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Center for Essential Needs

Financial Resources


Emergency Grants

This short term help can be used for essential items, including housing, utilities, and other unexpected expenses. You will be asked to provide an itemized list and to upload the receipts you are asking for assistance with. We also will confirm your eligibility with financial aid. Once we have all the necessary documentation and financial aid has determined your eligibility, your application will be sent to a committee for final review. 

Emergency grants are available to:

  • Undergraduate students.
  • Graduate students.
  • International students.
  • Undocumented students.

Students must:

  • Be currently enrolled in 9+ units at Fresno State.
  • GPA minimum 2.0.
  • Complete the CEN Assistance Form.
  • Participate in a brief needs assessment with a case manager or housing navigator if their application is incomplete.
  • Emergency grant recipients must also complete a pre-survey to help us evaluate the impact of our services, in alignment with reporting requirements from the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

Grant Limits:

  • Students may receive up to $1,000 per calendar year through the Good Samaritan Emergency Grant.
  • Grant eligibility and availability are subject to change based on current funding levels.

All financial support provided will be reported to Financial Aid and may affect your cost of attendance, unless it has been designated by Financial Aid as emergency assistance.

Complete Assistance Form



Additional Resources

In order to be considered for a Fresno State scholarship, students must be a continuing student or a new student who has applied for admission for the 2024/2025 academic year. All scholarship applicants must use their MyFresnoState login username and password to access the scholarship application and/or the scholarship directory for current year opportunities.

Please be prepared to provide two different personal statements. One statement is to give you an opportunity to tell us important things about yourself that are not addressed or apparent in the application. The second statement is regarding your career objectives.

Apply for scholarships

To aid college students living with serious illness and injury, so that they may continue working toward their educational goals. Each year we provide grants for uncovered medical costs, medical technology, educational costs and living expenses.

More information