Funding limitations

The Emergency Fund may be used to pay for financial hardship from an emergency, accident, or unplanned event. Funds can also be used to offset a recent emergent expense within the last 30 days. Examples include:

    • Emergency housing assistance
    • Medications and other costs related to medical care (self or family)
    • Safety needs (i.e. changing of locks; need for temporary housing)
    • Replacement of essential personal belongings due to fire, theft, or natural disaster
    • Travel costs related to death or illness in the immediate family
    • Costs related to childcare
    • Unexpected necessary legal fees and costs associated with essential travel or immigration delays  

The Emergency may NOT be used to pay for the following:

    • Academic-related costs, including but not limited to: Study abroad costs, Books, Conference/research travel
    • Non-essential utilities (i.e. cable) or household costs not related to damage or theft
    • Parking tickets or other legal/criminal fines
    • Costs for entertainment, recreation, non-emergency travel, or other non-essential expenses

Eligibility

• Current graduate student (enrolled in at least 3 credit hours) or postdocs (full-time) within the University of Utah Department of Biochemistry
  Demonstrate financial hardship from an emergency, accident, or unplanned event
  Have considered other resources and found that other resources are insufficient or not available in a timely manner. Other resources include, but are not limited to:  FAFSA, if eligible​*, Utah specific emergency funds*

* We urge applicants to consider these sources for additional needs, beyond what can be provided rapidly by the emergency fund.

How applications are evaluated

Rotating committee of faculty and students that evaluates the application (1-2yr term). There will be one faculty member designated as the Chair of the committee.

Determination will be based on these criteria:

• Current student or postdoc within core or affiliated labs of the University of Utah Biochemistry Department
  Priority given to students/postdocs whose continuation in UU Biochemistry may be at risk because of unexpected expenses
  Have submitted supporting information (receipts, bills, etc.)
  Have not previously received UofU or Biochemistry emergency funds
  Approximate time to evaluate requests = 3 full business days

Optional repayment

Although not required, if trainees are able to repay/replenish the funds at some point in the future, they can gift the funds through the Biochemistry gift-giving portal, and indicate “Biochemistry Emergency Trainee Fund” in the 'Special Instructions' tab.