CalFresh Eligibility

To qualify for CalFresh as a student, you must:

1. Be a US citizen or Legal Permanent Resident

If this does not apply to you, you can apply for the Food Assistance Program instead, or check out other food resources (linked above).

2. Meet all of the following criteria:

Be Between 18-49 years old
Mentally and physically fit enough to be able to work
Be enrolled at least half-time (6 units or more)

If you do not meet these criteria, you may still be eligible! You will need to meet the income limits and other requirements but will not be asked to verify your student status.

3. If you meet the student definition, you must also satisfy at least ONE of these qualifications:

*Temporary COVID Expanded Eligibility*	Student Programs	Graduate Programs (current as of August 2021)
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = $0 Eligible for work study	Been awarded work-study this academic year Work 20 hours/week or an average of 80 hours/month Have a dependent under the age of 12 Receiving Cal Grant A or B Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Chafee Educational Training Voucher Program Berkeley Hope Scholars Disabled Student’s Program (DSP) Extended Foster Care (AB12/AB 212) UC McNair Program	Doctor of Optometry (OD) Juris Doctorate (JD) Master of Public Affairs (MPA) Master of Public Health (MPH) Master of Public Policy (MPP) Master of Social Welfare (MSW) School of Psychology (Ph.D.) Berkeley Educations for Equity and Excellence Doctoral Leaders for Equity and Democracy Principal Leadership Institute

4. Meet the income bracket, which until September 2021 will be:

Household size	Maximum Monthly Gross Income
1	$2,148
2	$2,904
3	$3,660
4	$4,418
5	$5,174
6	$5,930
Each additional household member	+$758

CalFresh Quick Links

Application Session

Apply on Your Own

Other Food Resources

CalFresh Eligibility Step by Step

To qualify for CalFresh as a student, you must:

1. Be a US citizen or Legal Permanent Resident

2. Meet all of the following criteria:

3. If you meet the student definition, you must also satisfy at least ONE of these qualifications:

*Temporary COVID Expanded Eligibility*

Student Programs

Graduate Programs (current as of August 2021)

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = $0

Eligible for work study

Been awarded work-study this academic year

Work 20 hours/week or an average of 80 hours/month

Have a dependent under the age of 12

Receiving Cal Grant A or B

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)

Chafee Educational Training Voucher Program

Berkeley Hope Scholars

Disabled Student’s Program (DSP)

Extended Foster Care (AB12/AB 212)

UC McNair Program

Doctor of Optometry (OD)

Juris Doctorate (JD)

Master of Public Affairs (MPA)

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

Master of Social Welfare (MSW)

School of Psychology (Ph.D.)

Berkeley Educations for Equity and Excellence

Doctoral Leaders for Equity and Democracy

Principal Leadership Institute

4. Meet the income bracket, which until September 2021 will be:

Household size

Maximum Monthly Gross Income

1

$2,148

2

$2,904

3

$3,660

4

$4,418

5

$5,174

6

$5,930

Each additional household member

+$758

*The income bracket is updated annually based on government guidelines.*

Temporary COVID Expanded Eligibility

The income bracket is updated annually based on government guidelines.