Trends in Denials of Applications to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Colorado College Students

• In Event: The Potential of Public Benefit Programs to Address College Student Basic Needs and Support Academic Success

Abstract

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest food and nutrition program in the U.S., and is designed to combat food insecurity. As of January 2025, 22 million households participated in SNAP. Despite its extensive reach, many eligible individuals encounter barriers that prevent them from enrolling or participating in the program. These challenges are particularly pronounced for college students.

Historically, policy changes to SNAP have made it more difficult for college students to enroll, contributing to low participation rates among this group. A recent report from the Government Accountability Office suggests that 23% of college students experience food insecurity, but estimates that only 41% of food-insecure students who were eligible were enrolled in SNAP.

In Colorado, college students enrolled more than half time qualify for SNAP if they meet gross income limits and a student exemption criterion. However, these requirements can be difficult to navigate for student applicants as well as agency workers processing applications. Further, missing required interviews or failing to submit proper verification documents within 30 days frequently leads to denials. Research on SNAP application denials for households and college students remains limited, primarily due to restricted access to detailed administrative data.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought changes to SNAP student rules, as policymakers introduced measures to address the expected rise in food insecurity. These policy adjustments aimed to mitigate the pandemic's impact on vulnerable populations.

This study investigates three key research questions. First, which college students in Colorado are “likely” eligible for SNAP but do not apply, apply and are denied, or apply and are approved? Second, how do student and county characteristics differ between those who were denied SNAP benefits due to administrative/procedural reasons compared to unmet eligibility requirements? Third, how did denial reasons change over time, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic policy changes and did such changes affect the characteristics of students who applied for or were denied SNAP participation?

To answer these questions, we analyzed longitudinal administrative data from the Colorado Departments of Higher Education and Human Services. For the first research question, we examined trends in SNAP applications, approvals, and denials among Colorado college students, as well as the reasons for denials over time. For the second question, we stratified our analyses by student characteristics (e.g., demographics) and county-level characteristics (e.g., SNAP participation rates). For the third question, we employed fixed-effect regression models, event studies, and modern econometric techniques to analyze trends in applications, approvals, and denials for college students during the pre-COVID-19 period (2015–2019) and the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–2022).

Our initial estimates find that the share of household applications from SNAP eligible college students that was denied from pre-COVID-19 to the COVID-19 pandemic period increased from around 25% to around 30%. 

The findings from this study can guide policymakers and college administrators in understanding the administrative challenges students face when applying for SNAP. The results can inform the development of policies to increase SNAP participation among college students, both in normal circumstances and in response to future crises.

Author

• Jennifer Kret, Colorado Department of Human Services
  Presenting Author