UMass Boston

Running out of money for college is a problem many students have to deal with. Cash Course has some ways you can cover your expenses if it happens to you.

Below are some resources that are available to you concerning your employment during COVID-19:  

Massachusetts COVID-19 Unemployment The federal Dept. of Labor recently clarified that PUA eligibility also applies to students who lost their work-study jobs due to COVID-19 (PUA benefits are retroactive). Apply 

*Some qualifications include being laid off during Covid-19 include: reduced hours, temporary workplace shutdown, or because of quarantine orders or directives or illness that prevents them from leaving their homes, or because they must care for a sick or quarantined family member. The state has waived the standard one week waiting period to receive payment.  

• PLEASE BE AWARE OF SCAMS DURING THIS TIME!!! Please see below for more info concerning scams and unemployment.
  • Multiple federal and state agencies are reporting an increase in fraudulent unemployment claims, apparently exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic.  This fraudulent activity seems to be particularly focused on public sector employees.  Within the UMass system, there have been several cases where unemployment claims have been fraudulently submitted to the state Department of Unemployment Assistance by unknown individuals posing as university employees.​
  • As the university is not able to file for unemployment on employees’ behalf, if an employee receives information (either via U.S. Mail or email) related to the filing of an unemployment claim that they did not submit, they should contact UMB HR and the DUA:​

The Office of Human Resources by email at HR@umb.edu ​

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance

1. Email at DUA-verify@mass.gov
2. Phone at 617-727-6771​
• Lastly, if employees receive claim information that they did not submit which contains their social security number, please also visit the Federal Trade Commission website, to learn more about how to protect your personal information, including a review of different monitoring options.

Below are some resources that are available to you concerning your housing during COVID-19: 

Rental Assistance Programs - Rental assistance programs provide financial aid to help low-income persons rent apartments other than apartments in public housing developments.

Housing Assistance under FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP) can provide financial help and direct services after a disaster. The program assists with housing needs not covered by insurance or provided by any other source. The program provides money, if you qualify, for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. To contact the FEMA Helpline call: 1-800-621-3362 (also for 711 & VRS) TTY 1-800-462-7585

The CARES Act offers some forms of mortgage relief for those experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus.

Mortgage Relief for Homeowners by "Fannie Mae" MORTGAGE RELIEF & DISASTER RESPONSE NETWORK FOR HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS Homeowners and renters across the country are experiencing the financial impacts of coronavirus, or COVID-19. We’re here to help. If Fannie Mae, Loan Lookup, owns your mortgage loan, or if you’re a tenant in a multifamily rental property financed by Fannie Mae, our relief options can help you feel safe at home.

Below are some resources that are available to you as a UMB student during COVID-19:

• Cares Act Emergency Grant Assistance to Students. The second application window for students to apply for the CARES Act Student Emergency Aid fund is now open. The online application is available today through Friday, August 14, at 5 p.m.  

  • Unfortunately, the federal rules do not include all students in this program. Those who are currently ineligible include:  
    Students who are enrolled in online-only programs and those that are not eligible for federal financial aid. If you do not qualify for The Cares Act you can apply for the Beacon Student Emergency Aid Application.  

• Emergency Aid – Beacon Student Emergency Aid Application - Provides small grants to students for temporary one-time emergency situations including those as a result of natural disasters, homelessness, food insecurity, or threats to a student's rights, educational access, or economic security caused by current and future federal, state, and local immigration policies. Joan Becker, Vice Provost of Academic Support Services & Undergraduate Studies, and Gail DiSabatino, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, oversee the fund.
• Financial Aid* – The Financial Aid Office is still operating fully online. Please reach out for further questions concerning your finances and COVID-19. Some FAQs can be found here as well concerning financial matters.
• Bursars Office* – The Bursars Office is still operating fully online. Please reach out for further questions concerning payments, forms, etc. during COVID-19.

*Please contact Financial Aid and the Bursars Office concerning help with a past due balance. You can find your Financial Aid counselor via this alphabetical list. Please contact Tighe Clements (tighe.clements@umb.edu) for any private loan concerns. You can look at your balance via WISER.

Below is a resource that are available to you as a veteran during COVID-19: 

Military Heroes Fund COVID-19 Emergency Financial Relief Program The COVID-19 Emergency Financial Relief Program was created to provide financial assistance to all Veterans, Active Duty, Reserves and National Guard who are experiencing a financial setback due to the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation is prioritizing assistance to those who have lost their primary/only income or have an increased financial burden as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant amount will support 1 month of payment up to $1500 in the following areas:

o   Rent

o   Mortgage

o   Auto Loan/Lease

o   Utilities (Electric, Water, Heat)

Student During Covid-19

We strongly encourage you to reach out to your specific loan provider as all situations may be case by case. However, for some folks - your payments will automatically stop from March 13, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2020. To provide relief to student loan borrowers during the COVID-19 national emergency, federal student loan borrowers are automatically being placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making your monthly loan payment. This suspension of payments will last until Sept. 30, 2020, but you can still make payments if you choose.

Below is a resource for parents during COVID-19. 

Parents & Families

Below are some resources that are available to you during COVID-19: 

• To qualify for U-ACCESS services, you must be a UMass Boston student taking at least one credit. To enroll in the program, please complete this intake form which will immediately give you access to all our services. This is direct link to the Student Emergency Aid Request Form

• Purpose of the fund: The Student Emergency Aid Fund provides small grants to students for temporary one-time emergency situations including those as a result of natural disasters, homelessness, food insecurity, or threats to a student's rights, educational access, or economic security caused by current and future federal, state, and local immigration policies.

• Expensify.org - Application Closed - Offering up to $50 reimbursement for essential goods and groceries purchased on a SNAP card

• IRS One-time Grants of up to $5,000 for medical emergencies

• Greg Hill Foundation: Restaurant Strong Fund offering $1000 grants for restaurant workers in the Boston area. The application is simple and only requires supervisor contact information and most recent pay stub.

• City of Boston Artist Relief Fund

• Federal Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance in Response to Coronavirus

• Massachusetts Small Business Assistance Loans - including other government funded grant programs.

• Disaster Loan Assistance for Small Businesses

• Massachusetts Jobs with Justice- List of various mutual aid networks

• Department of Labor information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)- The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance.

• The City of Boston has launched the Boston Resiliency Fund- Application Closed- to provide essential services to Boston residents whose health and well-being are most immediately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic

• Bartender Emergency Assistance Program - The BEAP Grant Fund has suspended acceptance of applications that are Covid-19 specific. However, you your need is not related to Covid-19 you can still apply.  

• Tipped & Service Worker Emergency Fund

• Mutual Aid:

o  Full list of Mutual Aid Networks by Town

o  Allston/Brighton Mutual Aid

o  Mutual Aid Brookline

o  Mutual Aid Cambridge

o  Dorchester Community Care

o  Mutual Aid East Boston

o  Mutual Aid Jamaica Plain & Roxbury

o  Mutual Aid Medford & Somerville

o  Mutual Aid South End

o  Boston-Area University Mutual Aid

o  WBUR has a list of grants and resources for artists and non-profits

•  Financial Solidary Boston Mutual Aid 

• COVID-19 Financial Solidarity Boston Entry Support Form

• Mutual Aid Spreadsheet

• If you haven’t yet received your stimulus and believe you qualify, you can check the status of it here: Get My Money