The Stay Black and Gold Emergency Fund provides short-term financial assistance for current UMBC students who find it difficult or impossible to continue their education due to an emergency or sudden unforeseen circumstances. Resources for the Stay Black and Gold Fund are aimed at helping current UMBC students continue their education and will support UMBC tuition/fees only. Funding is limited and priority consideration is given to students who have taken full advantage of other aid options.

The Fall 2021 application period is now closed. Applications for Spring 2022 will be available via the Scholarship Retriever Tool in January 2022.

To be eligible for the Stay Black and Gold Emergency fund, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student at UMBC
• In good academic standing with the University, 2.5 GPA or higher
• At least 12 credit hours completed at the time of application
• Must have a current FAFSA on file with UMBC Financial Aid and demonstrate high financial need.
• Must have exhausted all other financial aid options to include all grant and federal loan options. Students with available aid options will not be considered.
• Demonstrate a clearly defined *emergency or unexpected situation*. Please note failure to clearly demonstrate a financial emergency or unexpected loss of income will cause applications to not be considered. Students experiencing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic should contact Financial Aid for additional information regarding Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
• Students may only receive one Stay Black and Gold Emergency grant during their time at UMBC. Students previously awarded will not be considered.