College Students and SNAP Eligibility: A Comprehensive Guide

Balancing college life with financial stability can be challenging, and affording healthy meals is a significant concern for many students. Nearly 50% of college students face food and basic needs insecurities. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal program operating locally, can be a crucial resource for low-income households, including college students, to obtain the food they need. This article provides a detailed overview of SNAP eligibility requirements for college students.

General SNAP Eligibility

To receive SNAP benefits, individuals must apply in the state in which they reside and meet specific requirements, including resource and income limits. While most SNAP eligibility rules apply to all households, there are special rules for students attending an institution of higher education. If an individual is not a student, they should refer to the general SNAP eligibility rules.

Defining a Student for SNAP Purposes

For SNAP purposes, a student is defined as someone enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education. The institution determines what constitutes half-time enrollment. If an individual is enrolled less than half-time, the student restrictions on SNAP eligibility do not apply. They may be SNAP-eligible if they meet all other SNAP eligibility requirements.

What is Considered an Institution of Higher Education?

An institution of higher education includes:

A regular curriculum at a college or university that offers degrees.
A business, technical, trade, or vocational school that typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent (GED).

Many colleges offer special programs outside their regular curriculum, such as remedial education, continuing or community education, professional development, English for speakers of other languages, and workforce development/training programs. Enrollment in these programs does not classify an individual as attending an institution of higher education for SNAP purposes. Consequently, if they meet all other eligibility criteria, they do not need to meet a student exemption to be eligible for SNAP. Further guidance on what constitutes an institution of higher education for SNAP purposes is available.

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Determining Half-Time Enrollment

The institution of higher education determines what is considered half-time enrollment. Students can verify their enrollment status with their college, university, or school.

Student Exemptions for SNAP Eligibility

Generally, students attending an institution of higher education more than half-time are only eligible for SNAP if they meet an exemption, in addition to meeting all other SNAP eligibility requirements. Students 18-49 who attend higher education at least half-time may be eligible for SNAP by meeting income guidelines and additional criteria.

The following are the exemptions that may allow a student to be eligible for SNAP:

Are under age 18 or are age 50 or older.
Are physically or mentally unfit.

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Work at least 20 hours a week in paid employment. Self-employed students must work at least 20 hours a week and receive weekly earnings at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 20 hours.
Participate in a state or federally financed work study program during the regular school year.
Participate in an on-the-job training program.
Care for a child under the age of 6.
Care for a child age 6 to 11 and lack the necessary child care enabling them to attend school and work 20 hours a week or participate in work study.

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Are a single parent enrolled full-time in college and taking care of a child under 12.
Receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance.
Are assigned to, placed in, or self-placed in a college or other institution of higher education through:
- A SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program.
- Certain other E&T programs for low-income households, which are operated by a state or local government and have an equivalent component to SNAP E&T.
- A program under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) (PL 113-128).
- A Trade Adjustment Assistance Program under Section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Individuals unsure whether they meet one of the exemptions should contact their local SNAP office to understand how these exemptions may apply to their household circumstances.

Impact of Meal Plans on SNAP Eligibility

Students who receive the majority of their meals through either a mandatory or optional meal plan are generally ineligible for SNAP. Meal plan structures can vary, so state agencies should fully explore individual circumstances to determine what portion of meals are covered by the plan. Additional guidance on the treatment of meal plans is available. If a student’s meal plan pays for more than 51% of their meals per week than they are not eligible for SNAP.

General SNAP Eligibility Rules

SNAP eligibility rules and benefit levels are primarily set at the federal level and are generally uniform across the nation, although states have some flexibility in tailoring aspects of the program. Individuals must meet all eligibility rules to receive food assistance benefits. Some of the key eligibility rules include:

Identity: Applicants must provide proof of their identity.
Work Rules: Individuals aged 16-59 must meet General Work Requirements for SNAP unless exempt (e.g., unable to work, caring for young children or incapacitated persons, or being a student). Additionally, adults aged 18-59, unless exempt, must work or participate in the SNAP Employment and Training Program (SNAP E&T).
Income: Most households must have a gross income less than or equal to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
Deductions: Some household expenses may be subtracted from the total monthly income in the food assistance budget.
Citizenship/Qualified Non-Citizen Status: Individuals must be a U.S. citizen or have a qualified noncitizen status.
SSN: Individuals must provide a Social Security Number or proof they have applied for one.
Child Support Cooperation: Certain individuals must cooperate with the state's child support enforcement agency to prove a child's legal relationship to their parent and to get the court to order child support payments.
Assets: Most food assistance households may have assets such as vehicles, bank accounts, or property and still get help. Households with a disqualified member must meet an asset limit of $2,500 ($3,750 if the household contains an elderly or disabled member).
Reporting Changes: Households must report when their total monthly gross income exceeds 130% of the Federal Poverty Level for their household size and when work hours of able bodied adults fall below 80 hours per month. The household must report these changes within 10 days after the end of the month of the change.

Reasons for SNAP Ineligibility

Reasons for SNAP ineligibility include:

Conviction of drug trafficking.
Fleeing a felony warrant.
Breaking SNAP Program rules.
Noncitizens without a qualified status.
Students attending an institution of higher education at least half time, in some circumstances (unless they meet an exemption).

Income Guidelines and Benefit Amounts

To receive SNAP benefits, a family must meet eligibility requirements, including income and resource limits. The following table provides an overview of maximum monthly income limits and benefit amounts, but these numbers are subject to change:

Household Members	Maximum Monthly Income (before taxes)	Maximum Monthly Income (after taxes)	Maximum Monthly Benefit Amount
1	$1,696	$1,305	$298
2	$2,292	$1,763	$546
3	$2,888	$2,221	$785
4	$3,483	$2,680	$994
5	$4,079	$3,138	$1,183
6	$4,675	$3,596	$1,421
7	$5,271	$4,055	$1,571
8	$5,867	$4,513	$1,789
Each Additional Member	$596	$459	$218

Additional Resources and Information

CUNY.edu/SNAP: CUNY launched a page to help CUNY students understand SNAP eligibility rules.
College SNAP Outreach and Assistance Toolkit: Resources to help spread the word about SNAP at colleges.
State-Specific Programs: New York State has expanded eligibility to students in qualified career and technical education (CTE) programs. The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) determined that CTE programs, as defined under the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, offered at a community college or a technology college within the SUNY or CUNY systems are considered comparable to a SNAP E&T program component. New York State students can also enroll in CTE programs at Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC). This rule does not apply to students in four-year degree programs at SUNY/CUNY universities or colleges. However, these students may be eligible for SNAP under other student exemptions.
Oregon Specific Programs: Students attending class less than half time and those age 50+ do not need to meet additional student criteria, only income, to qualify for SNAP.

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