Eligible Expenses

✅ Covered Costs:

• Utilities & Housing: past-due essential utilities, emergency lodging, or rent assistance to avoid eviction or unsafe housing. 

• Medical & Safety: emergency prescriptions, unexpected medical costs, or urgent safety-related needs such as lock changes.

• Academic & Transportation: emergency textbook replacement or urgent vehicle repairs necessary for commuting to school or work.

• Other Emergencies: travel related to a family emergency or replacement of essential belongings due to theft, fire, flood, or natural disaster.

🚫 Not Covered:

• Routine bills (e.g., car payments, credit cards, personal loans)

• Non-essential utilities (e.g., cable, streaming services)

• Non-emergency travel, entertainment, or recreation

• Tuition, student fees, study abroad costs, fraternity/sorority dues, or other enrollment-related costs

• Legal expenses, parking fines, or unrelated personal costs

• Expenses caused by overspending or non-emergency financial choices

Eligiblility Requirements

Students may receive up to $500 in emergency aid during their academic career. Payments are processed after the census date for the semester, and requests must be submitted before final exams week to be considered.

Eligibility includes enrollment in an eligible degree-seeking program at NMSU-Las Cruces, an active Scholar Dollar application, and enrollment at least part-time in a degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate program. Students must also meet minimum GPA requirements: 2.0 for undergraduate students or 3.0 for graduate students.

Requests are reviewed in the order received and approved based on eligibility and available funds.

Required Documentation

Students must provide relevant documentation, such as:

• Past-due utility notices

• Eviction notices or proof of sudden housing loss

• Repair estimates from licensed mechanics

• Proof of residence in a disaster-declared area

• Police reports (for theft or safety concerns)

• Medical invoices or pharmacy receipts

• Death certificate, obituary, or funeral home documentation (for family emergency travel)

⚠️ Additional Eligibility Note ⚠️

Emergency aid funding is limited and cannot be used for every type of expense. At this time, emergency aid cannot be used for international travel, repatriation expenses, visa-related costs, immigration filing fees, or other expenses connected to the visa process.

International students are generally expected to demonstrate financial capacity to support their education, travel, and living expenses while studying at New Mexico State University. Because of this, emergency aid is not intended to replace those required financial resources.

Emergency aid payments are not paid directly to students. When funding is approved, Student Assistance Services must pay an approved vendor or third party directly. Because of this, reimbursement requests and expenses that require direct payment to the student cannot be considered.

When emergency aid cannot be provided, Student Assistance Services may still be able to help students explore other campus or community resources.

For additional information and support options, students may also visit NMSU’s Undocumented Student Resources page.

How to Apply

If you are facing an unexpected financial hardship, we encourage you to reach out to Student Assistance Services to discuss your situation and explore available resources. Please email saservices@nmsu.edu to provide your Aggie ID number, details about your request, and any relevant documentation. Our team will work with you to determine eligibility and guide you through the next steps.

Location:
NMSU Dean of Students Office
Corbett Center Student Union, Room 207
Las Cruces, NM 88003

For questions, call 575-646-1722 during business hours. Student Assistance Services responds within 24-48 hours, excluding weekends.