students cannot receive grants through both programs.
  • Recipients may receive a maximum of one Emergency Grant per year, from any source through Trinity.
  • Emergency Grants cannot be given to cover tuition fees or balances owed to Trinity.

Examples of Emergencies

Examples of emergencies to be considered include, but are not limited to:

  • Homelessness or sudden loss of housing
  • Imminent documented eviction
  • Overdue utility bills reaching a turn-off notice
  • Books, supplies, licensure fees, or other essential academic expenses not able to be met through Financial Aid sources
  • Sudden loss of childcare to cover academic schedule
  • The unanticipated loss of transportation to/from school
  • Travel expenses for serious illness or death in the immediate family
  • Emergency medical expenses, prescription eyeglasses, or essential dental work, or required uninsured medical treatments or follow up
  • Safety needs included the needs of victims of domestic violence
  • Replacement of essential personal belongings due to fire, theft, or natural disaster
  • Assistance related to the undocumented status, renewals, consultations, and application process.

Note: Grants cannot be given to cover tuition fees or balances owed to Trinity.

Application and Award Process

Funds are limited and based on current funding availability, on previous grants provided, other grant program eligibility and on the documentation provided in the application.  To ensure that the greatest number of students in need receive assistance, recipients may receive a maximum of one Emergency Grant per year, from any source through Trinity.

Application guidelines:

Trinity does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status in any of its policies, procedures, or practices.