Thanks to the generosity of a Gettysburg College alumnus, Peter Gaess ’68, P’10, an Emergency Fund has been established to provide timely financial support to students in emergency circumstances.
The fund assists students who have unexpected emergency expenses during the semester, particularly in situations of crisis, such as illness, the death of a family member, medical emergency, food, or transportation.
Students may apply for emergency grant assistance when other traditional methods of funding have been exhausted. This fund is not meant to replace existing financial aid, and does not need to be repaid. Students are eligible for grants up to $1,000 per academic year.
Funding is awarded on a case by case basis, and factors that are considered include the student’s financial need, the nature of the funding request, and the availability of funding at the time the request is made. The fund is open to all students; priority is given to students with the highest financial need.
All requests are confidential. No details are shared with a third party unless the student explicitly gives permission and only when there is a legitimate need. Details are shared amongst administering college offices in order to process funding requests.
Most requests can be processed in 48 hours or less.
Expenses Covered by the Emergency Fund include, but are not limited to:
- Medications and prescriptions
- Travel costs related to the death of an immediate family member
- Emergency food and clothing
Expenses Not Covered include, but are not limited to:
- Books or other academic expenses covered in one’s financial aid package
- Non-emergency travel or personal travel
- Storage
- Costs for entertainment
- Standardized testing and application fees
To apply, please fill out the form below.
Emergency Fund Request