Abstract:
College students are more likely to be food insecure than the general population.1CalFresh (SNAP) food benefits can reduce hunger by helping low-income students pay for their food. This is particularly relevant as the rising cost of food is putting extra strain on students’ budgets. Unfortunately, the administrative
hurdles and time required to apply for CalFresh can be a deterrent, particularly if it is unclear to students how much support they could receive each month. In conversations with Basic Needs representatives at several campuses, we have heard that some students do not apply for CalFresh because they believe that most college students receive close to the minimum amount, which is currently $23 in monthly benefits.2 If this were accurate, students may understandably decide it’s not worth their time to apply. However, we find thatin Fall 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the average per- person monthly benefit for California community college (CCC) students participating in CalFresh was $123 per month. For University of California (UC) undergraduate students, it was $161 per month.In annual terms, this translates to roughly $1,500–2,000 a year that participating students can use to pay for food. Since these estimates are from Fall 2019 (the most recent vailable data prior to the pandemic), the current average benefits are likely higher. During the pandemic, CalFresh payments increased temporarily, nearly doubling the average monthly benefits to $245 for CCC students and $303 for UC undergraduate students (Fall 2021).
hurdles and time required to apply for CalFresh can be a deterrent, particularly if it is unclear to students how much support they could receive each month. In conversations with Basic Needs representatives at several campuses, we have heard that some students do not apply for CalFresh because they believe that most college students receive close to the minimum amount, which is currently $23 in monthly benefits.2 If this were accurate, students may understandably decide it’s not worth their time to apply. However, we find thatin Fall 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the average per- person monthly benefit for California community college (CCC) students participating in CalFresh was $123 per month. For University of California (UC) undergraduate students, it was $161 per month.In annual terms, this translates to roughly $1,500–2,000 a year that participating students can use to pay for food. Since these estimates are from Fall 2019 (the most recent vailable data prior to the pandemic), the current average benefits are likely higher. During the pandemic, CalFresh payments increased temporarily, nearly doubling the average monthly benefits to $245 for CCC students and $303 for UC undergraduate students (Fall 2021).
Publication date:
February 28, 2025
Publication type:
Higher Education Policy Brief