The UMGC Student Aid Fund for Emergency Relief (SAFER) was established to assist UMGC students worldwide who are experiencing financial hardship related to an unforeseen emergency. In general, this fund is designed to help students meet several categories of need:

  • Housing

  • Food

  • Childcare

  • Healthcare

  • Technology

  • Course material fees

 

Eligibility Requirements

Students may receive UMGC SAFER aid once per academic year if they meet the following requirements:

  • Are enrolled at least half-time during the term in which they apply

  • Are in good academic standing

  • Have successfully completed a minimum of 6 credits at UMGC

  • Have a FAFSA on file and have received a financial aid offer

  • Have a current UMGC balance or zero balance

  • Have no overdue balance

  • Are not employed at UMGC

  • Are enrolled in degree or certificate program

  • Have not received emergency funds in this academic year

  • Have a financial need arising from an emergency

Funds

Funds are limited and have been donated by the generous UMGC community. In order to assist as many qualifying students as possible, the SAFER team trusts students to choose one of three tiers that meets their emergency need.

  • Tier 1: $100

  • Tier 2: $300

  • Tier 3: $500

Application & Disbursement

By following the application instructions below, you are requesting this emergency funding from UMGC to assist with your educational and financial needs. If you have a current balance owed to UMGC, the application form will ask that you outline your plan to meet all current financial obligations to UMGC.

To apply for UMGC SAFER aid, please click the application link below.

Click Here to Apply for UMGC SAFER Aid

Your application will be reviewed within 2-3 business days, and, if approved, will be posted to your student account and then refunded, in full, to you. If you have not signed up for direct deposit, you are strongly encouraged to do so by logging into your MyUMGC Student Portal and navigating to the Finances tab. Receiving a check by mail can take up to 6 weeks.

By submitting an application, each student affirms the following:

By submitting an application, I affirm that the information provided on this application and any additional documentation submitted is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge. I agree that UMGC may use my description of financial hardship in an anonymized format in order to solicit financial donations to UMGC and to improve UMGC programs. I also understand that UMGC will not use any of my personally identifiable information contained in this application in its efforts to complete the above initiatives.

All grants are subject to the availability of funds. I understand that by completing this grant application that I am not guaranteed awarding of a grant. If I am awarded a UMGC grant, I must maintain eligibility during the time in which I receive the award. Failure to do so may result in a cancellation or an adjustment of my award.

Donate to the Student Aid Fund

UMGC's SAFER program is driven entirely by donations from our generous community. Without your contributions, UMGC would not be able to assist students who are facing a financial emergency. If you would like to donate to the emergency aid fund, please click the link below.

Click Here to DonatE

Additional Resources

Below are some financial resources available to you that we strongly recommend you review in addition to seeking UMGC SAFER aid:

  1. FAFSA Related Funding: Your completed FAFSA allows you to be considered automatically for many different types of financial assistance, including federal grant and student loan programs, as well as state and institutional scholarships and grants. If the income information that was reported on your current FAFSA has changed significantly due to a change or loss of household income or other benefits, please review our Special Conditions Appeal policy to see if you might qualify to be re-reviewed for aid eligibility. Additional information can be found on our Costs and Financial Aid page.

  2. UMGC Veterans Assistance Fund: If you are a veteran, you may be qualified for additional funding through our Veterans Assistance Fund. If you have questions regarding your eligibility, or anything related to the fund, please contact vesseyvrc@umgc.edu.

  3. Federal and State Aid: While it is our hope that UMGC SAFER aid can provide the assistance you need at this time, we understand that many students have continuing financial needs related to their emergency situations. We recommend that you review the federal and state resources available to you:

Please note: If you are not a Maryland, District of Columbia, or Virginia resident, you are encouraged to check your state’s Department of Health and Human Services website.

A Note to Our Students

We are aware of the day-to-day challenges and emotional strains that the coronavirus pandemic has created for our entire community, and specifically the academic, financial and professional anxieties it has created for our students. We recognize that our students may have urgent needs, and we are working to address them and support our students as best we can given the circumstances.

This crisis has impacted all of us in profound ways, and while UMGC is providing student resources such as this emergency aid fund, we understand that we cannot fully meet the unique needs of every member of our community. Since these funds are limited, we may not be able to help every student. To that end, we are continuously looking for other ways to provide additional support to our students.

We are incredibly proud of our community and your resilience, bravery, and hard work as students. We hope that you and your family and friends are healthy and safe.