“In theory, these students have done everything right,” says Jaime Lechner, a Class of 2025 graduate from Niagara University in upstate New York. “You know what we were told growing up: go to college, after college you get a job, start your life, that type of thing. But a lot of people now—current students [and] recent graduates—realize that the way things are, that’s not going to be what’s happening for us.”

Lechner, a political science and international studies student, first heard about college student hunger in early 2023 while on a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. for her campus’ social work department. During this trip, she learned about the Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act, proposed federal legislation to ensure that college students nationwide know when and how they qualify for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill was introduced by Representative Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon and is currently with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

“It grabbed my attention because [it] was so simple in nature . . . something that you would think would already be occurring,” Lechner said. “It was leveraging information that the government already possessed in order to help people in a meaningful way, with little to no fiscal impact. . . . When I was reading the bill, I knew that I could not affect anything at the federal level, but I could do a smaller-scale version of the bill back home, on my campus.”

That summer, she decided to create a SNAP eligibility fact sheet for her peers experiencing food insecurity at her school. She quickly ran into a large problem, the same one students across the country face: Navigating SNAP eligibility is complicated and confusing, and leaves college students struggling to figure out what kind of support they can access.

“The information was not accessible or easy to understand,” she said. “Thankfully, I was able to sit down with my phone and my laptop for three hours and make a bunch of phone calls, but even after three hours, I did not have any information on what student eligibility would be like in New York.”

The federal government’s complex, ever-changing student eligibility requirements for SNAP makes it difficult for college students to access food. Adding to this complexity is the fact that states interpret these rules differently. For example, in Massachusetts, students who receive a MASSGrant financial aid award are eligible for SNAP, but the grant is only available to state residents.

Thankfully, Lechner and others across the country are stepping up to fill the gaps. Their state-level legislative actions—and the students they would benefit—deserve our full support.

The SNAP for Students Act 

Even when they qualify based on income, college students are ineligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet specific conditions (“exemptions”), such as working over 20 hours a week, holding a federal work-study job, or caring for young children.

But even many eligible students don’t apply to SNAP because the process is so time consuming. While the initial application can take under an hour, students need to prove that they are eligible for an exemption by collecting myriad documents, including those related to their expenses, college enrollment, and financial aid status. Collecting all of this information—both initially and when students need to reapply for benefits—can be a significant barrier.

This is especially true given that, according to one study, roughly two-thirds of college students reported working while in school, and of this group, almost half were working full-time. Additionally, roughly 20 percent of college students are parents or legal guardians, further limiting available time to chase down SNAP paperwork.

Nationwide, 1.1 million college students currently receive SNAP. An estimated 3 million additional students would qualify based on their income and exemptions, but are not enrolled. According to the College SNAP Project, over 350,000 students in New York are eligible for SNAP, representing a third of all New York college students. However, more than half of these students are not enrolled.

“A lot of the issue is that people do not know where to go for help,” says Lechner. “[And] students are unaware that the benefits are out there [and] that they may be eligible.”

Lechner’s SNAP for Students Act (A08757 / S08347) would require New York higher education institutions to use existing information channels to notify college students about SNAP benefits, eligibility, how to apply, and where to get more information.

To draft her bill, Lechner studied the Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act and other New York State laws to ensure the bill had the right pieces and language. “I already knew what I wanted to accomplish . . .  and I kept that in mind throughout the whole process,” she said.

In May 2025, Lechner shared the bill with State Senator Robert Jackson’s office. That evening, she received an email notifying her that Senator Jackson would introduce the bill the following day. Similarly, Member Phara Souffrant Forrest with the New York State Assembly became a quick supporter.

“I figured I’d have to pitch the idea Shark Tank–style,” Lechner joked. “But they were like, ‘Hey, we love the idea. Is there any other information you want to tell us?’”

The bill has a ways to go. It is currently in the Social Services Committee in both the New York State Assembly and Senate, waiting to be put on the committee agenda for a vote. Lechner is hopeful that it will be voted on this session, which ends in June.

If passed, the bill would come at a critical moment. Lechner describes a palpable feeling of panic among today’s college students and recent graduates as they try to juggle continuing their education and staying afloat in today’s economy.