The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Education (ED) on Thursday announced a joint effort to boost college student access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, as millions of eligible postsecondary students may not be aware of the benefits.
“We’re committed to making SNAP more accessible and easier to understand for low-income college students,” Cindy Long, USDA’s food, nutrition and consumer services deputy under secretary, said in a release. “Many of today’s college students are balancing jobs and family responsibilities. Access to SNAP ensures that eligible students can focus on their education, mental health, and overall well-being, rather than making difficult choices between groceries, textbooks or other essentials.”
The Government Accountability Office recently reported that about two-thirds (67%) of the 3.3 million college students potentially eligible for SNAP said they are not receiving benefits. SNAP is the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program available to low-income households.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and ED’s office of Federal Student Aid will both send emails to low-income students who may be eligible for SNAP, informing them of their potential eligibility, basic information about SNAP rules for students and how to apply, the agencies said. They will also help colleges and universities to provide clear guidance to students on SNAP eligibility and application processes.
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Part of the program includes tapping Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data to reach students who may be eligible. ED noted that it has previously released guidance on how higher education institutions and state grant agencies can use FAFSA data for outreach about means-tested benefits, such as SNAP. (State agencies administer SNAP, process applications, and determine eligibility.)
The inter-agency agreement also includes plans to pilot data-sharing projects in up to 10 states, allowing state SNAP agencies and colleges to collaborate in outreach to potentially eligible students.
To qualify for SNAP, students enrolled in higher education institutions at least half-time must meet the program’s income and other requirements, as well as at least one of the other eligibility conditions, such as enrolling in a work-study program, working at least 20 hours per week, being a single parent, or having a disability.
