CalFresh access holds steady for students despite federal cuts

Violet Vance | File

Despite federal budget cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, California’s SNAP program has expanded its eligibility criteria to include any student enrolled in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in the UC, CSU or California Community College system. With administrative friction remaining a large barrier for qualifying, UC Berkeley’s Basic Needs Center is also continuing to support students through the application process and communicate students’ needs to Alameda County.

SNAP benefits are monthly stipends provided to those in low-income households to alleviate grocery costs. In California, the distribution of these benefits is facilitated by CalFresh, the state’s SNAP program.

Senior Isabel Chen has been receiving benefits for three years and believes they alleviate stress when buying groceries.

“I don’t feel as guilty when I’m buying organic foods or actual meat rather than frozen food and stuff like that. It lets me feel better about buying healthier foods,” she said.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed in July 2025, outlined several cuts to social services. Among those budget cuts included a 20% reduction of funding to SNAP through 2034, totaling a decrease of about $187 billion. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the federal cuts to SNAP outlined in the bill have led to a national drop in participation of more than 4.5 million people. Some states, such as Louisiana and Arizona, have seen drops in participation reaching 21% and 55%, respectively.

Earlier this year, the budget cuts began restricting previously eligible Californians, in particular, lawfully present immigrants seeking asylum and refugees. CalFresh also expanded work and community engagement requirements for applicants, leaving those who no longer met them without benefits.

Despite this, CalFresh participation since July 2025 has dropped by only 5.85%, just half the national average. College student participation in CalFresh rose in recent years due to COVID-era federal policies that expanded eligibility criteria and nearly doubled average monthly benefit amounts. Alameda County applications spiked between August and September, matching school and university start dates.

Recently, all UC, CSU and California Community College bachelor’s and associate’s degree programs were designated local programs that increase employability, which will automatically qualify students for CalFresh without needing to meet work requirements or other exemption categories.

To determine an applicant’s eligibility for CalFresh benefits, Alameda County Social Services Agency caseworkers hold mandatory interviews with applicants within 30 days of application submission.

One of the leading reasons for denial of student applications is “ineligible.” The California Department of Social Services determines whether a student is denied based on 30 ineligibility criteria. As for applications that are eligible, administrative issues such as missed interviews and failure to provide income make up the majority of denial reasons.

In order for a student to qualify for CalFresh, they must fall into a defined exemption category. The most common exemption category in Alameda County is employment and training as of this May, where students must meet certain workforce programs. Other categories such as work-study and caring for children also apply.

Interviews are also procedural for continuing enrollees looking to renew their benefits, so a missed interview can affect whether or not a CalFresh user can access their funds. Chen, who qualified through the work-study exemption, recalled that her funds would be withheld if she did not provide timely income updates or missed a phone call for her interview with a caseworker.

“I would try and schedule that call as soon as possible,” Chen said. “There was like a good few weeks I went without (benefits).”

The BNC is a campus-based resource that supports student access to food, housing and financial stability. One of its programs provides students assistance from start to finish through the CalFresh application process and any case issues.

BNC’s CalFresh coordinator Arianna Basped said much of her work involves staying updated on SNAP policy updates. A common issue, Basped explained, is students not receiving information on their interview time or being called when they are unavailable, such as during class.

“What I’ve been doing as an advocate is going directly to the county and talking with eligibility workers and other workers that are in the county just to share that information about what the student experience is,” Basped said. “You’re not going to always be able to just drop everything and answer that phone call.”

Jesse Rothstein, professor of public policy and economics and the director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education, argues more initiative needs to be taken on campus to streamline accessibility.

Rothstein proposes cohesion between the social services agency and financial aid — placing agents within the financial aid office and providing necessary documents to students who are likely eligible for SNAP as a “one-stop shop.”

Copyright © 2026 The Daily Californian, The Independent Berkeley Student Publishing Co., Inc.