Postdoc/ARS Hardship Support Fund
*The next application cycle will open from March 1-15, 2025.*
The Columbia University Postdoc/ARS Hardship Support Fund provides financial assistance to Employees, covered under the collective bargaining agreement, with a temporary hardship due to an unexpected medical emergency (e.g., medical, dental, prescription, and vision expenses for themselves or their covered dependents causing financial hardship) or other unanticipated expenses causing financial hardship. Hardship Support Fund awards are grants that reimburse actual expenses. These awards are not loans and are not repaid. However, they may be taxable.
The Hardship Support Fund will reimburse payments to Employees for up to $5,000 per academic year (July 1 to June 30). Non-medical reimbursements are taxable. Expenses must be incurred within the current academic year (and submitted no later than the deadline for the submission period immediately after the close of the academic year) to be reimbursed and no carryover of expenses into following year is permitted. No reimbursements are made for the prior year in the current year. For each application period, reimbursement requests should be limited to expenses incurred since the beginning of the immediately preceding application period. Each request is considered on its own merits, and not all requests will be funded. Any determinations made by the University concerning the eligibility of Employees or the distribution of funds shall not be grievable. At the conclusion of each academic year, the Union and the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs and Early Career Research (OPA) will evaluate the utilization of the Hardship Support Fund.
For details on how to apply, please scroll to the bottom of the page.