The AUC student community is tight-knit and ambitious but for some, unexpected financial difficulties can get in the way of academic and social participation. These difficulties can arise without warning, such as a death in the family. They can happen to anyone, but differences in socio-economic backgrounds can impact the buffer students may have to cope with these situations. While there are other options and resources that offer financial support for students in Amsterdam and the Netherlands, the AUC community is aware of cases where students’ requests are not sufficiently accommodated or are even declined. Hence, the AUC Solidarity Fund hopes to provide an additional possibility for those AUC students seeking emergency financial relief, but who have been unable to acquire funding from alternative resources. We want to motivate the creation of a shared buffer that will ensure that unexpected financial difficulties do not hinder students’ academic endeavors.