Managed by the School of Law, this emergency fund provides limited financial assistance to enrolled law students facing immediate temporary financial hardship due to an emergency.

What are the eligibility requirements?

  • Applicants must be enrolled in a University of Georgia School of Law degree program as a JD (Juris Doctor) or LLM (Master of Laws) for the term in which the emergency aid is being requested.
  • Have temporary financial hardship resulting from an emergency.
  • Be in good academic standing and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress with the law school.
  • As requested, to be able to provide sufficient documentation of financial hardship.

How does the Emergency Fund help address financial hardships?

The Law School Emergency Fund is designed to support students experiencing urgent, unexpected financial adversities that directly affect their well-being and stability while they continue their education. This fund is reserved for students whose financial needs are personal in nature—such as housing insecurity, essential living expenses, medical emergencies, or other critical situations that directly affect them.

Types of Expenses that May Be Covered:

Financial hardships can arise from many different circumstances. The following is a list of expenses that may be eligible for emergency fund assistance, though this list is not exhaustive:

  • Replacement of essential personal belongings due to natural disaster, fire, theft, or other unforeseen events
  • Costs related to a death or serious illness in the immediate family
  • Personal safety needs (e.g., changing a lock)
  • Essential academic expenses
  • Medications or other health-related costs
  • Essential living expenses
  • Transportation issues that directly affect the student’s ability to attend school
  • Other sudden, unexpected financial needs

The expenses listed are examples that help clarify which situations may qualify for funding assistance. A student’s request may be considered eligible for Emergency Fund support for reasons such as: unexpected medical expenses; emergency housing needs (including risk of eviction or temporary homelessness); urgent transportation issues; repair of essential items needed for schoolwork (such as a laptop); or other unforeseen personal emergencies, like the theft of essential belongings.

Types of Expenses Not Covered:

These are situations where the need does not directly impact the student’s personal well-being or academic stability:

  • Sending money to family members (parents, siblings, extended family)
  • Paying bills or debts belonging to someone else
  • Voluntary financial commitments, like loans taken out on behalf of others
  • Academic program costs already covered by financial aid, unless a new, unexpected issue arises
  • Routine car maintenance not tied to an emergency

Please note: The Emergency Fund cannot support situations where students give money to family or others and then face hardship, because the fund is meant to cover the student’s own unexpected, unavoidable needs, not financial strain from supporting others.

The Application Process:

The Law School Emergency Fund application (Login Required) must be completed and submitted by the student in the MyGeorgiaLaw portal. As part of the process, students are required to explain how an emergency directly affects them and why assistance is needed, along with providing relevant documentation to support their request. The Review Committee will evaluate submitted applications and make a determination within 10 business days of receipt. However, staff from the law school's Student Affairs office and/or UGA's office of Student Care and Outreach may be in contact in the interim to see if there are additional, non-financial resources at UGA that may be of support. A listing of campus resources is available here (Login Required).

Applicants may be required to provide additional information or take further steps during the application review. Existing financial aid is considered when determining the award amount, and an unwillingness to take out loans does not constitute an emergency. While UGA Law aims to support as many students as possible with emergency funding, we are not able to grant every request or, in some cases, offer the full amount requested. 

You are also welcome to contact the law school's Director of Student Affairs, Chantelle Tickles, if you have any questions about your eligibility for emergency funds or need assistance accessing any other resources. Students experiencing financial strain are encouraged to meet with a law school staff member to ensure they receive the appropriate assistance. Additionally, UGA's Office of Student Care & Outreach is also available to discuss additional aid offered at UGA and in the wider Athens community.