Emergency Financial Aid

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Emergency Financial Aid

Emergency financial aid is only available to currently enrolled UO international students. 

ISSS Financial Resources

Emergency financial aid (EFA)

ISSS offers limited emergency financial aid each term to currently enrolled F and J international students with unexpected, short-term financial problems. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is usually limited to one term.

To quality, you must: 

  • Be a current F or J international student enrolled in a degree program, and at least in their 2nd year of their program
  • Be making satisfactory progress toward completion of your degree requirements (minimum GPA of 2.0) 
  • Be in F or J non-immigrant visa status and ineligible to receive U.S. federal financial aid 
  • Be able to show unexpected changes in your financial circumstances that have negatively impacted your ability to cover the unexpected expense
  • Be able to provide a realistic plan for paying future expenses 

What are the limitations to EFA? 

  • EFA is not ordinarily given to students who are still in the first year of their academic program 
  • EFA funds are very limited and there is no guarantee that every applicant will receive an award 
  • Demonstrated financial need is a required factor to be considered for emergency financial aid 
  • Awards, if given, are not renewable and are for a single term only. 

How to Apply 

Emergency financial aid applications are reviewed only once per term. The following process is used to decide financial aid awards: 

  1. Schedule an appointment and meet with an international student advisor to discuss your financial situation. You can schedule an appointment by calling 541-346-3206. Remote appointments are also available.  
  2. Submit the online EFA application no later than 5pm on Monday of Week 7 of the term in which you are requesting financial aid. 

The ISEFA committee will meet by the end of Week 7 of each term to make a decision on your application. You will be notified of the decision by email once the decision is made. If you are granted an award, the emergency aid will be credited to your UO student account within 3 business days after the decision is made. 

severe economic hardship

This is a type of employment authorization for F-1 students suffering economic hardship due to “severe, unforeseen economic necessity.” Severe economic hardship employment allows off-campus employment up to twenty hours per week while school is in session, full-time (over 20 hours per week) during vacation periods. The off-campus employment can be in any area; the work does not have to be related to your major.

If you are suffering a severe economic hardship due to unforeseen changes in your financial circumstances, you may apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for authorization to work off-campus.

Examples of unforeseen circumstances

  • Loss of financial support or on-campus employment
  • Substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate
  • Inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs
  • Unexpected changes in the financial condition of your source of support, such a loss of a family business
  • Excessive medical bills

About authorized employment

  • The employment authorization is granted by USCIS in increments of one year at a time.
  • The authorization allows you to work for any employer up to 20 hours per week while you are registered full-time.
  • It also allows you to work more than 20 hours per week during quarter breaks and your annual vacation quarter.
  • This employment does not affect your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
  • Employment authorization is automatically terminated if you graduate, fail to maintain status, or transfer to another school.

Eligibility

  • You have been in F-1 status for one full academic year;
  • You are in good standing as a student;
  • You are carrying a full course of study;
  • Acceptance of employment will not interfere with your carrying a full course of study;
  • The employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control; and
  • On-campus employment is unavailable or is not sufficient to meet the needs that have arisen due to the unforeseen circumstances.

How to apply

Schedule an appointment with an ISSS advisor by calling 541-346-3206. After your ISSS appointment, submit a Severe Economic Hardship request at iconnect.uoregon.edu.

Gather the application documents to mail to USCIS:

  • Form I-765 (write (c)(3)(iii) in item 16)
  • Form I-765 filing fee paid by money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  • Photocopy of Form I-20, with your ISSS advisor’s recommendation for economic hardship employment
  • Two passport-sized photos
  • Photocopy of I-94 card (front and back)
  • A letter describing your financial difficulties and why on-campus employment opportunities are unavailable or insufficient; include supporting evidence
  • Photocopy of passport identification page
  • Photocopy of visa page
  • Photocopies of any previously-issued EAD cards

After you receive your updated I-20 from ISSS, make a copy. Include the copy of your new I-20 along with the other documents listed above.

Review the USCIS mailing instructions to find the correct filing location.

