CalFresh Student Exemptions
Students must meet both the regular eligibility criteria, and at least one of the criteria below, to qualify for CalFresh.
- Enrolled less than half-time
- Taking non-credit courses only
- Age 17 or younger
- Age 50 or older
- Does not expect to be enrolled next term
- Working and getting paid for at least 20 hours per week OR a total of 80 hours a month on average.
- Approved for federal or state work study, anticipates working, and have not refused a work assignment (can still be eligible even if a work study job has not begun or is not currently available).
- Awarded a TANF funded Cal Grant A or Cal Grant B. TANF requirements are:
- Receive both Cal Grant tuition and fee payments
- Unmarried- Dependent student whose Age <=23 or Unmarried -Independent Student whose Age <=25
- Income <=$50,000
- Enrolled in a local or state funded program that increases employability.
- See LPIE list below for CSUSB approved programs.
- Enrolled in a program that increases employability for current and former foster youth (Guardian Scholars, FYSI, CAFYES, ETV or Extended Foster Care).
- Responsible for the care of a dependent in the household under the age of 6 or a child under the age of 12 without adequate childcare
- A single parent responsible for the care of a dependent in the household under the age of 12
- Participating in the CalFresh Employment and Training Program (CFET) or Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS), or be a recipient of CalWORKs or Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).
Other Things to Consider
- Individuals under the age of 22 who live with their natural parents, adoptive parents, or stepparents must include them and their income when applying for CalFresh.
- International DACA and DREAM students have been shown to not be eligible, even with a work VISA/SSN
- Out-of-state students can still be eligible for CalFresh if they are residing in California for the school year.
- Veterans and foster youth may have many different forms of income. The applicant's eligibility worker will help them determine what income counts and what doesn't. All will need to be reported on the application.
- Financial Aid awards needs to indicate that a student is approved to participate in a state or federal work study program during the regular academic year. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships determines if you are eligible for work study.
Approved List of Local Programs to Increase Employability (LPIEs) for CSUSB
Current enrollment in a program listed below would satisfy the college students eligibility requirement. Please complete the student verification request form below to obtain the documentation needed to verify your enrollment in any of these programs.
General Programs- Students in any major
- Aerospace Studies- Air Force ROTC
- Campus Employment Program (no minimum hour requirement)
- College Corps
- Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
- Learning-Aligned Employment Program (LAEP)
- Military Science- Army ROTC
- Model United Nations
- Project Impact, Minority Male Teacher Pipeline
- Research Assistantship
- Teaching Assistantship
- Workability IV
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
LPIEs by College
College of Arts and Letters
Undergraduate Degrees:
- Arabic Language, Literature, and Culture
- Art
- Art Education Concentration
- Studio Art Concentration
- Communication
- Media Studies Concentration
- Relational and Organizational Communication Concentration
- Specialized Concentration
- Strategic Communication Concentration
- Liberal Studies
- Credential-Integrated Concentration
- Precredential-Spanish Studies Concentration
- Theater Arts
- Acting Concentration
- Design/Technical Concentration
- Drama Education Concentration
- Music Theatre Concentration
- Theatre for Secondary Education Concentration
College of Education
Graduate Degrees and Credentials:
- Counseling
- Professional Counseling Concentration
- School and Professional Counseling Dual Concentration
- School of Counseling Concentration
- Internship Education Specialist Credential:
- Early Childhood Special Education with EL Authorization
- Mild/Moderate Disabilities with EL Authorization
- Extensive Support Needs
- Multiple Subject Credential
- Pupil Personnel Services Credential: School Psychology
- Rehabilitation Counseling
- Single Subject- Student Teaching Track Credential
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration
Undergraduate Degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts in Administration
- Accounting Concentration
- Business Analytics Concentration
- Entrepreneurship Concentration
- Finance Concentration
- Financial Planning Concentration
- General Business Concentration
- Hospitality Management Concentration
- Human Resource Management Concentration
- Information Security Concentration
- Information Systems and Technology Concentration
- International Business Concentration
- Management Concentration
- Marketing Concentration
- Public Administration Concentration
- Real Estate Concentration
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Concentration
- Supply Chain Management Concentration
Graduate Degrees:
- Master of Public Administration
- Community Planning & Management Concentration
- Cyber Security Concentration
- Leadership Concentration
- Nonprofit Leadership Concentration
- Public Financial Management Concentration
College of Natural Sciences
Undergraduate Degrees & Minors:
- Bioinformatics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry Concentration
- Chemistry Concentration
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Computer Systems
- Game Development Concentration
- Environmental Health Science
- Environmental Studies Environmental Systems Concentration
- Geography
- Health Services Administration
- Kinesiology
- Allied Health Professions Concentration
- Exercise Science Concentration
- Health Promotion Concentration
- Physical Education and Adapted Physical Education Concentration
- Nursing
- RN to BSN Bridge Program
- Nutritional Science and Dietetics
- Public Health
- Physics
- Minors:
- Applied Physics
- Astronomy
- Physics
Graduate Degrees & Certificates:
- Biology
- Nursing
- Advanced Community/Public Health Nursing
- Nursing Nurse Educator
- Population Health for Clinical Leaders
- Nutrition Science
- Certificates:
- Health Services Administration
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Undergraduate Degrees:
- Child Development
- Child and Adolescent Development Concentration
- Early Childhood Development Concentration
- Environmental Studies Environmental Systems Concentration
- Geography
- Psychology
- Biological Psychology Concentration
- General Psychology Concentration
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology Concentration
- Social Work
- Sociology
Graduate Degrees:
- Applied Archaeology
- Clinical/Counseling Psychology
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Social Work
- Social Work Public Administration Concurrent Degrees
Request assistance with student verification documents.
Complete the request below for assistance with required student verification documents. Examples of required documents for your CalFresh application include Federal Work Study, Local Program to Increase Employability (LPIE), EOP participation, and campus employment verification.