Can You Get Food Stamps If You Get Financial Aid for College?

Many universities encourage students to apply for food stamps as a way to supplement financial aid.

The federal office in charge of setting national guidelines for food stamps -- the Food and Nutrition Service, within the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- began pushing for increased student enrollment in 2009, and a number of universities actively encourage their students to sign up for benefits. Students must meet certain work conditions to qualify, but often do not have to count financial aid as income or resources.

Eligibility

Students must meet special conditions in order to qualify for food stamps. Students must prove that they not only are enrolled as a student but either care for a child or work at least 20 hours a week. According to the news outlet The Daily Caller, students must either be a half-time (at least) student who is working any number of hours in a work-study program, or be a full-time student working a minimum 20 hours per week, or be a full-time single student caring for children under the age of 12 or a full-time married student caring for children younger than 6.

Financial Aid

Far from disqualifying a student, financial aid may actually increase the amount of food stamps a student can receive. Caseworkers determine food stamp allotments based on how much an individual receives monthly in take-home pay, and many types of financial aid are not considered income. All federal financial aid -- such as Pell grants and Stafford loans -- is exempt, and private aid may be exempt when it pays for educational expenses (tuition and books but not dorms or activities).

Income and Resources

Caseworkers use an applicant's monthly income to determine if the applicant is eligible for food assistance and if so, exactly how much help an applicant should get every month. All applicants must make less than 130 percent of the federal poverty rate in order to be eligible for food stamps, the exact dollar amount of which changes annually, and have less than $2,000 in countable resources (bank accounts, investments).

Talk with a Caseworker

After you submit an application for food stamps, you will be assigned a state caseworker and required to have a face-to-face interview with the caseworker. Bring documents showing the amount of financial aid you receive and your educational expenses, and discuss what should be reported as income or resources.

References

• Portland State University: Nutrition, It's a SNAP
• Food and Nutrition Service: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility
• The Daily Caller: Universities encourage students to enroll in food stamp programs
• MassLegalHelp: Can I get food stamps/SNAP if I am in college?
• The Grand Views: Food stamps now available for college students