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Student assistance funds
We’re here to help when financial hardships jeopardize academic progress.
The VCU School of Social Work has two active assistant funds: the Pay It Forward Fund and the Social Work Field Fund.
Pay It Forward Fund
The Pay It Forward Emergency Fund was created to assist our social work students who encounter an unforeseen financial emergency that would otherwise prevent them from continuing their education at VCU.
More specifically, this emergency fund provides our students with financial support when faced with an unexpected, unforeseen and unavoidable emergency expense that may be related to an accident, illness, death of a family member, fire damage or need for temporary housing. We acknowledge that students are often faced with life-altering circumstances that have the potential to derail successful progression. Our goal is to ensure our students have access to emergency resources during times of need – enabling them to stay in school and make progress toward their degree.
Currently enrolled social work students in the B.S.W., M.S.W. and Ph.D. programs may apply for funds for emergent financial needs. This funding is not intended to reimburse expenses that have already been paid, or to replace or supplement existing financial aid.
- Medications and other costs related to emergency medical care
- Books and other essential academic expenses
- Safety needs (i.e., changing a lock)
- Replacement of essential personal belongings or emergency housing needs, due to fire, theft or natural disaster
- Travel costs related to a death or illness in the immediate family
- Emergency childcare costs
*This is not an exhaustive list, and other circumstances may apply.
- Non-essential utilities (i.e. cable), household or furniture costs not related to damage or theft
- Regularly anticipated fixed expenses (i.e., rent)
- Parking tickets
- Costs for entertainment, recreation, non-emergency travel or other non-essential expenses
- Other anticipated expenses
- Applicants must have an immediate financial hardship resulting from an emergency, accident or other unexpected critical incident.
- The expense must be unexpected, unforeseen and the urgent nature unavoidable.
- Applicants must be currently enrolled students.
- All other university-related resources, including emergency loans through Scholarships and Student Aid, must have been considered and been deemed insufficient, unavailable or not available in a timely manner
- Applicants must complete all questions in full and submit supporting documentation.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate their current financial need with supporting documentation.
Students who need emergency financial assistance should submit an application and supporting documentation. The Pay it Forward Committee, made up of staff members from the Office of Student Success, reviews the submitted applications and determines the appropriate funding amount.
Funds distributed do not generally exceed $500. The committee will review applications requesting in excess of $500 for unique and unusual circumstances of emergency financial need. Applicants may be required to meet with the associate dean for academic and student affairs or the director of advising and retention to discuss their application.
If you are currently receiving financial aid, please be aware that receiving funding from the Emergency Fund may affect your future aid packages and funds received will be taxed as income. For questions related to how accepting emergency funding may impact your future financial aid, please contact VCU Student Financial Services at sfmcsosw@vcu.edu. For information on the application, please contact the Office of Student Success at sswadvising@vcu.edu or schedule an appointment with your student success advisor.
- Students will be presented with a check in the award amount designated by the Pay it Forward Committee.
- Students must provide receipts and/or documentation reflecting payment toward identified emergency or reimbursement no later than 10 days after funds have been dispersed.
- While students do not need to repay this financial assistance, it may be considered as taxable income and subject to federal tax regulations.
Social Work Field Fund
Field education has often been called social work’s signature educational offering. There are times, however, when expenses related to field placements can be burdensome. The Social Work Field Fund was created to assist social work students with field placement-related expenses, helping to ensure that students can take full advantage of their field experiences.
Full- or part-time social work students in the B.S.W. and M.S.W. who are enrolled in a field practice course may apply for funds. This funding is not intended to reimburse expenses that have already been paid, or to replace or supplement existing financial aid.
The Field Fund supports field placement-related expenses including:
- Onboarding requirements
- Routine travel
- Equipment or supplies
- Professional development
*This is not an exhaustive list and other circumstances may apply. Please email swfld@vcu.edu for clarity on an expense that does not fall into one of the above categories.
- The Field Fund does not support the following types of expenses:
- Supplemental salary support
- Non-field-related expenses
- Field-related expenses previously settled (paid)
- Full-time or part-time B.S.W. and M.S.W. students enrolled in a field practice course.
Upon the submission of an application, the Field Fund Committee, made up of staff and faculty of the School of Social Work, will review the submission for eligibility and follow up with the applicant regarding an award amount.
Financial support distributed from this fund does not generally exceed $500. If support beyond this amount is requested, the Field Fund Committee will still review the request but may need to meet with the applicant for more information.
Additionally, receiving financial support from the Field Fund can affect future aid packages, as the funds received will be taxed as income. Details on the implications of this should be gathered from an awardee's financial aid counselor.
For questions regarding the application process, please email the Office of Field Education at swfld@vcu.edu.
- Students will be presented with a check in the award amount designated by the Field Fund Committee.
- If they do not provide materials with their applications, students must submit receipts and/or documentation reflecting payment toward identified emergency or reimbursement no later than 10 days after funds have been dispersed.
- While students do not need to repay this financial assistance, it may be considered as taxable income and subject to federal tax regulations.