• Employed for a minimum of 80 hours per month or, if self-employed and working at least 80 hours/month with gross monthly earnings at least equal to the Federal minimum wage multiplied by 80 hours.

• Have been approved for state or federally financed work study.

• Employed on campus by the school or an auxiliary organization.

• Single parent with responsibility for the care of a child under age 12.

• In a two-parent household and have parental control over a child under the age of 6.

• In a two-parent household and have parental control over a child who has reached age six but is under age 12 and for whom adequate childcare is not available.

• Receiving TANF (CalWORKs/Tribal TANF) cash aid.

• Receiving TANF-funded Cal Grant A or B and 25 or younger, currently unmarried, and CalFresh Household income is under $50,000/year. Students can email or call the California Student Aid Commission to find out their Cal Grant funding source: (888) 224-7268 or studentsupport@csac.ca.gov

• In a Teaching or Research Assistantship.

• Enrolled in a Career & Technical Education program at College of the Redwoods.

• Currently receiving disabled services or disability benefits, or unable to work 20 hours a week while in school due to a physical or mental condition.

• Experiencing chronic homelessness.

• In treatment for or dependent upon drugs or alcohol.

• Experiencing domestic violence.

• Participating in a program that is a Local Program to Increase Employability (LPIE) at a public institution (more on this in the next section)

There are specific rules used to determine whether a college student (age 18 through 49) is eligible for CalFresh. If you or a member of your household are currently attending college or university half time or more (as defined by your school’s degree/transfer requirements, often 7.5 units), you MAY be eligible to participate in CalFresh if you meet any one of the following criteria:

Student Eligibility for CalFresh

Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE)

• LPIEs are programs operated by state or local government.

• Programs at California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), or University of California (UC) can be included

• Programs at private institutions do not meet the definition of an LPIE, so are not included.

• Starting June 1, 2026, all associate and bachelor’s degree programs at CCC, CSU, and UC campuses are considered Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE), which means college students (as long as enrolled at least half-time) are exempt from the student eligibility rule, because an LPIE is considered an employment and training program.

• This process will be applied for all new student applications beginning June 1, 2026 and will be screened at recertification for ongoing cases. Students can also make a voluntary mid-period report before recertification to let the county know they are participating in an LPIE.

• If not attending a CCC, CSU, or UC, a county eligibility worker can look up whether the specific college and degree/program are on the official LPIE list.

• If not already an approved LPIE, these programs still need to be submitted for approval to be an LPIE: graduate programs, certificate programs, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, and apprenticeships.

• Flyers about this are available on the CDSS website in the “College Outreach Materials” section.

Verification of exemptions from the student eligibility rule is not required unless information is questionable.

Students are also EXEMPT from the student eligibility rule if they:

• Do not expect to be enrolled next term

• Are age 17 or younger, or age 50 or older

• Physically or mentally unfit to work an average of 20 hours per week, ongoing, while also attending school

Which students are NOT eligible?

• Students on a meal plan that receive 11 ore more meals per week

• Students with F1 Student Visa

• Students granted Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: 

1. Mail: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Room 334 Alexandria, VA 22314; or

2. Email: FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.