Bridge Funding for Graduate Students
What is Bridge Funding ?
The College of Engineering offers limited Bridge Funding to provide short-term support for graduate students who are facing an urgent situation that affects their ability to continue making academic progress.
Urgent situations may include sudden or unforeseen circumstances that create a financial need for a semester or longer. Examples may include personal or family emergencies, a sudden need to change advisors that may result in loss of funding, unanticipated funding terminations, or short-term degree-completion needs.
This funding is intended to serve as bridge support while a longer-term solution is developed. It does not replace Dean of Students emergency funds or Graduate School Work-Life Balance funds, which should be used when available and appropriate.
Types of Support
COE Bridge Funding may be provided in the form of:
- Graduate Assistantship (GA): administrative or program support roles
- Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA): teaching support roles
- Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA): research-based funding roles
- Start of Semester Defense Exception (SSDE) or one-credit start-of-semester defense exception support
Support may include stipend support, tuition support, stipend and tuition support, SSDE support, or another form of short-term assistance depending on the student’s circumstances and available resources.
Eligibility
To be considered, students must generally:
- Not be entering their first graduate school year
- Be a continuing graduate student who is currently enrolled in a College of Engineering graduate degree program.
- Be in good academic standing with their department
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Not be on academic probation or suspension
- Not have received two consecutive poor performance evaluations
- Have sought departmental funding when appropriate and possible
- Not be enrolled in a degree program that is intended to be self-pay
Funds are limited and may not always be available. Prior to allocating funds, COE will confer with the department about student standing and why department funds are not available.
Student Support and Advocacy
COE recognizes that students may not always feel comfortable contacting their department or the COE Dean’s office directly about a sensitive funding concern.
A mentor, advocate, or university contact may help support the student through the process or make an initial inquiry on the student’s behalf. Examples may include a faculty mentor, advisor, Graduate Program Coordinator, Department Head, Dean’s office representative, Graduate School representative, staff member, or another trusted university contact.
Duration of Funding
Bridge Funding is typically awarded for one semester. Students may apply for a second semester if funding is available and continued support is justified.
This funding is not intended to become a long-term funding source. Students receiving support are expected to work with their department, advisor, and/or other appropriate university contacts to identify longer-term funding options.
Application and Review Timeline
Bridge Funding requests are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. The Graduate Programs and Student Support office reviews each submission and makes funding determinations based on eligibility, need, and available funds. The goal is to review complete requests and communicate a decision within two weeks. Reviews submitted during the summer may take longer due to the transition from one fiscal year to the next. Because funding is limited, the submission portal may close when available funds have been exhausted.
Students should submit requests at least one month before the start of the requested funding term when possible. This allows time for review, department consultation, identification of an appropriate workassignment if needed, and appointment or funding processing.
Requests submitted after the priority deadline may still be considered if funding is available and the situation is time-sensitive.
Apply
Students may apply using the Bridge Funding Application Form:
Funding is limited, reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and not guaranteed.
Questions
For questions about the Bridge Funding program or application process, please contact:
Graduate and Professional Studies
Email: coegps@vt.edu