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College Student Eligibility for SNAP/Food Stamps

College hunger is a growing problem in the U.S with roughly 40% of students reporting food insecurity.  However, recent studies from the US Government Accountability Office to Congress show that more than half of all potentially eligible college students are not participating in SNAP.

SNAP (The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the United States frontline program targeting food insecurity. It is an entitlement program – which just means there is never a waiting list: if someone is eligible, they will receive the benefit. However, there are additional rules related to college student eligibility. In addition to the income, and citizenship/immigration status rules,  students must also meet student eligibility rules.

Students need to consider the following to determine if they are eligible:

  • Who you may need to apply with (“Household Composition” rules)

  • Type of meal plan (if you have one)

  • If your particular program or course load subjects you to the work rule (credit hours or number of courses taken)

  • Work requirements and other qualifying situations

 

Who you may need to apply with:

If you are under age 22 and live at home with your parents or while attending school, you are not able to apply for SNAP separately from your parents. This rule is from the general eligibility requirement for who must be in the same SNAP household.

  • If you meet the student eligibility requirements (as described below), and you are under 22 and living with your parents, you would need to apply with them (and any younger siblings) as one household unit.
  • If you are under 22 and you live with other family relatives such as a grandparent, uncle/aunt, or older sibling, you are not subject to the age restriction and may be able to apply on your own

If you have roommates and you buy and share food together, you must apply together in the same SNAP household. If you keep your food separate, you can apply separately.

If you do not meet the student eligibility requirements (as described below), you would be excluded from receiving any SNAP as a member of your household. Additionally, any income you earn or receive would also be excluded from the total household income.

 

Do you have a meal plan?

Students who have a meal plan that covers more than half (11 or more meals per week)  of their weekly meals are not eligible for SNAP under any circumstances, even if you are meeting any of the eligibility provisions below.  (This is based on a rule that says that anyone who lives at an institution that provides more than half of their meals is ineligible for SNAP.)

 

Student Status

Students who are enrolled “half-time or more” at “an institution of higher learning” must either meet work rule described below or have another qualifying situation. So there are are two key phrases here:

  •  “Half time or more” –  Each school defines half-time differently, but usually it’s about 6 credits.  If you are enrolled “less than half time” the rules below do not apply to you.
  • “An institution of higher learning” – If your school or training program does not require a GED or high school diploma, the extra rules below also don’t apply to you.

If you are enrolled at least half-time in a program that requires a high school diploma or GED, you should know that the government still considers you a student while you are on break in between semesters and school years. For example, federal SNAP rules consider someone an enrolled student during summer vacation if they graduate in June and intend to start graduate school in the fall.

 

Work Requirement 

Federal rules require college students to also have paid employment to qualify for SNAP. The work requirement can be met by meeting any of the following:

  • work 20 hours a week. If you are self-employed (e.g. Uber/Lyft/TaskRabbit) and cannot demonstrate your working hours, showing that you make the same amount as someone working 20 hours a week at the federal minimum wage ($145 per week); or
  • have a work-study award and anticipate taking a work-study position; or
  • participating in an on-the-job training program that is not an unpaid internship, such as a nursing practicum or something along those lines.

 

Other Qualifying Situations

If you do not meet the student work rule above you can still be eligible for SNAP if these situations apply to you:

    • You care for a child:
      • a single parent enrolled full-time and have children younger than 12;
      • a parent in a two-parent household with children under age 6, or if you have children age 6 through 11 and cannot find child care;
    • You are under age 18 or age 50 or older
    • You have a physical or mental health condition that restricts your ability to work. If you don’t receive a disability benefit, a licensed medical practitioner or therapist will have to complete a form verifying the condition.
    • You attend Community College in a field of study that is supported by federal training funds and/or is in high demand (THIS IS MOST COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS! SEE BELOW!)
    • You participate in an approved program aimed at improving employability:
      • TANF/ cash assistance
      • Former Foster Care Tuition Waiver
      • WIOA support (Career Links)
      • KEYS
      • Act 101 program at your school
      • University of Pittsburgh’s TRIO Student Support Services 
  • PA DHS may add more programs to this list as they are identified (these programs have to have certain state or federal funding to qualify them)
  • You participated in an approved program prior to college that was geared toward improving your employability:
    • TRIO Upward Bound
    • Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEARUP)
    • Education Leading to Employment and Career Training (ELECT)
    • Title II Adult Basic Education
    • Chafee Education and Training Grant
    • PA DHS may add more programs to this list as they are identified.

Pennsylvania’s Community College Expansion

Community college students can be eligible for SNAP if they are in a Perkins IV program (usually a career or technical program) or in a course of study that is in a high priority occupation.  A school administrator will be able to confirm if either of these are the case and should fill out one of these forms for you to send in with your SNAP documents. You can read more at: https://justharvest.org/most-pa-community-college-students-now-eligible-for-snap/

 

Want to take action?

orange arrowRemove the “work for food rule” for students! Urge Congress to take action 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If you live in Allegheny County and need help applying for SNAP or help with your SNAP case, you can add your name and number on the form below to be added to our call-back list.

 

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