Health Professions Student Emergency Support Fund

Emergencies that may be considered by the HPSEF include accidents, illness, death of a family member, fire damage or theft.

Permissible expenses may include (but are not limited to):

• Emergency travel costs related to a death or serious illness in the immediate family
• Medication or health costs not covered by insurance
• Childcare or other essential expenses due to illness
• Safety needs
• Replacement of essential personal belongings due to theft, fire or other natural disasters

Funding generally does not exceed $1,000 is subject to availability. Funds awarded through HPSEF are grants and do not need to be repaid. Contact the SMPH financial aid team at brianne.camacho@wisc.edu for additional financial support or guidance.

Not Typically Funded Expenses

HPSEF is intended for acute, unexpected emergencies that create an immediate barrier to continuing education or training.

Costs that are not typically funded include:

• Routine or anticipated expenses unrelated to emergencies (e.g., standard vehicle maintenance, recurring bills)
• Costs that can reasonably be planned for or addressed through existing financial aid mechanisms

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for funding, applicants must:

• Be an enrolled SMPH health professions student
• Experience a temporary financial hardship resulting from an emergency, accident or other critical incident
• Provide documentation of expenses directly tied to the emergency (e.g., receipts, estimates)

Application Process

1. Submit the application
   • Complete the online application form
2. Allow time for review
   • The HPSEF Committee will review applications within 3–5 business days
   • Applications submitted over weekends or university holidays may experience delays
3. Watch for notification
   • You will be notified of the committee’s decision via email, typically within one week of submission
4. Prepare for disbursement
   • Make sure you are enrolled in eRefunding via your MyUW Portal
   • If eRefunding is not set up, checks will be mailed to the address on file in the MyUW Portal

Apply for Funding 

Review Process

Applications are reviewed by the HPSEF Committee in a blinded, de-identified manner. Administrators facilitate the process and coordinate disbursement, but they do not vote on requests.

Find answers to common questions about eligibility, timelines and documentation requirements in our Guidelines and FAQs (PDF).

Support This Fund

This fund is made possible through generous support from the Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association, SMPH faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

Contribute through the University of Wisconsin Foundation