People must be able to meet their basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, and childcare to access and complete college. Nearly 20% of undergraduate students are parents, and roughly 23% of students experience food insecurity. Today, more than half of the 35% of enrolled students who are considering stopping out report they cannot afford to pay their bills. Improving student access to public benefits programs and institutional support can help students cover non-tuition costs and stay in school. However, the complex eligibility rules and administrative burdens of public benefits programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidies make it difficult for students to participate.
Higher education is workforce development. Modernizing these programs would help more enrolled students complete college and allow more public benefit participants to enroll and complete a quality credential, reducing benefit participation in the long term. TICAS works to advance policies that improve student basic needs security, place individuals on a path to economic mobility, and empower communities to meet their workforce needs.
Blog Posts
See allBuilding on CUNY’s Success: Meeting Students’ Basic Needs in Changing Times
Learn moreSNAP Cuts Set to Endanger Basic Needs and State Higher Education Budgets
Learn moreFact Sheets
See allHow Congress Can Ensure Public Benefit Programs Support Postsecondary Education
Learn moreHow Federal Changes to SNAP & Medicaid will Impact California
Learn moreReports
See allNew Medicaid Work Requirements: How Policymakers Can Mitigate Coverage Losses for Students
Learn moreMeet Our Basic Needs Experts
Valerie Crespín-Trujillo, Ph.D.
Senior Director, College Completion and Basic Needs PolicyValerie is a Director, College Completion Policy at TICAS. She leads TICAS' efforts to expand and align state and federal investment with evidence-based student supports that research has demonstrated empower more students to enroll and graduate from college.
Deborah Martin
Senior Policy AssociateDeborah Martin serves as a Senior Policy Associate for TICAS' Anti-Poverty and Basic Needs team. She supports TICAS’ efforts to close equity gaps and align anti-poverty goals to strengthen the nation’s workforce.
Erika Roberson
Senior Policy AssociateErika is a senior policy associate supporting TICAS’ anti-poverty and basic needs work. She is particularly passionate about closing opportunity gaps for students from low-income families and those in rural communities, similar to those of her hometown.
