Food insecurity is a problem among college students. We’ve all heard of the stereotypical college kid eating microwavable ramen in their dorm room as a proper meal, but food insecurity actually expands beyond that. Food insecurity can also mean not having enough food to meet your needs at a given activity level, or not having food that meets your preferences and cultural requirement. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that helps low-income Americans get fed, and “provides timely, targeted and temporary benefits to people in need so that Americans have access to nutritious food,” according to Feeding America. However, I was surprised when, in my class on federal nutrition programs, I learned that college students are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet specific exemptions. In December 2019, the Trump administration passed a rule which made it harder for states to waive the student work requirement, which demands all students who are enrolled at least half time in school to work 20 hours per week in order to qualify for SNAP. 

This is especially harmful since the pandemic has led to widespread job loss and fewer internships. Even for a student who can find work, it may not be feasible to work 20 hours a week, due to extracurricular obligations, or maybe an employer simply does not have enough room on their schedules to give every student the hours they need. 

Making SNAP benefits contingent on something that is so susceptible to change is problematic, since students have all kinds of circumstances and come from a variety of walks of life. There are students who are working part time while going to school. There are students with families to support. There are students whose parents do not pay for tuition, and students who might have extra medical expenses, which can make it hard to buy food.

While there are provisions for college students who meet certain criteria, like having a dependent under the age of 11, this criteria is very limiting and does not come close to encompassing the reasons that college students might need food stamps. 

For example, a student might be working part time to help cover tuition and also contributing to taking care of family members. Even if they do not technically have dependents, they are still sharing their time and money with others, which can make taking care of one’s own needs difficult.

The idea that a college student can automatically afford their basic needs is laughable; college is no longer a place only for students whose parents can afford tuition. With financial aid, as well as aid from universities, it is now increasingly possible for students of diverse backgrounds to attend college.

Yet we assume that once tuition is paid for, there is nothing left to worry about financially, which is certainly not the case. There are hidden costs of college, including transportation, mandatory health insurance, clothes, personal hygiene items and medical care, which tuition and fees don’t cover. 

While some might argue that students who choose to go to college should be responsible for their own food, this statement is full of privilege and contributes to the gatekeeping of education as being primarily for the middle and upper classes. Even for those who may have been able to afford college prior to the pandemic may be unable to afford it now.

Some might also argue that campus food pantries eliminate the need for SNAP benefits, yet these food pantries often lack fresh produce and have limited selections, and a student may not want to make a weekly trip to a campus food pantry for a variety of reasons, including transportation or fear of professional repercussions.

Also, it is not the responsibility of a university to feed all of its students. While food pantries do admirable and important work, the idea that an adult who is balancing jobs and coursework can sustain themselves on the limited options in a campus food pantry is ridiculous. 

The purpose of SNAP is to provide temporary assistance for those experiencing some sort of hardship. By helping people meet their basic needs, food stamps can make it easier to apply for or keep a job. The reality is that college is simply not enough to get ahead anymore, which is why we need a safety net available for those who are willing to go to college and work hard but may not have the privilege of being able to afford the basic necessities.