Resources for Limited-Income Students

Wondering if you have enough extra resources to manage your college experience can be stressful, even if you received a generous financial aid package. However, there are a lot of resources on campus that can help you figure things out, develop good financial habits, and work with you if a crisis arises. Check out this Spiders FLI Financial Flight Plan for an extensive list of campus resources and tips for financial success. 

Here are just a few things to get you started. 

Career Opportunity Fund

Administered by the Office of Alumni and Career Services, this fund can help with traveling to interviews, applications to graduate school, and even the purchase of professional interview clothing.

Being Not-Rich at UR

This crowd-sourced document has lots of advice from previous students, from the best thrift stores in the area, to remembering to budget out your Dining Dollars so you have enough for finals. Suggestions of places to rent your textbooks, look for scholarships, and much, much more are here for you. 

Free Food at UR

This GroupMe group is all about leftovers from events that, if picked up promptly, will keep the food from going to waste and a hungry belly from buying an extra snack at ETC. Download the app and join it today here.

Free Stuff at UR

Another GroupMe group for folks who have things to give away that they don't need. Just created during the end of the spring semester, 2021, students exchanged everything from kitchen items, to furniture, to class books. If you need something, this could be a good place to ask. Download the app and join here.

UR Passport Fair

International Education is once again able to host the Passport Fair now that the State Department is traveling again! On October 6 they will fund any new passport for students (at any level) or any renewal. You don't have to know when you might use it, it will e good for 10 years. So get it free now! Use this link for registration as space is limited.

The Office of Scholars and Fellowships

Among many other scholarships, this office helps you apply for the Gilman Scholarship which helps low-income students get funding for study abroad. They can also help you apply for fully funded programs during college and after, like the Fulbright Scholarship which can fully fund you to do research, graduate work or teach English overseas for a year after you graduate. Make an appointment early to see what they can offer you. Learn more here.

Student Employment

There are dozens and dozens of jobs on campus that are available to students. For some, the department has to pay you using federal work-study money, so that needs to be part of your financial aid package. But many offices can pay you even if you aren't on work-study, and it's a great way to make some cash, to pay for incidentals or the occasional night out, and sometimes enough to really help you save up and pay some bills. Other benefits include getting to know university staff, who often take their student employees under their wings, offering hours that work around your class schedule, and teaching new skills and experiences that can go on your resume. Click on the student jobs website to see what is available. 

Financial Aid

The staff in the Financial Aid office are people you should get to know, especially if your family's, or your own, financial situation is unique, or in flux. You can make an appointment and develop a relationship with your advisor who can explain how things work, the pros and cons of taking out loans, how to refile the FAFSA, all of that confusing stuff. They work incredibly hard to try to be as generous and fair as possible, but if you are struggling, you should reach out and see what they can do. They are located in the Queally Center and you can find their website here.

Student Emergency Fund

Sometimes emergencies arise, like a death in the family, and you need money to travel home that you don't have budgeted. If something substantial and unforeseen arises, complete this form which will go to the Westhampton or Richmond College Dean's Office who will let you know if they can help.