Even though California college and university students have had access to CalFresh, the state’s federally funded food assistance program, since 2022, nearly 45% of food-insecure students surveyed in a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) said they have never used the program, and 9% have never even heard of it.
For Latino students, the issue of food insecurity is even more pressing. According to the study, Latino students are disproportionately affected by food insecurity due to financial hardship, work obligations, and systemic barriers to accessing resources. Many are first-generation college students balancing jobs and studies while supporting their families.
Food insecurity — defined as having limited or uncertain access to adequate food — does more than harm students’ physical and mental health. Students experiencing food insecurity are more likely to have lower grade-point averages and to report frequent thoughts of dropping out or reducing their courseload, potentially delaying graduation.
“Common sense says it’s harder to be successful as a student when you’re not always sure where your next meal is coming from,” said AJ Scheitler, director of the data equity center at the UCLA CHPR and lead author of the report. “What’s more troubling is that so many students who are eligible for financial support to purchase food aren’t using it, whether through lack of awareness or insufficient assistance navigating the application process.”
The researchers, who were from UCLA and California State University, Fullerton, worked with on-campus basic needs programs at two University of California campuses (UCLA and UC Davis), two Cal State universities (Fullerton and Fresno), and two community colleges (Los Angeles Mission College and Napa Valley College). These institutions serve large Latino student populations, making the issue particularly relevant to the community.
In gathering information from interviews, surveys and focus groups with students experiencing food insecurity, staff who work in basic needs offices, and other experts and stakeholders, the researchers learned of problems common at most locations. These included insufficient staffing in basic needs offices, a lack of coordination between campuses and county CalFresh programs, and data about students’ financial circumstances being siloed among different campus offices.
Many Latino students also reported fear of applying due to concerns over immigration status, misinformation about eligibility, and language barriers.
Three years ago, California became one of the first states in the country to offer college students access to benefits from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, known as CalFresh in California. As other states consider similar measures and CalFresh administrators and campus officials seek to increase student participation, the report’s authors wanted to study what was effective and what could be improved.
Students who are not married, have dependents, or share food resources with roommates, can receive CalFresh benefits of up to $291 monthly. Recipients can use the benefits to purchase approved food items at locations where Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is accepted. They must renew their benefits every six months and recertify annually.
Because the 2022 legislation giving college students access to CalFresh benefits was not accompanied by specific guidance from CalFresh or from any of the state’s three higher education systems, individual campuses largely developed their own approaches to implementation, the study said.
Among the study’s findings:
50% of California college students who were surveyed experienced food insecurity, including 28% who skipped meals because they couldn’t afford food.
More than 70% of students at California community colleges reported being food insecure, followed by more than 50% of Cal State students and 42% of UC students.
Latino students were among the most food-insecure groups, often due to financial struggles, work obligations, and fear of disclosing personal information.
Among food-insecure students who had heard of CalFresh but never used it, the primary reasons for not doing so were that they believed they were ineligible for it (50.3%), they did not know how to apply (27.8%) and they did not have time to apply (14.4%).
To be eligible for CalFresh, college students must work at least 20 hours per week or meet other criteria like studying in a program that qualifies for the Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE) designation. LPIEs are programs approved by the California Department of Social Services as containing at least one employment and training component. To receive benefits, students must complete an application, undergo a review of their finances and be interviewed. However, many Latino students face additional hurdles such as work schedule conflicts and language barriers in navigating the application process.
Not all students experiencing food insecurity are eligible for CalFresh. In some cases, a student or their family may not meet income eligibility criteria.
Additionally, undocumented students who are part of mixed-status families often hesitate to apply due to concerns about the “public charge” rule and how it might affect their family’s immigration status.
The student subpopulations most likely to report being food insecure were students who had been in the foster care system, those who are among the first generation in their families to pursue higher education and those who are disabled.
“Students having enough food to eat is about more than hunger and nutrition,” Scheitler said. “Our research shows that food security is also a matter of educational equity.”
For Latino students, increasing awareness and accessibility of CalFresh benefits is crucial to ensuring they can focus on their education without the added stress of food insecurity. Advocacy groups are calling for more bilingual outreach efforts, culturally relevant food assistance programs, and policy changes that simplify the application process for students who need support the most.
SNAP benefits increase in October due to cost-of-living adjustment
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