In cases of unexpected financial hardship, enrolled Sanford master's degree students may be eligible to apply for emergency aid. Students may apply after they have exhausted all other financial possibilities.
- Must be a currently enrolled master’s student at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
- Must be in good academic standing.
- The student must face unanticipated financial hardship caused by a legitimate emergency/catastrophic event.
- The request must be directly related to the student’s cost of attendance.
- The fund is not intended to pay for ongoing living expenses nor to support leisure or professional development travel.
- The student must have exhausted all other financial resources, including loans to a reasonable extent if eligible.
- For those students that are denied by loan lenders, proof of denials will be required for both domestic and international students.
- US citizens or permanent residents must have a completed FAFSA for the current academic year on file with the Sanford Office of Financial Aid.
- The student must be able to provide a clear and credible plan for meeting expenses for the remainder of their enrollment at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
- If requested by the committee, the student must provide supporting documentation including bank statements (translated to English, if applicable).
- Funding is limited and eligibility to apply does not guarantee an award.
- Application availability is subject to the availability of funds.
- Eligibility to apply does not guarantee an award.
- The student may be asked to return any portion of an approved amount that is unused for the purpose it was given.
- On a case-by-case basis, awards may be issued as non-compensatory direct payments, tuition grants or institutional loans.
- There is a lifetime combined limit for non-compensatory direct payments and tuition scholarships per student of $10,000.
- Processing non-compensatory direct payments typically takes 3-5 business days after initially posted; timing also depends on procedures at the student’s bank.
- Tuition grants are typically credited to students’ accounts 24-48 hours from the time they are initially posted in DukeHub.
- Institutional loan disbursement timeline questions should be directed to Duke’s Loan office.
- Awards which are not tuition related will be non-compensatory payments or awards and are not typically treated as taxable income; however, if there is a tax implication for the student, it will be the student’s responsibility to pay all taxes related to the award. All tax related questions should be directed toward a tax professional.
- Decisions issued by the committee are final, and not subject to appeal.
- If you meet all the student eligibility requirements listed above, please schedule an appointment with the Sanford Director of Financial Aid who will further verify your case. Book an emergency appointment today
- For students deemed eligible you will be sent a link to complete the electronic Sanford Application for Emergency Relief (SAFER) by the Sanford Director of Financial Aid. You will be directed to the same SLATE login application portal used to apply to Sanford. Use your application credentials and click on the forgot password, if needed. You can reach out to the Sanford Office of Financial Aid if you have any questions.
- The application includes a space to provide a narrative of the cause of the emergency event. The application will also ask the student to provide a specific and credible financial plan for your remaining time at Sanford. You may upload any documentation you feel is helpful to support your case in the application, including additional narrative information.
- If you find the space provided in the application is not sufficient please email additional supporting documents to the Financial Aid Office.
- If you do not meet all the student eligibility requirements listed above, please contact the Sanford Office of Financial Aid to discuss financing options.
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