Securing Nutrition Assistance
Maricopa Community Colleges offers food assistance (SNAP—Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program) awareness and informational support for students, staff, and faculty. For direct application assistance, individuals can apply through Health-e-Arizona Plus or connect with Arizona DES for additional support.
Have You Heard of SNAP?
It is best to prepare for the application by gathering all of the required documents that are needed for the application, DES: Documents Needed to Apply for Benefits. The SNAP application can be found and completed online at Health-e-Arizona Plus.
Here is a list of the some of the common documents needed for the application:
- Identification: Birth Certificate for yourself and all who are applying with you and a valid photo ID (e.g., driver’s license or state ID).
- Proof of Income: Pay stubs (last 30 days), financial aid award letter (if applicable), or any other sources of income.
- Proof of Expenses: Rent/mortgage statement, utility bills, child care expenses, or medical bills (if applicable).
- Social Security Card: For yourself and any household members applying with you.
- Proof of Enrollment: Class schedule or enrollment verification if applying as a student.
To ensure a smooth application process, please have your documents ready in either .pdf format or as clear pictures (.jpeg, .png). If possible, try to compile all necessary documents before submitting an online application or an application appointment so we can review them together efficiently.
SNAP for Students
Who Qualifies as a Student?
- Age 18-49 and enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education. "Half-time" enrollment translates to 6 credits (2 courses) at Maricopa Community Colleges.
- Enrollment includes colleges, universities, vocational, trade, and technical schools that require a high school diploma or GED.
Students must meet one of the following to be eligible for SNAP:
- Work at least 20 hours per week in paid employment.
- Participate in a state or federally-funded work-study program.
- Enrolled through a job training, employment, or career advancement program (e.g., SNAP, CAN, WIOA).
- Be a single parent enrolled full-time with a child under 12.
- Care for a child under 6, or a child 6-11 without access to childcare.
- Be unable to work due to a disability.
- Receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.
- Financial aid does not count as earned income
- Alternatively, SNAP benefits do not affect expected family contribution in regards to financial aid
- When completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), students can report that they or their families received SNAP benefits in the last 24 months, and will then qualify for a "simplified needs analysis" and won't have to answer questions about family assets
- For students receiving SNAP with a family income under $26,000, they qualify for an automatic zero EFC, and will thus be eligible for more financial aid
- A "household" is determined by who purchases and prepares food together. This means a student living with roommates or in a dorm does not have to include their housemates' income, identification documents, or other necessary documentation if they do not buy and prepare food together
- Students must apply in the state they are living in (not their home state) and they cannot receive SNAP in two states at the same time, even if they live at home on breaks
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students do not qualify for SNAP, regardless of exemptions or work status
Need Immediate Help?
SNAP Q&A Sessions are open to students, staff, and faculty of Maricopa Community Colleges to inquire about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This is an opportunity to meet with a SNAP Outreach Specialist to ask questions about the application process and learn about other basic needs resources available!