Everything you might ask us.

Approved student expenses

Approved uses include the following education-related and student-living costs:

• Housing & dorm essentials: Bedding (blankets, sheets, pillows), mattress pads, towels, desk lamps, or mini-fridges.
• Winter & campus apparel: Cold-weather gear needed for the student’s campus climate, including winter coats, boots, gloves, and professional attire for interviews.
• Campus & professional engagement: Membership dues for official campus organizations, professional societies, or student-led academic clubs.
• Global education & study abroad: Luggage, travel backpacks, passport/visa fees, and mandatory international health insurance.
• Study abroad living costs: Supplemental funds for food, local transit, and housing costs incurred while studying outside the student’s home campus.
• Technology & academic supplies: Laptop repairs, software subscriptions required for class, Wi-Fi hotspots, calculators, or printer ink.
• Daily needs & commuting: Groceries, campus dining gap payments, subway/bus passes, and gas money for commuting to class.

Prohibited expenses

The following items do not qualify for funding under our 501(c)(3) guidelines and cannot be funded under any circumstances:

• Family & guest travel: Airfare, hotels, or transit for parents, siblings, or guests to visit campus or attend the student’s graduation.
• Direct tuition & mandatory university fees: Any balance directly paid to the bursar’s office that is traditionally covered by standard financial aid.
• Entertainment & leisure: Concert or movie tickets, vacation travel (unrelated to study abroad), gym memberships outside of school, or streaming subscriptions.
• Fines, penalties, & legal fees: Campus parking tickets, library late fees, course registration penalties, or legal costs.
• Cash gifts to others: Using the funds to purchase gifts, loans, or financial support for friends, family members, or classmates.