PFS-20343-514, Pell Grant and student eligibility for SNAP (Published February 24, 2021)
A student at an institution of higher education (IHE) must meet the an exemption as outlined in 514.2 Eligible Students to be a household member. A student who does not meet these eligibility requirements is ineligible to participate in SNAP.
NOTE: Income and resources of ineligible students are not counted when determining a household’s eligibility and benefit amount unless the student is also an ineligible non-citizen, an ineligible ABAWD, or disqualified for failure to get or verify an SSN (see 555.3).
The CAO must consider three criteria when determining if an individual is a student of higher education for SNAP eligibility purposes: enrollment status, the type of school, and the type of curriculum.
To be considered a student, an individual must be enrolled at least half-time in an IHE in a curriculum or program that normally requires a high school diploma or equivalent degree prior to admission.
Enrollment Status
A student must be enrolled at least half-time as determined by the school. Individuals enrolled less than half-time do not have to meet a student exemption to be eligible for SNAP.
Type of School
An IHE is defined as a school that normally requires a high school diploma or equivalent degree prior to enrollment. IHEs can include business schools, technical schools, trade schools, vocational schools, or colleges and universities.
Type of Curriculum
At a business, technical, trade, or vocational school, only individuals enrolled in curricula that require a high school diploma or equivalent degree prior to enrollment are considered to be enrolled in an IHE. Individuals enrolled in curricula or programs within those schools that do not require a high school diploma or equivalent degree prior to enrollment are not considered to be enrolled in an IHE.
At a college or university, if an individual is enrolled in a program that is part of the regular curriculum or degree program, they are considered enrolled in an IHE whether or not they were required to have a high school diploma or equivalent degree. If the individual is enrolled in a special program that is not part of the regular curriculum (such as remedial education, continuing or community education, professional development, classes for English language learners, or workforce development/training programs), then they are not considered to be enrolled in an IHE.
Updated April 24, 2023, replacing March 1, 2012