Application processing times vary between two to four months. Do not begin working until you receive the Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Additional Filing Information

Filing Fee and Fee Waivers

The I-765 application for Severe Economic Hardship employment authorization requires a filing fee made payable by check or money order to the “US Department of Homeland Security”.

If the student is unable to pay the filing fee, the student can request a fee waiver on the basis of financial hardship. However, USCIS examines fee waivers closely and fee waivers may not be approved. If USCIS rejects a request for a fee waiver, the I-765 application packet will be returned to the student and the student will be required to re-file the application with the appropriate filing fee.

To request a fee waiver, go to http://www.uscis.gov/i-912 and download USCIS Form I-912. Follow USCIS’s instructions for completing Form I-912. Include the completed Form I-912 instead of the filing fee with your I-765 application packet.

Documenting Severe Economic Hardship

To document unforeseen circumstances, the student must write a letter that explains

  • The nature of the unforeseen circumstances and how they led to severe financial hardship
  • The student’s good-faith efforts to find on-campus employment or other resources to assist with educational costs
  • The student’s commitment and ability to continue full-time studies

The student is also strongly recommended to attach supporting documents. Supporting documents will vary depending on the nature of the student’s financial hardship. Examples include:

  • Evidence of currency fluctuations or home country economic, civil, or political crisis (printouts from currency web sites, news articles, etc.)
  • Evidence that the student lost financial aid or on-campus employment due to no fault on the part of the student (e.g., letters, copies of emails or communications from supervisor / scholarship provider)
  • Evidence of financial sponsor’s or student’s unexpected medical bills (e.g., a letter from the financial sponsor, copies of medical or doctor bills)
  • Evidence of other events negatively affecting the student’s ability to pay for educational costs

Maintaining F-1 Status While Engaged in Severe Economic Hardship Employment

If you are approved for Severe Economic Hardship employment, you may work off-campus for any employer for the time period indicating on your Employment Authorization (EAD) card. However, during this time, you must also maintain F-1 student status.

  • Continue to enroll full-time and make normal progress toward degree completion
  • Do not work until you have received your Employment Authorization (EAD) card and until the EAD card start date has been reached.
  • Stop work once your EAD card expires, you transfer to another school, or your F-1 status ends, whichever comes first.

Severe Economic Hardship employment authorization is typically granted for up to one year or until the end of your program, whichever comes first. You may apply for renewal of this type of authorization as long as you can demonstrate that you continue to suffer from economic hardship.

Once approved for Severe Economic Hardship employment, you are not required to report your employment information to the Office of International Affairs. However, we recommend that you check in with an international student advisor to discuss your employment and work plans to ensure that you can use your benefit effectively to help you with your economic hardship.

Short-term university loans

The University of Oregon has limited funds available for short-term emergency loans to current University of Oregon international students. A typical loan is approximately $200 - $300 and must be repaid within 90 days. For more information, please schedule an appointment with an International Student Advisor by calling 541-346-3206 or email, intl@uoregon.edu.

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Other Financial Resources

Dean of Students
The Students in Crisis Fund was created for currently enrolled, matriculated students who find themselves in a financial crisis that is or has the potential to negatively impact their enrollment and academic success at University of Oregon.
Division of Graduate Studies
The Graduate Student Assistance Fund program is designed to assist our graduate students facing financial hardship relating to a qualifying event (new child, medical issue, childcare expenses).

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Non-Monetary Support

Text Books

Knight Library

  • Textbooks are on loan for 2-4 hours of time for students who want to save money on purchasing books. Check with the library for what books are available, but they typically stock the expensive books for large classes.
  • There are 24 hour lockers available for students to use in the library stairwell. The code is programed into the lockers for students to store their things for free.

Text Book Subsidy

To apply for a textbook subsidy each term, go to https://basicneeds.uoregon.edu.

Student Food Pantry

The Basic Needs program operates a student food pantry every week. Go to https://basicneeds.uoregon.edu.

Emergency Food Pantry System program provided by Food for Lane County. An individual showing up at a food pantry location needs to declare his/her name and show evidence of residence, such as an utility bill.

Dental Work

If the Health Center is unable to meet your dental needs and you need additional dental work done check out the White Bird Clinic or Lane Dental Clinic for low cost dental services.

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