Ferris Cares Emergency Fund

The Ferris Cares Emergency Fund Application, a vital resource at Ferris State University, offers limited emergency financial help to enrolled students facing unexpected emergencies and struggling to cover urgent expenses. This fund is more than just a safety net; it demonstrates our commitment to your success and our support for you, our students, in staying on track with your educational goals.  

At Ferris State University, we take pride in our strong support system, which is always ready to assist students in need. Remember, Bulldogs, we have your back! 

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Student Relief Fund Eligibility

Relief funds are reserved for students who cannot cover essential expenses due to temporary or unforeseen financial hardship. To qualify for relief funds, an applicant must:  

• Be enrolled with the university at the time of the application submission,
• Provide a brief description of emergency needs, and
• Not have received Ferris Cares funding within one (1) calendar year before the time of applicant submission.

Expenses That May Be Considered

Relief funds are reserved for students who cannot cover essential expenses due to temporary or unforeseen financial hardship. To qualify for relief funds, an applicant must:  

• Be enrolled with the university at the time of the application submission,
• Provide a brief description of emergency needs, and
• Not have received Ferris Cares funding within one (1) calendar year before the time of applicant submission.

Expenses That Will Not Be Considered

• Expenses due to student overspending
• Outstanding debt to the university or otherwise (e.g., credit card, past due fees)
• Parking Tickets or other fines
• Normal and anticipated academic expenses (tuition, fees, health insurance, and study abroad costs).
• Non-essential utilities, household, or furniture costs not related to damage or theft
• Cost for entertainment, recreation, or non-emergency travel

Emergency Funding Review and Award Process 

The Basic Needs Care Coordinator will review applications in partnership with the Associate Dean of Students, Financial Aid, and Student Financial Services.  

Application submission does not guarantee that each bulldog will be accommodated. Our Financial Aid and Student Financial Services team will review each applicant's submission to determine eligibility based on whether scholarships and grants are available to cover the student's unexpected expenses. Additionally, the financial team will ensure that all other resources, including Student Financial Aid, have been fully exhausted before relief funding is offered.   

Not all applicants will receive an award. Awards are contingent upon available funding and details determined during the application review process.  

If approved, a student will receive funding only once per calendar year. Individual awards will be capped at $500. Please note that we will make every effort to accommodate your request; however, our priority is to assist as many bulldogs as possible based on available funding.

Applicant Documentation

Applicants must provide as much documentation as possible to support their funding request. If the applicant received relief funding before the current request, those details must be provided in the application.  

Examples of supporting documentation

• Documentation supporting hardship (e.g., receipt, bill, invoice, etc.)
• Travel details supporting emergency assistance for transportation.
• If the applicant does not have access or is in a specific situation where documentation may be difficult to obtain, we ask that you provide these details in the application description. 

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Contact Information

For more information about the Student Relief Fund, contact: