Gsapp Emergency Fund

Established and funded by the Dean’s Office, the GSAPP Emergency Fund was initially created in 2020 to support the student community facing hardships resulting from the impact of COVID-19.

Columbia GSAPP continues to assist students with unexpected financial needs through an Emergency Fund throughout the academic year. The GSAPP Emergency Fund is for current GSAPP students who are enrolled full time and have urgent financial need that cannot be addressed by any other sources. These taxable stipends vary in amount and may be up to $1,000 per student in each application round. Students who have already received a stipend from the fund’s prior rounds and continue to experience financial hardship may re-apply for an additional stipend.

The Emergency Fund also welcomes gifts from friends and alumni whose contributions help support student success.

2023-2024 Application Cycle

Eligibility: Who Can Apply

The Emergency Fund is for current GSAPP students who are enrolled full-time in the Spring 2023 term.

Expenses must be directly related to the student and incurred during the current academic term.
The student’s need is new and unexpected, or exacerbated by unanticipated factors.

Selection: How Grantees Are Selected

The fund is intended to meet a variety of emergency needs. Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis provided that they meet the “Eligibility” criteria above. Eligibility does not guarantee funding, and priority is given to those cases in which the applicant does not have access to additional means. Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria below.

Does the need arise from additional financial strain as a result new, unanticipated factors?
Does the need pertain directly to the student’s own circumstances (versus someone else’s such as a roommate or partner)?
Has the applicant exhausted all other possible resources, including personal assets, family and personal networks, and the various Columbia, government, or community resources?

Application Form and Deadline

Applicants must reach out to the GSAPP Financial Aid Office to discuss the change in their situation before submitting an online application form. Please contact financialaid@arch.columbia.edu to schedule an appointment, or stop by the office at Avery 407.

The final deadline for applications reviewed during the Spring semester is April 19, 2024.
Submissions will be reviewed at the end of each month during the semester in order to best address student needs.
Supporting documentation such as receipts may be included to substantiate the request.

Required Documentation

Please use the online application form to include the following documentation:

Detailed description of how your circumstances have changed to created this emergency need.
Estimated expenses and requested amount of support. (Stipends do not exceed $1,000 per student in each application round.)
Other documentation as applicable to the specific nature of the application may need to be provided by request.

Contact & Resources

Please contact financialaid@arch.columbia.edu with any questions.

For additional funding sources you may also reference the following webpages:

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GSAPP Emergency Fund