Incidence and Impact of Expanded SNAP Eligibility Among Virginia College Students

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Abstract

Although many studies have documented high levels of food insecurity among college students, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains low. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress expanded SNAP eligibility criteria to overlap with certain federal student financial aid programs. In partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, we document the characteristics of students participating in SNAP. Then, we use a regression discontinuity design to leverage these new eligibility rules and estimate the causal impact of SNAP participation on college student credit accumulation and persistence during the pandemic.

Authors

• Monnica Chan, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Lena Shi, University of California - Irvine