College Students and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Colorado

Key Findings for State Agencies, Colleges, and Counties

Research SummaryPublished Jun 11, 2026

Across the United States, states and colleges are exploring ways to reduce student food insecurity. The nearly one in four college students who face food insecurity experience lower rates of academic success and face challenges with health and well-being. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the primary public program for addressing food insecurity in the United States. Yet prior evidence suggests that only a small portion of college students participate in the program. College students face complex SNAP eligibility criteria (see the box below). They are often unaware of these rules or are unable to navigate burdensome application processes.

RAND researchers partnered with the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to build evidence on SNAP participation among undergraduate college students. This brief highlights four key findings on college student participation in SNAP and the barriers students face to participation. This brief is intended for state higher education and human services leaders, local human services offices, and college administrators seeking to improve college student access to SNAP.

Key Things to Know About College Student Eligibility for SNAP

Individuals in Colorado and across the United States who are enrolled half time or more in college are subject to different SNAP eligibility criteria than the typical adult. College student eligibility is described in this box.

College Student Eligibility Criteria

According to Title 7 of the U.S. Code, college students who are enrolled at least half time must meet SNAP income eligibility requirements and qualify for a student exemption to be eligible for SNAP: under age 18 or age 50 or older; not physically or mentally fit; employed at least 20 hours per week; participating in a state or federally financed work-study program; a parent with responsibility for (1) a dependent child under age six, (2) a dependent child ages six to 11 but without adequate childcare, or (3) a dependent child under age 12 as a single parent enrolled full time in college; a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program recipient; enrolled in higher education through one of a set of programs designed to prepare individuals for employment, such as the SNAP Employment and Training program.

Colorado Changes to SNAP Eligibility

In 2018, Colorado increased the income threshold for SNAP eligibility from 130 percent to 200 percent of the federal poverty line. The figure in this box shows that college student eligibility rates jumped by approximately one-third between academic years 2018 and 2019, driven largely by this change in the income threshold.

Temporary Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic–Related Changes to SNAP Eligibility

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the federal government expanded college student eligibility for SNAP by adding two temporary student exemptions between January 2021 and June 2023. The work-study exemption was expanded to include students who were eligible to participate in work-study programs even if they did not participate. Colorado maintained this expanded interpretation of the work-study exemption after the temporary federal changes expired. The second, entirely new exemption was for students who filled out a financial aid form and had an expected family contribution of zero toward higher education expenses.

Percentage of Colorado College Enrollees Likely Eligible for SNAP

A line chart shows the percentage of Colorado college enrollees likely eligible for SNAP from academic year 2015 to 2024, comparing community colleges and technical schools with universities.

Percentage likely eligible for SNAP

Community colleges and technical schools

  • 2015: 18.4%
  • 2016: 17.5%
  • 2017: 16.3%
  • 2018: 15.4%
  • 2019: 21.3%
  • 2020: 20.9%
  • 2021: 27.2%
  • 2022: 29.4%
  • 2023: 26.5%
  • 2024: 18.8%

Universities

  • 2015: 6.8%
  • 2016: 6.8%
  • 2017: 6.3%
  • 2018: 6.1%
  • 2019: 8.7%
  • 2020: 7.5%
  • 2021: 13.9%
  • 2022: 14.7%
  • 2023: 14.7%
  • 2024: 7%

SOURCE: Features anonymized data from CDHE and CDHS provided by the Linked Information Network of Colorado.

NOTE: Academic years in this analysis span September of the prior calendar year through August of the year identified. For example, academic year 2024 spans September 2023 through August 2024. Individuals are identified as likely eligible if they met observable criteria to receive SNAP benefits during that year.

Finding 1: Participation in SNAP Is Increasing Among Colorado College Students, but Many Eligible Students Do Not Participate

SNAP participation rates among community college and university students in Colorado were at or near their highest points over the past decade in academic year 2024 (from 2023 to 2024). Yet among likely SNAP-eligible students, only 42 percent of community college students and 29 percent of university students participated in SNAP (see Figure 1). The results mirror evidence from national data and other state-level analyses that show low SNAP participation rates among college students.

Figure 1. SNAP Participation over Time Among Colorado College Enrollees and Likely Eligible Students

The figure contains two line charts comparing SNAP participation rates for community colleges and technical schools versus universities from academic year 2015 to 2024.

