Emergency Aid Fund
BIO has limited funding available in Spring 2024 for international undergraduate students who have experienced an unexpected change in their financial situation after beginning their F-1 or J1 program due to geopolitical events, natural disasters or other extenuating circumstances. The BIO Emergency Aid Fund is meant to help such students with basic needs (e.g. food, medical, housing expenses, including winter break housing) and is intended only for those in serious need of emergency short-term aid. It is not intended to provide ongoing support. BIO awards are limited in scope and may not be able to cover the full amount of need expressed. Further, not all applicants will necessarily receive awards. We regret that we do not have Emergency Aid funds available for graduate students at this time.
Note: If you are in financial need and are seeking assistance with outstanding medical expenses, you may qualify for a BIO Medical Fund award. For more information, visit our Need-Based Medical Fund webpage.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a UC Berkeley international student in the U.S. not eligible for federal U.S. financial aid.
- Be enrolled full-time in a degree-seeking program in the current semester (unless you have authorization from BIO to be less than full-time).
- Demonstrate financial need in your application.
- Be able to explain how the unexpected change in your financial situation that occurred after beginning your program is related to geopolitical events, natural disasters or other extenuating circumstances.
- Not be on filing fee.
How to Apply
Meet with a BIO adviser to discuss the unexpected change in your financial situation and to obtain an application. See our Student Services page for advising hours.