Program restrictions keep some students from food stamps
Unlike regular citizens, college students are required to work at least 20 hours a week to be eligible for SNAP benefits
Joce DeWitt
Issue date: 1/19/11 Section: News
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Tuition is not the only expense backing college students into a corner.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which changed its official name from "The Food Stamp Program" in 1998, has been available for college students for at least 10 years, but criteria for eligibility make rejections frequent.
Program restrictions have changed constantly since their creation as college students are considered a unique demographic.
For example, though regular citizens are not required to be employed to qualify for food stamps, eligible students must work at least 20 hours a week.
According to Dawn Myers, an employee of SNAP in Salem, the last alterations to the program regarding college students came in 2002.
"It used to be that students weren't eligible at all. Then they lobbied and got certain students eligible, but it's still restricted," Myers said. "It's a little complicated. There are nine different ways to be eligible."
Myers, along with the official SNAP website, states that students in post-secondary education who are within the age limits of 18 to 49 must meet at least one of the criteria provided in the eligibility assessment.
If a student is physically or mentally disabled, receiving Transitional Food Assistance or responsible for more than 50 percent of the care of a dependent family member under age 6, or age 6-12 if adequate care is not available, he or she is eligible.
If a student is enrolled less than half-time, or enrolled half-time or more and employed a minimum of 20 hours a week, he or she may be eligible.
If a student has been placed in higher education by the Workforce Investment Program, or is participating in a federally financed work study program during the regular school year, he or she may be eligible for SNAP.
If a student is participating in a job training program by the Workforce Investment Act in a program under section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974, in a Food Stamp Employment Training program or in an employment program for a low income household that operates by a state or local government entity, he or she could receive food stamp benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which changed its official name from "The Food Stamp Program" in 1998, has been available for college students for at least 10 years, but criteria for eligibility make rejections frequent.
Program restrictions have changed constantly since their creation as college students are considered a unique demographic.
For example, though regular citizens are not required to be employed to qualify for food stamps, eligible students must work at least 20 hours a week.
According to Dawn Myers, an employee of SNAP in Salem, the last alterations to the program regarding college students came in 2002.
"It used to be that students weren't eligible at all. Then they lobbied and got certain students eligible, but it's still restricted," Myers said. "It's a little complicated. There are nine different ways to be eligible."
Myers, along with the official SNAP website, states that students in post-secondary education who are within the age limits of 18 to 49 must meet at least one of the criteria provided in the eligibility assessment.
If a student is physically or mentally disabled, receiving Transitional Food Assistance or responsible for more than 50 percent of the care of a dependent family member under age 6, or age 6-12 if adequate care is not available, he or she is eligible.
If a student is enrolled less than half-time, or enrolled half-time or more and employed a minimum of 20 hours a week, he or she may be eligible.
If a student has been placed in higher education by the Workforce Investment Program, or is participating in a federally financed work study program during the regular school year, he or she may be eligible for SNAP.
If a student is participating in a job training program by the Workforce Investment Act in a program under section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974, in a Food Stamp Employment Training program or in an employment program for a low income household that operates by a state or local government entity, he or she could receive food stamp benefits.
"The simplest way is really based on income that college students make," says Gene Evans, the communications director for the Department of Human Services. "They have to be a full-time student either working 20 hours a week or can be a single student with a child. If (the child) is younger than 12 you're eligible, or if you're a full-time married student and the child is younger than 6."
Evans pointed out the difficulty of earning a certain amount when enrolled as a full-time student.
"If you're a single person making less than $1600 or $1700 a month, you qualify. The average benefit is about $250 per household per month," Evans said.
When questioned about the qualification obstacles for college students in comparison to the limited qualifications for regular citizens, Evans said that it was based on the perception that students have more resources.
"Most people think that being a college student means you have access to resources; many college students have support from their parents," Evans said. "But there are many students that meet qualifications and Oregon believes that, if eligible, you should receive them."
As far as whether or not rising tuition cost is a factor considered during the process of accepting student applicants, both Evans and Myers said it isn't.
"Rising tuition is not considered at all. It also doesn't matter if you're renting or bought a house," Evans said.
"We do take expenses into consideration. We allow deductions for things like rent, utilities, any education money you're receiving, any money identified as educational, but it's not counted in the same way as if it were a job," Myers said.
Out-of-state students run into even more frustrations, as applicants must be residents of the state of Oregon to be eligible.
The SNAPS website encourages non-Oregon residents to apply with the websites of their own states.
"You have to be a resident of the state of Oregon; you need to talk to the local office because it gets pretty complicated. If you're paying out-of-state tuition, that's a basic indicator of whether or not you're considered a resident of the state," Evans said.
The process for college students, according to state employees, is full of confusion. However, most students who fill out the application and meet the given requirements usually receive assistance quickly.
"If you have your documents together and prove you're an Oregon resident and a student, you can receive benefits the next day," Evans said.
For a full list of guidelines and requirements for receiving SNAP benefits, visit www.oregon.gov/DHS.
Joce DeWitt, staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
Evans pointed out the difficulty of earning a certain amount when enrolled as a full-time student.
"If you're a single person making less than $1600 or $1700 a month, you qualify. The average benefit is about $250 per household per month," Evans said.
When questioned about the qualification obstacles for college students in comparison to the limited qualifications for regular citizens, Evans said that it was based on the perception that students have more resources.
"Most people think that being a college student means you have access to resources; many college students have support from their parents," Evans said. "But there are many students that meet qualifications and Oregon believes that, if eligible, you should receive them."
As far as whether or not rising tuition cost is a factor considered during the process of accepting student applicants, both Evans and Myers said it isn't.
"Rising tuition is not considered at all. It also doesn't matter if you're renting or bought a house," Evans said.
"We do take expenses into consideration. We allow deductions for things like rent, utilities, any education money you're receiving, any money identified as educational, but it's not counted in the same way as if it were a job," Myers said.
Out-of-state students run into even more frustrations, as applicants must be residents of the state of Oregon to be eligible.
The SNAPS website encourages non-Oregon residents to apply with the websites of their own states.
"You have to be a resident of the state of Oregon; you need to talk to the local office because it gets pretty complicated. If you're paying out-of-state tuition, that's a basic indicator of whether or not you're considered a resident of the state," Evans said.
The process for college students, according to state employees, is full of confusion. However, most students who fill out the application and meet the given requirements usually receive assistance quickly.
"If you have your documents together and prove you're an Oregon resident and a student, you can receive benefits the next day," Evans said.
For a full list of guidelines and requirements for receiving SNAP benefits, visit www.oregon.gov/DHS.
Joce DeWitt, staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
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