By Erika Hepburn | International Student and Scholar Office
Trouble paying your bills? Need more time to pay for your tuition? Not enough money for groceries this week? Anxious about life?
There are many resources at Nebraska and within the community to help you through these tough moments, and there is no shame in accessing them or asking for help.
The International Student and Scholar Office has identified some key resources for you here, but if you are still struggling with your physical, financial or mental health, please reach out to an international student success navigator internationalnavigators@unl.edu so that we can personally support you and direct you to the right resources.
- Husker Payment Plan: Paying your tuition bill all at once can be a challenge. The Husker Payment Plan allows you to divide your student bill into three installments throughout the semester. More details can be found here:https://bursar.unl.edu/husker-payment-plan.
- Husker Pantry: With locations on both East and City campuses, the Husker Pantry provides food and hygiene items to all UNL students. Simply show your NCard for access and bring your own bag, backpack or box to retrieve the items you need when shopping from the pantry. More details, including locations and hours, can be found on the Husker Pantry website: https://pantry.unl.edu/.
- University Health Center: Fee-paying students are offered a number of free services and items through the University Health Center. These include counseling sessions, a limited number of visits with a doctor, flu shots, certain over-the-counter medications, wellness profiles, a nutrition consultation, cold-care kits, tobacco quit kits, and other self-care kits while supplies last. Other services are offered at reduced rates compared to other medical providers for fee-paying students, and these can be found on their website: https://health.unl.edu/freeorfee.
If you are continuing to struggle, your community of faith, local non-profits and charities (like Community Action Partnership, the Salvation Army, the Food Bank of Lincoln, etc.) may have additional ways to support you. This can be access to bill-pay assistance, gas vouchers, additional food/hygiene supplies, educational supplies, etc.
Do not be afraid to ask for help from these organizations. The websites where you pay your utilities also often have links to “bill pay assistance” to keep you from falling further behind if you are going through a challenging financial period.
Finally, if you ever find yourself with large medical bills after a hospital visit, you may qualify for payment assistance and should check with the hospital once you receive your final bill. Many students do qualify for aid and reduced bills from the hospital with proper financial documentation.