All undergraduate students

Community colleges and technical schools (% participating in SNAP)

  • 2015: 12.4%
  • 2016: 10.8%
  • 2017: 9.9%
  • 2018: 9.4%
  • 2019: 9.7%
  • 2020: 10.7%
  • 2021: 11.8%
  • 2022: 12%
  • 2023: 13.3%
  • 2024: 14.2%

Universities (% participating in SNAP)

  • 2015: 3.9%
  • 2016: 3.5%
  • 2017: 3.2%
  • 2018: 3%
  • 2019: 2.9%
  • 2020: 3.4%
  • 2021: 4.6%
  • 2022: 5%
  • 2023: 6.1%
  • 2024: 6.4%

Likely eligible students

Community colleges and technical schools (% participating in SNAP)

  • 2015: 43.7%
  • 2016: 39.3%
  • 2017: 37.2%
  • 2018: 36%
  • 2019: 30.3%
  • 2020: 31.8%
  • 2021: 30.2%
  • 2022: 29.5%
  • 2023: 34.7%
  • 2024: 41.8%

Universities (% participating in SNAP)

  • 2015: 28.8%
  • 2016: 25.5%
  • 2017: 24%
  • 2018: 22.9%
  • 2019: 17%
  • 2020: 20.1%
  • 2021: 19%
  • 2022: 20.1%
  • 2023: 23.3%
  • 2024: 29.2%

SOURCE: Features anonymized data from CDHE and CDHS provided by the Linked Information Network of Colorado.

NOTE: Academic years in this analysis span September of the prior calendar year through August of the year identified. For example, academic year 2024 spans September 2023 through August 2024. Individuals are identified as likely eligible if they met observable criteria to receive SNAP benefits during that year. Individuals are identified as SNAP participants if they received a SNAP benefit during any month in that year.

Finding 2: College Students in Groups That Are Historically Underserved in Postsecondary Education Are More Likely to Be Eligible for SNAP and More Likely to Participate When Eligible

An examination of SNAP eligibility and participation rates among Colorado college enrollees by demographic subgroup found that adult learners, women, and individuals who identify as Black, Hispanic, or two or more races were all more likely to be SNAP eligible and more likely to participate when eligible (Table 1). This suggests that SNAP is reaching groups of students who often face greater barriers to college completion. The SNAP program may therefore play a role in broader equity-focused student support efforts.

Table 1. Student Groups More Likely to Be Eligible for and Participate in SNAP

Student Group More Likely to Be Eligible More Likely to Participate When Eligible
Adult learners (age 25 and older) + +
Women students + +
Black students + +
Hispanic students + +
Two or more races students + +

SOURCE: Features anonymized data from CDHE and CDHS provided by the Linked Information Network of Colorado.

NOTE: The plus sign (+) indicates that the student group is more likely to be eligible for SNAP or more likely to participate in SNAP when eligible relative to a comparison group. For adult learners (age 25 and older), the comparison group is students age 24 and younger. For women students, male students are the comparison group. For racial or ethnic groups, the comparison group consists of White, non-Hispanic students. These findings hold for both community colleges and universities in academic year 2024 and in an analysis that pools all academic years (2015 to 2024) in the data. All descriptive differences persist after accounting for an array of factors that might affect SNAP eligibility and participation (e.g., demographics, enrollment intensity, household adjusted gross income) in a regression framework and are statistically significant at the p < 0.05 level (or the p < 0.01 level), with the exception of the differences in participation among eligible students by racial and ethnic group at universities in academic year 2024. All differences are statistically significant in the pooled analysis across years. Academic years in this analysis span September of the prior calendar year through August of the identified year. For example, academic year 2024 spans September 2023 through August 2024. Individuals are identified as likely eligible if they met observable criteria to receive SNAP benefits during that year. Individuals are identified as SNAP participants if they received a SNAP benefit during any month in that year.

Finding 3: Denial Rates Are High for College Students Who Apply for SNAP, Even When They Are Likely to Be Eligible

An examination of SNAP application denial rates for Colorado college students found that even when college students were likely SNAP eligible, more than half were initially denied SNAP benefits in each of the four most recent academic years in the analysis (Figure 2). The denial rate drops by nearly 10 percentage points when we exclude from the denial count students who reapplied and were later approved. But denial rates remain a major barrier to college student participation. Some of these SNAP application denials were due to missed interviews by or missing paperwork from the students; other denials were due to failures to meet income or other criteria. Nonadministrative denials may occur even among college students who are identified as likely SNAP eligible in the analysis due to the researchers’ lack of complete information on all factors that determine SNAP eligibility.

Colorado stakeholders—state agencies, county SNAP offices, and colleges—should explore ways to reduce these denial rates by minimizing administrative burden, simplifying eligibility criteria, and ensuring clear communication of eligibility criteria to county staff, colleges, and students.

