UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program for Students

About the Program

UCSF students (who are currently enrolled, registered, and paying tuition/fees) are eligible to receive up to $1,000 for critical, temporary, and unforeseen financial hardships that result from the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds are for needs over and beyond prior, baseline expenses and priority will be placed on those with the greatest need.

Financial grants do not need to be repaid and are not taxable, since COVID-19 is a “federally declared disaster” issued by the President of the United States, and the payments are therefore considered “qualified disaster relief payments” under section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Information about how to donate to the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program, as well as how to apply, are detailed below.

Who is eligible?

UCSF students who meet the criteria below are eligible to apply to the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program:

• Currently enrolled, registered, and paying tuition/fees at the time of a grant request.
• Not employed by UCSF in a position of 0.5 or greater with continuous UCSF service of six (6) months or longer.
• Have eligible expenses that have been incurred on or after March 13, 2020.
• Must not have already received funds paid by insurance (or other parties) for the reimbursement of the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program.

Each student can request up to a cumulative total of $1,000 in financial assistance from the COVID-19 Relief Fund annually. A student who submitted an application that received less than the total $1,000 amount, may submit another application to receive the remainder. A student who received $1,000 in the first round cannot apply at this time.

An individual cannot receive funding from both the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program and a donor-restricted source of funding for COVID-19 qualified disaster relief at UCSF.

What are allowable expenses?

The UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program was established to address critical, temporary, and unforeseen financial hardships that result from the COVID-19 crisis. Funds are for needs over and beyond prior, baseline expenses and priority will be placed on those with the greatest need. Funds will only be approved for the following expenses:

• Dependent care
  • For example, the incremental cost of a camp or babysitter used during the pandemic because schools are closed versus the cost of before-care and after-care school programs used previously.
  • For example, a dependent is now living with you as a result of the pandemic and you need to pay for in home care support for the dependent
• Transportation and parking
  • For example, the incremental cost of paying for a UCSF parking permit used during the pandemic versus a monthly MUNI pass and BART fare used previously.
  • For example, travel to care for a close relative that has/had COVID-19.
• Temporary accommodations for quarantine or isolation
  • For example, the cost of a hotel room needed by staff to be close to a UCSF work site or for staff who are required to be in frequent direct contact with other people at work, which causes increased risk to their family members if together in one residence.
• Housing payments
  • ​For example, needing to pay a higher amount of the household rent or mortgage since household members are out of work due to COVID-19.
• Uninsured medical expenses of a close relative related to COVID-19
  • For example, testing for COVID and co-pays for COVID treatments.
• Funeral expenses for a close relative that has died as a result of COVID-19
  • A close relative is defined as a partner, child, parent, sibling, or grandparent. Other relatives will be considered if a pattern of dependent care is established

Eligible expenses must have been incurred on or after March 13, 2020.

What is not eligible?

• Utilities
• Food or groceries
• Lost wages or decrease in hours worked
• Office equipment, including furniture, computers, printers, telephone devices, etc.
• Office supplies, including paper and printer toner
• Internet costs, including Wi-Fi upgrades and wiring
• Funds will not be approved for any expenses that are paid for by insurance or other reimbursements.

What is the Application Process?

Applications are submitted online and require the following information:

• Personal information, including your student ID, and contact information.
• Confirmation of your eligibility for the program.
• Description of your critical, temporary, and unforeseen financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Clearly articulate how needs are over and beyond prior, baseline expenses.
• Confirmation of the accuracy of your application information and attestation that you will use the funding to cover the expenses for which you have applied, and will return any funding if the expenses are paid for or reimbursed by another party.
• Receipts/documentation need not be submitted, but you must be able to provide such records showing how the funds were used if asked to do so.

Apply online now

How are funds awarded?

The UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program Review Committee in Student Financial Services, will review applications in the order they are received, with the goal of providing each recipient a meaningful amount of funding while stretching the resources as far as possible. Each student can apply for up to a cumulative total of $1,000 in financial assistance from the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program annually.

Funding is not guaranteed to all who apply. Funding is awarded on a case-by-case basis and is contingent upon availability of funds in the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program account. Given the limited amount of funds available, requests may be fully funded up to a $1,000 limit, partially funded, or not funded at all.

Approved funds will be paid by direct deposit if direct deposit has been set up for your, otherwise a paper check will be mailed to the home address we have on file.

Do I need to repay money received from the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program?

Funding from the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program is awarded as a grant and repayment is not expected. You will be expected to return your grant only if the expenses that were applied for are paid for or reimbursed from another party or fund source.

Do I need to submit receipts for expenses incurred?

Receipts/documentation need not be submitted. However, if asked to do so, you must be able to provide receipts or other documentation demonstrating how the funds were used in accordance with your application and the requirements of the program. Failure do so may make the grant taxable income to you.

How long will the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program be available?

The UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program begins immediately, and funds will be available until contributions are exhausted or the federal disaster declaration expires.

Whom do I contact for questions?

UCSF Student Financial Services oversees the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program for students. For questions, please email [email protected].

UCSF employees of all appointment types (including Staff, Postdocs, Residents and Fellows, Students, Faculty and Non-Faculty Academics) who meet the criteria below are eligible to apply to the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program here instead:

• Have a current, total base salary or stipend of $95,000 and less;
• Are either (1) currently employed by UCSF in a position of 0.5 FTE or greater, or (2) on temporary layoff status or approved Leave of Absence from a position of 0.5 FTE or greater; and
  • Per Diem hours and percentage of time is calculated by the hours worked in a 6-month period; and
• Have a temporary financial hardship because of the COVID-19 situation;

Each employee can request up to a cumulative total of $1,000 in financial assistance from the COVID-19 Relief Fund annually. An employee who submitted an application that received less than the total $1,000 amount, may submit another application to receive the remainder. An employee who received $1,000 in the first round cannot apply at this time.

An individual cannot receive funding from both the UCSF COVID-19 Relief Program and a donor-restricted source of funding for COVID-19 qualified disaster relief at UCSF.