What does financial health encompass? In general, it refers to the state of your personal financial situation—including factors such as the amount of savings you have, how much you're putting away for the future, and how much of your income you are spending on fixed or non-discretionary expenses.

Like physical health, your financial health can fundamentally affect many other aspects of your wellbeing. And don’t we all know it – money can be a major stress factor!

Thankfully, many aspects of your financial wellbeing are in your direct control. Sensible budgeting, saving where and when you can, and living within your means can help you reduce or avoid financial stress. Begin by establishing a personal budget. A personal budget can help you:

  • Plan for expenses.
  • Reduce or eliminate expenses.
  • Save for future goals.
  • Spend wisely.
  • Plan for emergencies.
  • Prioritize spending and saving.

Then, check out the following financial resources. Creating a sound financial situation for yourself today can do much more than alleviate your current stress; it can create a foundation for your stable and secure financial future.

Resources

  • Advantage Accelerator: We assist faculty, staff, students and the broader community to commercialize research and concepts. Our staff, mentors, and student interns work directly with innovators and entrepreneurs to explore markets, develop products, and obtain customers.
  • Career Center: Looking for a job? Want job hunting tips? Exploring majors and careers? The Career Center can help!
  • Determining Costs: What does it cost, really, to attend OSU? The Office of Financial Aid can help you navigate the total cost of your education.
  • Financial Aid: Any student who may have a financial need for educational expenses should apply for financial aid. Most students are eligible for some sort of financial assistance whether it is gift aid such as grants and scholarships or self-help aid in the form of student loans and/or college work-study.
  • Financial Aid for Undocumented and DACA Students: Oregon State University is a Sanctuary University. All OSU admitted students, including undocumented and DACA students, may apply for OSU scholarships with ScholarDollars.
  • Financial Aid for Undocumented and DACA Students (Resource 2)
  • Food Hero: Learn how to make healthy, tasty meals on a budget – In English and Spanish. Food Hero is an initiative of Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) program and was developed by Oregon State University Extension Service and funded jointly by OSU Extension Service, Oregon Department of Human Services, and the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.
  • Graduate School Funding: Learn more about teaching and research assistantships, fellowships and scholarships, tuition remission, student employment, and mandatory health insurance.
  • Health Insurance: Adequate health insurance coverage is recommended for all OSU students; enrollment in the OSU-sponsored insurance plan is mandatory for international students. All non-resident international students and their dependents (living in the United States) must be covered by health insurance that meets federal, state and OSU requirements. Graduate assistants, graduate fellows, and postdoctoral scholar and fellows have a separate mandatory health insurance plan through their appointment/fellowship. Ecampus students who live within 50 miles of the Corvallis campus have the option to purchase health insurance through the OSU-sponsored plan.
  • Human Services Resource Center: Provides direct service and referral services to OSU students experiencing hunger, poverty and homelessness. You can find help accessing housing, health insurance, food and childcare options.
  • Money Management: To help you learn to manage money effectively the Division of Student Affairs has created a list of resources that range in topic from financial literacy to federal student aid and tuition calculators.
  • Off-campus Housing: UHDS offers valuable information when considering off-campus housing.
  • Renter's and Home Improvement Guide: The Barometer's Renter's and Home Improvement Guide is a good source of information as well.
  • Corvallis Living Guide: The Corvallis Living Guide, a comprehensive 35-page electronic document, helps inform students of their tenant rights, responsibilities and resources. Students who pass a 25-question exam will be eligible for deposit discounts from participating Corvallis property managers and landlords.
  • Orange Cash/Orange Rewards: Use the Orange Cash account on your OSU ID card to make purchases at campus dining locations, vending machines, Printing & Mailing and more. More than 25 campus restaurants, cafes and markets offer an automatic 10% Orange Rewards discount when you use your Orange Cash funds.
  • ScholarDollars: OSU students may use OSU ScholarDollars to submit an application for the nearly $50 million in campus-based scholarship funding available for the 2020-2021 academic year. By submitting one application, you will be considered for over 1,600 OSU scholarship opportunities!
  • Scholarships: OSU is committed to recruiting and retaining motivated, diverse, and driven students, and one of the ways we do so is with our scholarship opportunities. See if there’s one that’s right for you.
  • Student Employment: Need a job? Want one on campus? Find one here!
  • Travel Grants – Graduate Students: Graduate student travel to conferences is essential for the professional development of our students. The University also benefits by being represented at such events. The travel funds from this program are designed to provide graduate students with financial support to cover part of the cost of attending and presenting their scholarly achievements at prestigious conferences and venues.