The Office of Global Programs at Penn State Abington offers emergency funding (subject to availability and application approval) up to $1000 (not exceeding) per international student applied per academic year. The funds are available to international students who are currently enrolled at the Abington campus. The fund is one-time aid. The deadline for Spring 2023 funds is February 6, 2023.

This funding is intended to be a supplemental financial resource when students are unable to meet immediate and essential expenses because of emergency situations. Students may apply for the fund when they have exhausted all other resources (for example, We Are All Penn State Fund, etc.). Students can receive help from both Abington and University Park fund sources if eligible.

Definition an International Student

Penn State has the following definition of an international student: “You are an international student if you require any type of visa to attend Penn State. This includes students living inside and outside the United States”.

Academic Years

The funds provide support to international students who face a financial emergency during the academic year.

Funds are granted for: 

  1. War, violence, or political unrest that destabilizes the business and economy of a student’s home country; 
  2. Recorded natural disaster that significantly damaged the business and economy of the area of student’s origin; 
  3. The death and/or severe illness of the financial provider as shown on the financial documents submitted by the student as supporting material for the I-20/DS-2019 process;
  4. Infectious diseases outbreaks;
  5. Victim of a crime or a student in a dangerous situation due to acts of violence or other victimization; 
  6. Traveling of a student or a student's belongings home due to family emergency, crisis, or death;
  7. Other emergency (temporary emergency housing and meals due to displacement by fire/flood or other unforeseen environmental hazard, otherwise not provided by the University). 

Funds are not granted for: 

Non-emergency, normal and anticipated academic expenses (tuition, housing, fees, health insurance, and books), library fines, parking tickets, alcohol and drug related offenses, fines and legal fees, car repairs, costs for entertainment, recreation, or non-emergency travel/travel over breaks (Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring, Summer), student conferences, expenditures resulting from poor financial management, phones, computer replacement due to negligence or other expenses mistakenly incurred or preventable expenses.

If the student still owes a tuition balance, any emergency funds that are posted to the student's account will go toward the outstanding tuition and will not reach the student directly. 

To apply, international students must meet the following criteria: 

  • Be currently enrolled at Abington campus
  • Demonstrate financial need as a result of extreme unforeseen circumstances (see above)
  • All other resources are insufficient or unavailable
  • Must be in valid academic and immigration status
  • $0 tuition balance due on their semester bill
  • Applicants must complete online application and submit supporting documentation

The following supporting materials documenting the emergency should be attached to the application: 

  • Copies of news coverage of the situation and evidence that your or your financial guarantor’s situation has been significantly impacted by it and that the guaranteed payment cannot be provided.
  • In the event of the death of the financial guarantor, a copy of the official document should be provided.
  • In the event of a severe illness, the student’s guarantor that states he/she is medically unable to carry on his/her business and can no longer guarantee payment. Additionally, a support letter from the financial guarantor’s hospital or doctor should be provided if possible. 

Use of Emergency Fund: 

The emergency funding can only be applied and used under the supervision of the Office of Global Programs that will make all necessary financial transactions. Only students who meet the eligibility criteria and submitted all required information and supporting documentation will be taken into consideration. Not all qualified applicants will be granted the funds due to the limit of funding available. The selection process is overseen by the Emergency Funding for International Students Committee that consists of Global Advisory Board and Global Programs staff. The Committee reserves the right to request additional documentation and interview. 

The following factors will be considered: 

  • The nature and urgency of the student's emergency;
  • Other resources or support available or not to the student;
  • The impacts the emergency may be having on the student's wellbeing, living, academics and immigration status;
  • Other information provided by third parties, such as advisors, professors and staff at PSU Abington. 

Process: 

  1. The student applies for the fund using an online application via Forms (posted on PSU Abington website/Information for International Students). Application deadline – third week of each semester (Fall/Spring).
  2. The applications are reviewed by the Global Advisory Board.
  3. After the application have been reviewed, Emergency Grant Point of Contact (Global Education Coordinator, GEC, Olga Moskaleva) reaches out to the International Student Advisor, ISA, Dagmara Karnowski, and, International Student Success Specialist, ISSS, Melanie Boston, to discuss applicants’ compliance and academic standing.
  4. After applicants are approved by ISA, GEC and ISSS, the Director of the Office of Global Programs, Dr. Angela Jeon-Huh, and the Chancellor confirm fund recipients.
  5. Financial Aid Office awards funds to the students’ bursar accounts. 

Online Application 

International Students Emergency Funding is administered by the Office of Global Programs Penn State Abington and provides emergency funding assistance to a limited number of qualified international students. Amounts granted are subject to availability of funds per academic year. The applicant may not receive a full amount requested. The granted amount will be awarded by Financial Aid Office to the student's bursar account. For more information, please see International Students Emergency Funding Guidelines. Application deadline – third week of each semester (Fall/Spring). 

The online application is available here.