Student Status

This section explains who is considered a student for the Basic Food program, which students are eligible for Basic Food, and when student status begins and ends.

WAC 388-482-0005 How does being a student of higher education affect my eligibility for the Washington Basic Food Program?

Clarifying Information and Worker Responsibilities

Clarifying Information - WAC 388-482-0005

General Rule:

Institutions of Higher Education Including Online Schools:

  1. Business, technical, trade, or vocational school that normally requires a high school diploma or equivalency certificate for enrollment;
  2. A college or university that offers degree programs regardless of whether a high school diploma is required;
  3. Online schools (for example: University of Phoenix); and
  4. Correspondence schools as long as the entry criteria or degree program characteristics are met and the student is considered attending at least half time.

NOTE: All Washington state public universities, technical, and community colleges consider 6 credits to be half time. If someone is attending a private college or university, half time status must be verified with the school.

Courses not considered higher education:

  1. English as a second language (ESL);
  2. High school completion and GED courses including Running Start;
  3. Courses that are not a part of the regular college program; or
  4. A WIA program contracted by a college.

EXAMPLE: Kurt attends a technical college that offers both a two-year degree program and a one-year certificate program. The degree program requires a high school diploma or GED for enrollment, while the certificate program has no such requirements. Kurt is enrolled in the one-year certificate program curriculum. Since the certificate-only program that he's enrolled in doesn't require a diploma or GED, Kurt isn't considered to be enrolled in an institution of higher education. Therefore, Kurt doesn't have to meet student eligibility requirements for Basic Food.

When Student Status Ends:

  1. Graduates;
  2. Is suspended or expelled;
  3. Drops out of school; or
  4. Doesn't intend to register for the next normal school term (excluding summer school).

Employed Students:

Self Employed Students:

  1. Work an average of twenty hours each week; and
  2. Earn an amount at least equal to the federal minimum wage for twenty hours a week. The current federal minimum wage can be found at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage.

Care for a dependent person in the AU:

Income-in-kind:

Income-in-kind isn't considered payment for work and can't be used to establish hours of workweek.

EXAMPLE Melanie works for the college during her summer break. Instead of paying her wages, the school deducts the income from her fall tuition costs. We can't use the value of the work or the hours worked when we determine if she is an eligible student.

Work Study:

  1. Approved for work study as part of a financial aid package for the school term; and
  2. Anticipate participating in a work study job during that time.

If a work study job isn’t available or hasn’t begun, the student is still eligible for the exemption until they notify us they refused a work study job.

Worker Responsibilities - WAC 388-482-0005

NOTE:
If a client is determined to be an ineligible student as they meet no exemption during the Basic Food interview, deny the application. Don't pend the application to allow them time to begin meeting an exemption. If the client wants to qualify for Basic Food through meeting student eligibility, they must reapply after their circumstance changes.

Example: Patrick is a student of higher education and applies for Basic Food. During the interview, he discloses he has a job interview, but hasn’t been hired. Patrick meets no other exemptions. Don't pend his application for the results of the job interview. He can reapply once he meets the 20 hours a week average if he is hired or if he meets another exemption.

Determine if the person attending school is a ‘student’ for purposes of Basic Food:

NOTE:

If a client claims to be physically or mentally unable to work and their statement is questionable, verify the claim by:

  1. Proof of permanent disability benefits issued by a public or private source; or
  2. A statement from a qualified professional or their staff.

Evaluate a student’s eligibility for Basic Food:

  1. If you decide a client meets the definition of a student, review the circumstances to decide if they are an eligible student for Basic Food.
  2. Before allowing student eligibility based on dependent care responsibilities when both parents live in the household, determine why the other parent cannot care for the child in place of the student parent.

EXAMPLE:

A student and her spouse have a 4 year old child. The non-student parent isn't employed but is actively looking for work. The student parent cares for the child about 60% of the time. In this case the worker documents that since the non-student parent is actively looking for work by filing job applications and attending interviews the student parent needs to care for the child more than half the time to allow for the other parent’s job search activities. The student is eligible for Basic Food.

Determining Student Income

Student income must be evaluated and verified for all students, even if the student doesn't have to meet student eligibility criteria.

EXAMPLE: Mark is a student at Western Washington University, attending half-time. He is 53 years old and doesn't have to meet student eligibility requirements. You must determine if he receives any countable or exempt student income.