Student Eligibility Criteria

Definition [63-406.2]

Anyone defined as a student for CalFresh must meet one of the following exemptions to be eligible for CalFresh benefits. Non-Students (per the CalFresh definition) do not have to meet this criteria and may qualify for CalFresh, if otherwise eligible.

CRITERIA

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR RESTRICTIONS

Employed at least 20 hours per week

 Must receive pay for employment.

Self-Employed at least 20 hours per week

 Must earn at least the equivalent of federal minimum wage times 20 hours per week.

State or Federally Financed Work Study participant

 Be APPROVED for state or federally financed Work Study for the current school term, as defined by the institution, and ANTICIPATE working during the term.

Exerting Parental Control over a Dependent HH Member who is under age six

 The assertion of parental control is only met if the student provides the majority of the child care for children in the household under age 6.

Exerting Parental Control over a Dependent HH member age six through eleven and Adequate Child Care Services are not available.

 Adequate child care services would enable the student to attend class and work 20 hours per week or participate in a state or federally financed work study program during the regular school year.

Enrolled Full-time in an institution of Higher Education and a Single Parent responsible for the care of a child under age 12.

 This provision applies when only one of the child’s(ren’s) natural, adoptive or step parents, regardless of martial status, is in the same CalFresh household (CalFresh HH) as the child(ren). If no natural, adoptive or step parent is in the same CalFresh HH as the child, another full-time student in the same CalFresh HH as the child may qualify for eligible student status if he or she has parental control over the child and is not living with his or her spouse.

CALWORKs Recipient

 Cannot be an RCA recipient.

Assigned or Placed in an Institution of Higher Education through or in Compliance with one of the Programs on the right
  • The WIOA
  • A CFET:
    • Fresh Success
  • The Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program under Title IV of the Social Security Act.
  • A program under Section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974.
  • A state or local government employment and training program, for low-income individuals, determined by the county Social Services Agency to be providing at least one of the components as specified in Section 63-407.841.
  • Includes Self-Initiated Participation (SIPs) as long as the program has a component for enrollment in an institution of higher education and that program accept the placement.
Local Programs that Increase Employability (LPIE)

The following programs are identified as general programs which meet the criteria for an LPIE:

Campus Employment Program
Students employed by their campus or a recognized auxiliary organization are considered to be participating in a Campus Employment Program. For LPIE purposes, an auxiliary organization must be overseen by the CCC, CSU, or UC, and must serve the institution of higher education. Students enrolled in this program do not need to be working an average of 20 hours per week or a total of 80 hours per month to meet the criteria for an exemption to the student eligibility rule as LPIEs do not have a minimum hour requirement.

Research and Teaching Assistantship Program
Students hired for a research or teaching assistant position, whether paid or unpaid, or part of a training program, are considered to be participating in a Research and Teaching Assistantship Program.

All other LPIEs must be one of the programs listed on the CDSS Student Resource Page. https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh-resource-center/policy
 

Length of Student Status [63-406-22]

A student's enrollment status shall begin on the first day of the school term at the institution of higher education. Once a student enrolls in an institution of higher education, such enrollment shall continue through normal periods of class attendance, vacation, and recess, unless the student graduates, is suspended, expelled, or drops out.

ExampleExample

 

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