Applying for CalFresh is convenient! You don't have to travel across town and wait in long lines. You can apply online at www.students.getcalfresh.org (or by mail), and you can ask to do your eligibility interview by phone. For more information, call toll-free 1-866-404-4007. Click here for a flyer.
You are not considered a student, and thus could still get CalFresh, if you are any of the following
- under age 18 or over age 49
- disabled
- deemed physically/mentally unfit for employment
- enrolled less than half-time
- enrolled in programs or classes that don't require a high school diploma or GED
- enrolled in a school not considered an institution of higher education
Even if you are considered a student, you could get CalFresh if you are any of the following:
- working an average of 20 or more hours a week
- approved for an planning to engage in state or federal work study
- enrolled in WIOA, EOPS, WTW or another job training program accepted by CalFresh
If you are a student with one or more children, you could get CalFresh if you are any of the following:
- enrolled part time, with a child under age 6
- enrolled part time with a child age 6-11 without adequate child care
- enrolled full time, with a child under 12
- receiving CalWORKs
- enrolled in WIOA, EOPS, WTW or another job training program accepted by CalFresh
What CalFresh Verification documents will I need?
The County needs proof of information you give in the application. The County will need to have one document for each type of your verification category before your application can be certified.
If you are eligible to Expedited Services, at the time of your application you will need to show your identification, only. The other information can be given to the County later. If you aren't eligible for expedited services you need to provide necessary documents with the initial application.
Applicants need to show only ONE document for each category of verification. (For example, to show the applicants identity you can show EITHER your: birth certificate, or driver's license, or paycheck or voter registration card.) Click here for a Spanish flyer.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FACTS AND QUESTIONS
Does a student need to be working in a work study job to qualify for CalFresh?
No, the student does not need to be working in a work study job to qualify for the work study exemption. As long as the student is eligible for work study and intends to find a work study placement, they will qualify for this exemption and could be eligible if they meet the other CalFresh requirements. However, if the client refuses work study or a work study placement, they will no longer qualify for this exemption but may be eligible under other student exemption rules.
What happens if the students has a roommate? Do they have to apply together?
It will depend on how the household prepares meals. If the student and the roommate cook and prepare meals together, they must apply together.
What happens during the summer months? Are students still eligible for CalFresh?
The student status is reported at application and at the recertification. If a student is determined to be an eligible college student, they will continue to be eligible even during the summer and winter breaks.
What happens for students who live on campus during the school year but during the summer/winter breaks leave the county or California? Are they still eligible during these breaks?
These students will still be eligible to use their CalFresh benefits in another county or state during these breaks and will continue to be considered your registered county's residents. Students should contact their case worker or the
Department of Social Services and inform the County about any mailing address changes to ensure the student does not miss any relevant letters from the County about their case. If the student does not intend to return to your county but they still live in California, they should contact the County about transferring their case to another county. If the student is leaving California permanently, they will need to reapply in the new state.
What is EOPS? What is CARE?
The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is a state-funded program of support services are specifically designed for students who are economically and educationally disadvantaged. The services provided vary by school but they tend to include career counseling, grant opportunities, study tools and more. The CARE (Cooperative Agencies and Resources for Education) is for students participating in the EOPS program who are single parents and are receiving CalWORKs. If the student is part of the EOPS, they will be exempt from the work requirements for college students and as long as they meet the other eligibility guidelines for CalFresh, can apply for benefits. Students who are part of the CARE program should already be receiving both CalFresh and CalWORKs.
What is WIOA? What programs qualify under WIOA?
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) amends the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. TheWIAO offers a range of workforce development activities including but not limited to one-stop career centers, training and employment programs, and youth workforce activities. If a student is enrolled in a WIOA activity, they will meet one of the exemptions and could be eligible for CalFresh. It is the responsibility of the county eligibility worker to determine if the workforce development activity the students is participating in is a part of WIOA.