Figure 2. SNAP Denials over Time Among Likely Eligible Colorado College Enrollees

A line chart shows denial rates for initial SNAP applications among likely eligible Colorado college enrollees from academic year 2015 to 2024, comparing community colleges and technical schools with universities.

Likely eligible students

Community colleges and technical schools (% Denial rate for initial SNAP application)

  • 2015: 41.9%
  • 2016: 42.5%
  • 2017: 41.3%
  • 2018: 41.1%
  • 2019: 37.5%
  • 2020: 44.2%
  • 2021: 51.8%
  • 2022: 56.2%
  • 2023: 58.1%
  • 2024: 54.6%

Universities (% Denial rate for initial SNAP application)

  • 2015: 43.4%
  • 2016: 46.3%
  • 2017: 46.2%
  • 2018: 44.2%
  • 2019: 45.6%
  • 2020: 48.4%
  • 2021: 54.4%
  • 2022: 59.2%
  • 2023: 58%
  • 2024: 53.9%

SOURCE: Features anonymized data from CDHE and CDHS provided by the Linked Information Network of Colorado.

NOTE: Academic years in this analysis span September of the prior calendar year through August of the year identified. For example, academic year 2024 spans September 2023 through August 2024. Percentages displayed reflect the share of likely SNAP-eligible undergraduates enrolled in any CDHE institution with an initial application during any month in that year who had an initial application denied in any month of the year. Individuals are identified as likely eligible if they met observable criteria to receive SNAP benefits during that year.

Finding 4: Colorado College Staff Report That Students Face Many Barriers to Participation in SNAP

In a survey of public postsecondary institutions across Colorado in spring 2024, college staff reported that the most common barriers to college student SNAP participation are limited student knowledge of SNAP eligibility requirements and limited student awareness of existing options for SNAP application support (Figure 3). Colleges in Colorado have increased their outreach and support efforts over time, but many colleges still face limited capacity or are not able to reach students with this information. Many college staff also reported that stigma and beliefs about deservingness are barriers for college students. Two-thirds of colleges reported that the time to complete application processes and easier access to other resources, such as food pantries, are barriers to SNAP participation. The fewest colleges (only one-third) reported concerns about the accuracy of county office eligibility determinations.

Figure 3. Percentage of Colorado Public Postsecondary Institutions Reporting Barriers to College Student SNAP Participation

A horizontal bar chart shows the percentage reporting SNAP barriers across 11 reported barriers.

Percentage reporting SNAP barriers

  • Limited student understanding of SNAP eligibility requirements: 88%
  • Limited student awareness of options for SNAP application support: 81%
  • Student embarrassment or stigma around participating in public benefits programs: 79%
  • Students’ beliefs that others can use the benefits more: 75%
  • Limited student time to work through the SNAP application process: 71%
  • Other basic needs supports (e.g., food pantries, emergency aid) are easier to access: 67%
  • Hesitancy of students to provide personal financial information: 67%
  • Limited availability of SNAP application support: 67%
  • Lack of student familiarity or comfort with staff providing SNAP application support: 63%
  • College and human services staff have challenges identifying which students are eligible and not participating in SNAP: 54%
  • College and human services staff have differing interpretations of SNAP eligibility criteria: 33%

SOURCE: Features data from a survey of representatives from all Colorado public postsecondary institutions conducted from March to April 2024.

NOTE: The survey response rate was 87 percent, and 27 of 31 public institutions responded. The respondents were two of three technical schools, 14 of 15 community colleges, and 11 of 13 universities. Technical schools are grouped with community colleges for the purposes of this analysis.

Conclusion

Many Colorado college students are not accessing SNAP benefits despite being eligible for the program. College students face many barriers to accessing SNAP: high denial rates, a lack of student awareness of eligibility and supports, student beliefs about stigma and deservingness, and limited time to complete administrative processes. The good news is that participation rates have increased slightly in recent years. And those college students who are eligible for and participating in SNAP at higher rates are the ones who might be the most likely to benefit from additional wraparound supports.

States and colleges can take actions to improve access to SNAP for college students. Colorado stakeholders have been pursuing efforts to expand outreach and case management and exploring state authorities to simplify and expand eligibility. These state and local approaches to increasing college student SNAP participation are documented in the briefs What States Can Do to Boost College Student Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Evidence from Colorado and What Colleges Can Do to Boost Student Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Lessons from Colorado.

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Phillips, Brian, Lindsay Daugherty, Min Jung Kim, Amanda Perez, Jonathan H. Cantor, Jennifer Kret, and Michael Vente, College Students and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Colorado: Key Findings for State Agencies, Colleges, and Counties. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA4846-1.html.
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