About the Carolina Cares Fund
The Carolina Cares Student Emergency Fund provides short-term financial assistance to help students remain enrolled and focused on their academic goals during moments of unexpected hardship. The fund is not intended to be used for routine expenses or as a consistent supplement to a student’s education funding sources. Typically, the maximum award is $2,000.
Eligibility
Any student, undergraduate or graduate, in need of support who has exhausted all options for financial assistance is eligible to apply. Applications will be considered by the review committee as funding is available.
Not all students who apply are guaranteed funds, decisions are based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to availability of funds, the nature of the emergency and documentation. Once funds have been exhausted during a semester, all requests will be denied, but students may apply again the following semester.
Carolina Cares funds cannot be used for tuition.
Examples of covered expenses:
- Personal unexpected medical or mental health emergencies including medications
- Rent and utilities in case of emergency. For example, if you are hospitalized and unable to work and cannot pay rent.
- Course materials like textbooks, access codes, lab materials
- Personal safety needs (e.g. changing a lock)
- Replacement of essential personal belongings due to natural disaster, fire, theft, or other unforeseen circumstance
- Transportation/commuting costs
How to Apply
- Read eligibility section on Carolina Cares fund webpage to verify your eligibility.
- Collect documentation to support your funding request (examples: Medical billing statement, rent/utilities billing statement, textbook pricing, lab material cost quote,
lock change invoice, FEMA documentation from a natural disaster, car repair bill).
We strongly encourage advisement on appropriate documentation by staff with the Care Team, Student Success Center, or Student Advocacy. You can reach them at:- Care Team Coordinator - careteam@mailbox.sc.edu
- Student Success Center - SASSC@mailbox.sc.edu
- Student Advocacy - Studentadvocacy@sc.edu
- Submit an online application
- If application is sent back because additional supporting documentation is needed, reach out to a Care Team Coordinator, a Student Success team member, or the office of Student Advocacy for assistance with documentation.
- After adding additional supporting documentation, resubmit your application via your Dynamic Forms application link.
*Requests for assistance are ongoing throughout the year, the availability of funding can vary. When funding is limited, our team works quickly to secure additional support so we can continue meeting student needs. We invite those interested in strengthening this important resource to consider making a contribution.
Timeline
Funding decisions will be made as expeditiously as possible, but please be aware the request must go through both the committee and Financial Aid. If awarded funds, you will receive a letter indicating the amount awarded. The funds are then dispersed in 7-10 business days through the Bursar (retrievable through my.sc.edu).
Support the Carolina Cares Fund
The Carolina Cares Fund provides support for students who are facing hardship in emergency situations or unanticipated life events that could affect their studies at the University of South Carolina. We invite you to make a one-time or recurring gift using the link below to help ensure this critical resource remains available to students throughout the year. If you are interested in exploring ways to support this initiative at a deeper level, please contact Scott McDonald, csm4@mailbox.sc.edu or Rebecca Lancaster, rlancaster@sc.edu
Click Give Now, then under Choose Fund(s), select Student Affairs and Academic Support and Carolina Cares Fund.