Purpose

The Yale Law School Safety Net is intended to assist law students who face unanticipated, unforeseen, and unavoidable financial hardship that would likely impact or hinder academic progress. This funding is intended primarily for emergency circumstances and priority is given to students with the highest levels of financial need. In general, the fund does not cover recurring expenses; instead, it is intended for students who cannot reasonably resolve an immediate financial difficulty through other means. The funding is a one-time award and does not require repayment.

Please Note: The YLS Safety Net can be used to cover unforeseen expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility

The fund is open to all students registered full-time and in good standing in a degree program at Yale Law School. Applicants should be prepared to explain why other reasonably likely sources of support are not an option.

Some examples of potentially eligible expenses include emergency medical or dental expenses; replacement of essential personal belongings or temporary housing due to an emergency; travel costs due to an unexpected crisis, serious illness or death in the immediate family; and expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Application Process

The applicant must provide a brief statement describing the emergency situation or one-time, unusual or unforeseen expense and the total dollar amount of emergency funds being requested (or their best estimate). The statement should note when the funds are required.

The student should provide a budget detailing the amount of emergency funding requested, a list of specific expenses to be covered by the award, and the student’s financial situation, including non-law school sources of income and savings.

The student should provide documentation of expenses already charged such as copies of billing statements or receipts. If the student receives an award prior to incurring some or all of the expenses, the student should obtain and submit documentation of those expenses.

Please note that these documentation requirements are flexible, and students are encouraged to provide as much information and documentation as they have available at the time of submission, and to provide updates as they become available.

All of the application materials (statement, budget, and documentation of expenses) should be sent by email to ylssafetynet@yale.edu. These materials should be included as attachments to the email.

If you require funds within 24 hours please complete as many of the application requirements as possible, submit them as set out above, and then forward that email to Joe Crosby, Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration (joseph.crosby@yale.edu), Miriam Ingber, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid (miriam.ingber@yale.edu), Jacqueline Outlaw, Director of Financial Aid (jacqueline.outlaw@yale.edu), and Roselyn Llanos-Robles, Financial Aid Counselor (roselyn.llanos-robles@yale.edu).

Review Process

Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis once the application is complete, and if approved, may be granted in whole or in part. Priority will be given based on the urgency of the situation, the student’s overall financial situation and level of hardship, and whether other resources and support available to the student have been utilized.

Applications are accepted until the fund is exhausted. All information provided will remain confidential.

Repayment

The award does not require repayment. If any of the amount awarded is not needed for its intended purpose, it must be returned.