Emergency Funding

Emergency Loan

The University of Victoria, through Student Awards and Financial Aid, has an emergency loan fund which provides short term assistance to students experiencing an unanticipated and urgent financial crisis. This includes, but is not limited to, exceptional personal living costs, and unexpected delays in government loans or other award funding.

Emergency Loans are not intended as a regular supplement or substitute for traditional forms of student financial aid such as government student assistance, scholarships, bursaries, family support etc. Therefore, all students applying for emergency funding are expected to have a reasonable financial plan in place to cover normal school expenses, including tuition and living expenses, at the beginning of each academic session.

Students applying for an Emergency Loan must be interviewed by a Financial Aid Officer and must sign a loan agreement. Law students may apply to the Faculty of Law for emergency funding.

To qualify applicants must:

• Be currently registered in a minimum 60% of a full course load (40% for students with a permanent disability) per term for undergraduate students.  For information on registration status for graduate students please refer to the definition of full time status as outlined in the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar.
• Be in good academic standing
• Have a demonstrated financial need and a secured source of repayment
• Have repaid any previous Emergency Loans

The due date of the Emergency Loan will be no more than 3 months following the date the loan is issued (including extensions). Overdue Emergency Loans will be subject to a 2% interest charge per month and students with unpaid loans will have a hold placed on their access to university services including the ability to register and/or transcripts. Students may only receive one Emergency Loan each academic year. Emergency Loans which remain unpaid more than 90 days will be submitted for collection.

Any students who have defaulted on previous Emergency Loans and/or gone to collection will have no further access to this fund.

Tuition Assistance Bursary

This fund was established by the Board of Governors in 1965, who at that time expressed concern that qualified students could not attend the University of Victoria because of serious financial difficulties. Specifically, the Board indicated:

1. that the Fund is intended to assist students who are in serious financial difficulty;
2. that applicants be interviewed by an officer of the University;
3. that students should not normally expect to receive assistance unless they meet the need criteria established by the B.C. Student Loan Program. Where there are special circumstances, appropriate consideration will be given, and each case will be judged on its own merits.

UVic Tuition Assistance Bursaries are awarded to students with exceptional financial need, and are intended to assist students completing their program; they are not intended for students commencing a UVic program. The recipient must be in good standing with UVic. A minimum sessional 2.0 GPA is required for undergraduate students. First preference will be given to those students facing exceptional circumstances beyond their control. Applicants whose need is caused by their own negligence resulting in bankruptcy or default may have no claim against this fund. Where the amount of the assessed award is insignificant relative to the total funds needed, no award will be made.

Application forms are only available after an appointment with a Financial Aid Officer in Student Awards & Financial Aid, Second Floor, University Centre.

Daniel Jacob Memorial Bursary

Through the initial generosity of the Alma Mater Society and the ongoing support of the University of Victoria Student's Society, a special fund has been established to commemorate Daniel Jacob, a student who died accidentally in November, 1981. The fund is open to all undergraduate students, regardless of citizenship, who have demonstrable financial need and who may otherwise be forced to postpone or discontinue the academic career.

Application forms are only available after an appointment with a Financial Aid Officer in Student Awards & Financial Aid, Second Floor, University Centre.