HARDSHIP FUND

A BEACON FOR STUDENTS

The Hardship Fund was established by the Action Agenda for Racial Equity and Inclusion to provide low-income students with financial assistance when faced with an unexpected or urgent situation that is distracting them from their academic endeavors at Valpo. This fund is specifically for costs that are non-academic, but that still impact a student’s experience at Valpo.

The Hardship Fund is not intended to provide ongoing relief for recurring expenses. Funding is designed to provide aid to eligible students who are struggling with a personal crisis or an emergency situation.

Please read below to learn more about the fund and the guidelines for applying.

The application can be found at the bottom of the page.

FAQs

Current students at Valparaiso University must be:

Experiencing a current and temporary unexpected or urgent financial hardship
Currently enrolled at least part-time
Low-income (as determined by current information on file with Financial Aid)
- PELL eligible
- Low EFC
- Have an approved Special Circumstance Form on file

Funding is designed to provide aid to eligible students who are struggling with a current, unexpected, and temporary personal crisis or emergency situation.

The committee will take into consideration historically underrepresented students in higher education (e.g. African American, Latinx, Asian American, American Indian, first-generation, LGBTQ+, etc.).

Examples of expenses that could be covered by the Hardship Fund if a student is experiencing a personal crisis or emergency situation include:

Transportation disruption not related to monthly payments (e.g. required minor/non-cosmetic car repairs, etc.)
Replacement of essential belongings due unforeseen circumstances
School materials that cannot be purchased through the Valpo Bookstore and are needed for academic purposes
Essential utility bill(s) or rent, if a personal crisis affected the monthly payment.
Payment of emergency medical-related care
Travel costs related to a death or illness of a family member
Technology disruption (e.g. software, internet)

Note: This list is not exhaustive. Each application will be carefully reviewed.

The Hardship Fund is not intended to provide ongoing relief for recurring expenses. Funding is designed to provide aid to eligible students who are struggling with an unexpected personal crisis or an emergency situation.

Examples of expenses that would NOT be covered by the Hardship Fund:

Tuition and fees (including student account balances)
Books or access codes (that are available through the University bookstore)
School materials that can be purchased through the Valpo Bookstore
Alcohol or drug related offenses, tickets, legal fees, or jail bonds
Non-essential utility bills (e.g. cable)
Entertainment or recreational activities

Note: This list is not exhaustive. Each application will be carefully reviewed.

The Hardship Fund is not intended to provide ongoing relief for recurring expenses. Funding is designed to provide aid to eligible students who are struggling with an unexpected personal crisis or an emergency situation.

Students who meet the criteria are able to receive funding once per semester for no more than $500 per calendar year (January – December).

No. Unlike a loan, the money awarded through the Hardship Fund does not need to be repaid.

Submit the application above AND email hardshipfund@valpo.edu. We cannot guarantee immediate processing, but will work with you to the best of our ability.

Applications are not reviewed over the weekend or on holidays, which may extend the time for a decision. Please keep this in mind if submitting your application on a Friday, after business hours, during the weekend, or on a holiday break.

You can find additional resources that may be able to help you in the meantime by going here: Community Resources Available to Valparaiso University Students.

Upon submission of the application, a confirmation will be sent to your Valpo student email with more information.

We strive to review applications as soon as possible. Decisions will be communicated to your Valpo student email. Additional information may be requested in order to fully review your application. This could cause a delay in a decision, so be sure to answer all questions with as much detail as possible when submitting your application.

It is important to check your Valpo student email frequently after you apply to monitor communication regarding your application.

If approved, funds are distributed on Thursday of each week. Applications received after noon on Monday, will be considered for funding the following week.

Within 10 business days of receiving funding, you are required to submit a copy of the paid bill/receipt to confirm that the funding provided was used towards your stated need.

Application

As a reminder, the Hardship Fund is not intended to provide ongoing relief for recurring expenses. Funding is designed to provide aid to eligible students who are struggling with a personal crisis or an emergency situation.

If you have read the above information and FAQs, and feel you and your situation both meet the criteria, please use the link below to access the application.

We strive to review applications within two business days. Decisions will be communicated to your Valpo student email. Additional information may be requested in order to fully review your application. This could cause a delay in a decision, so be sure to answer all questions with as much detail as possible when submitting your application.

Hardship Fund Application

Student Resources

Student Financial Services provide student financial services surrounding financial aid, undergraduate scholarships, and tuition costs. They can assist in reviewing alternative means of assistance, if applicable, or help you complete the Special Circumstance Form. You can reach them at finaid@valpo.edu or 219.464.5015.

Community Resources

As an additional level of support, please see this list of community resources: Community Resources Available to Valparaiso University Students

If you have any questions, please reach out: hardshipfund@valpo.edu

The Hardship Fund makes us Proud to be Valpo!