The Charles Kunkle Emergency Loan Fund is administered by the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown. The health, safety and security of our Pitt-Johnstown students is paramount. The fund, to be administered at the direction of the President and the Vice President of Student Affairs, will be used to provide financial support for degree-seeking students of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with unanticipated expenses related to emergency situations that may result in students facing financial hardship.
Expenses Covered by the Fund
Examples of emergency expenses to be considered include, but are not limited to:
Medical necessities
Food insecurity
Unexpected transportation and travel expenses
Overdue utility bills reaching a turn-off notice
Homelessness, sudden loss of housing, or imminent eviction
Loss of childcare
Academic supplies and technology repair or support
Financial hardship due to loss of student or parent employment, or significant reduction of wages/hours. Financial hardship could include inability to pay rent and/or utilities, food insecurities, etc.
Up to $300 may be requested
Expenses Not Covered by the Fund
Tuition, fees, health insurance, and study abroad costs
Non-essential personal bills such as: current utility, credit card, cable, cell phone, etc.
Parking tickets, library fines, or other expenses mistakenly incurred
Funds for the replacement of lost or stolen items
Eligibility Requirements
Any Pitt-Johnstown student may apply for emergency funds. Each applicant must meet the following criteria:
Demonstrate financial hardship
Experience an emergency, accident, illness, or other unforeseen event among the “covered” examples above
Be currently enrolled or enrolled in the next upcoming Fall or Spring semester
Applicants must complete all questions in full and submit any justification and supporting documentation as the situation allows. Examples of supporting documentation include but are not limited to:
Documentation showing loss of employment or significant reduction of wages
Eviction notice
Utility bills indicating shut-off notice
Medical bills
Some holds will prevent the loan from processing. Please review all holds prior to applying.
Students with non-emergency financial hardships that do not qualify for the Kunkle Emergency Loan Fund, including student account balances, are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office (814-269-7045 or upjaid@pitt.edu) directly to discuss their situation and talk about possible aid options.
Application Process
Applications may be submitted at any time. Once your application is approved, you will receive an email from UPJBills@pitt.edu. A response is required to confirm acceptance of the loan and agree to repayment terms.
The maximum emergency loan allocation to a student will be $300. Payment will be distributed as soon as possible consistent with University policies and procedures. Loan awards will be directly applied to the student’s PittPAY account.
Students should set up eRefunds in PittPAY.
How Do I Sign Up for Direct Deposit (eRefunds)?
Log onto PittPAY from the Student PittPAY Login at payments.pitt.edu.
Select the eRefund tab.
Enter your bank routing and account information
Once you save the information, you will receive a confirmation email from PittPAY.