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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Federal Actions Needed to Help Connect College Students with Benefits. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-25-106000

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Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Federal Actions Needed to Help Connect College Students with Benefits. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-25-106000
Language: English
Authors: Kathryn A. Larin, US Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Source: US Government Accountability Office. 2025.
Availability: US Government Accountability Office. 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20548. Tel: 202-512-6000; Web site: http://www.gao.gov
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 42
Publication Date: 2025
Intended Audience: Policymakers
Document Type: Reports - Research
Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Nutrition, Federal Programs, Welfare Services, College Students, Eligibility, Low Income Students, Hunger, Access to Health Care, Program Implementation, Data Use, Guidance, Outreach Programs, Enrollment, Information Dissemination, Student Financial Aid, Financial Aid Applicants
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Abstract: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Education have taken some steps to connect college students with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to help them pay for food, but gaps in planning and execution remain. Effective July 2024, a new law gave Education authority to share students' Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data with USDA and state SNAP agencies to conduct student outreach and streamline benefit administration. However, according to officials, Education had not yet developed a plan to implement these complex data-sharing arrangements. This risks delays in students getting important information that could help them access benefits they are eligible for. Following the passage of this new law, Education began providing a notification about federal benefit programs for students who may be eligible for them. However, it has not evaluated its method for identifying potentially eligible students. According to GAO analysis of 2020 Education data, Education's method could miss an estimated 40 percent of potentially SNAP-eligible students. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review college student food insecurity. This report addresses: (1) the extent to which Education and USDA have supported data use to help college students access SNAP benefits; and (2) how selected states and colleges have used student data to help connect students with SNAP benefits. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws and agency documents. GAO also interviewed officials from Education, USDA, and national higher education and SNAP associations. GAO selected three states and interviewed officials from state SNAP and higher education agencies and seven colleges in these states. GAO visited one selected state in person and interviewed two virtually. States were selected based on actions to support food insecure students and stakeholder recommendations.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED672820
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nutrition%22">Nutrition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Federal+Programs%22">Federal Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Welfare+Services%22">Welfare Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eligibility%22">Eligibility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Income+Students%22">Low Income Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hunger%22">Hunger</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Health+Care%22">Access to Health Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Implementation%22">Program Implementation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+Use%22">Data Use</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Guidance%22">Guidance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outreach+Programs%22">Outreach Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Enrollment%22">Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Dissemination%22">Information Dissemination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Financial+Aid%22">Student Financial Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Financial+Aid+Applicants%22">Financial Aid Applicants</searchLink>
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  Data: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Education have taken some steps to connect college students with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to help them pay for food, but gaps in planning and execution remain. Effective July 2024, a new law gave Education authority to share students' Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data with USDA and state SNAP agencies to conduct student outreach and streamline benefit administration. However, according to officials, Education had not yet developed a plan to implement these complex data-sharing arrangements. This risks delays in students getting important information that could help them access benefits they are eligible for. Following the passage of this new law, Education began providing a notification about federal benefit programs for students who may be eligible for them. However, it has not evaluated its method for identifying potentially eligible students. According to GAO analysis of 2020 Education data, Education's method could miss an estimated 40 percent of potentially SNAP-eligible students. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review college student food insecurity. This report addresses: (1) the extent to which Education and USDA have supported data use to help college students access SNAP benefits; and (2) how selected states and colleges have used student data to help connect students with SNAP benefits. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws and agency documents. GAO also interviewed officials from Education, USDA, and national higher education and SNAP associations. GAO selected three states and interviewed officials from state SNAP and higher education agencies and seven colleges in these states. GAO visited one selected state in person and interviewed two virtually. States were selected based on actions to support food insecure students and stakeholder recommendations.
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 42
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Nutrition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Federal Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Welfare Services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Eligibility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Income Students
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      – SubjectFull: Hunger
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Health Care
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      – SubjectFull: Program Implementation
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      – SubjectFull: Data Use
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      – SubjectFull: Guidance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outreach Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Enrollment
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      – SubjectFull: Information Dissemination
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      – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Financial Aid Applicants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Federal Actions Needed to Help Connect College Students with Benefits. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-25-106000
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