The Academic Resilience Fund was formed by CUSA to assist students experiencing urgent financial need due to unforeseen circumstances that jeopardize academic success. Applicants may be awarded a grant of either $200 or $400, depending on their financial circumstances. Individuals deemed to be in an exceptional circumstance may obtain a disbursement of up to $600*. An emergency grant awarded through the CUSA Academic Resilience Fund will be a one-time payment, and applicants must be a registered undergraduate student during the academic year in which they apply.

All information collected in the application process for the CUSA Academic Resilience Fund will be kept strictly confidential and only used for assessment purposes. Personal data and data which could lead to the identification of an applicant will be separated and/or redacted from applications before they are considered by the Academic Resilience Fund Committee. Application data will only be shared with relevant Committee professionals, and you will be asked in advance if the committee thought it would be helpful to connect you to additional resources with the data submitted. All information collected will be erased following the end of the tax reporting period for the calendar year in which the application was considered by the Committee.

Please note this form functions best when it is filled out in one sitting. It may be better to prepare your answers and documents before beginning the form, and refreshing the page before filling in the form to ensure the submission process works properly the first time you submit.

Unfortunately, the CUSA Academic Resilience Fund can only assist undergraduate students.

The deadline for applications to the Hardship Fund is April 1, 2022.

Terms and Conditions

  • All grants are taxable income, and a tax receipt will be issued to recipients of the grant.
  • Grants will be disbursed on a case-by-case basis by a Selection Committee composed of the Student Groups Administrator, the Services Manager, the VP Finance of CUSA and two members of the CUSA council.
  • Grants will be awarded on a “first-come, first-serve basis,” albeit priority will be given to students capable of providing supporting documents to substantiate their claims or are ineligible for government benefits such as the Canadian Recovery Benefit (CRB) or Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB).
  • A maximum of $600 will be awarded per student in each academic year.

Please note: applications not completed in full will not be considered for funding. All forms should be filled in, and a budget attached.

*It may take up to 2 weeks to process an application and send an email money transfer to approved applicants.

Apply Now

  1. Download and complete the Fall Budget Worksheet
  2. Fill out the application (please note: there will be an option to upload your Fall Budget Worksheet in the application)

*Both items must be completed in full and submitted to be considered for financial assistance