Housing Insecurity Support

In accordance with the State of Illinois Higher Education Housing and Opportunities Act, Dominican offers the following supports to address housing insecurity needs.

Housing insecurity is a growing issue facing college-aged students nationwide. According to a 2019 national study: 29% of young adults experiencing homelessness were enrolled in college or another educational program. 

If you are experiencing housing insecurity, the Student Care Network can help connect you with the following resources.

Housing and Basic Needs Support
  • Emergency on-campus housing is available for up to two weeks at no cost to you; only available to students with no dependents. You will learn about resources to help you live on campus for the remainder of the semester, or connect with resources to explore off-campus supports. Read the full policy here.
  • Suburban Cook County Homeless Prevention Call Center: (877) 426-6515, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (also see myentrypoint.org).
  • City of Chicago Homeless Prevention resources: Call 311 for shelter; for long-term placement, call Coordinated Entry Call Center at (312) 361-1707 to complete a housing assessment. The call center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
  • If you are experiencing/fleeing domestic violence, you can call 1-(877) 863-6338 (also see https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30275).
Financial support
  • Students who are experiencing homelessness may be eligible to adjust their status on their FAFSA. Eligibility is determined through a process with the Office of Financial Aid at Dominican.*
    • An interview is conducted to determine whether you qualify as an unaccompanied homeless youth. You will be asked where you reside when/if you are not residing on campus, including the reason for your situation. If you do not have fixed, regular, and adequate housing, and are not under the care of a parent or guardian, you qualify as homeless and unaccompanied. 
    • Once that determination is made, you will qualify as an independent student on your FAFSA and be eligible to receive financial aid as an independent student.
  • Apply for the Dominican financial assistance fund. Applications are made available the month before registration opens for the next semester to help reduce your tuition balance. Students must have taken out all federal financial aid, including loans, offered to them to be eligible.

External emergency funding and outside scholarships: Student Care Network will connect you with possible options outside of Dominican based on your situation.

Basic need support

On-Campus Support Resources through Student Care Network:

Connection to community resources

The Student Care Network uses a tool called NowPow to locate medical, social and legal services searchable by zip code, and also regularly works with these partners to support students: 

To be approved for emergency on-campus housing and/or FAFSA status adjustments, students must meet with the HOUSE liaison and/or the financial aid office designate. Additional documentation may be required.

To get started with any of these resources, complete the Stars Assistance Form.