Almost a quarter of college students experienced hunger in 2020: GAO

Nearly a quarter of college students experienced hunger in 2020, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The GAO report found 23 percent of college students — about 3.8 million — experienced food insecurity in 2020. The report found about 2.2 million food insecure students reported very low food security, which means they reported multiple times that they ate less food than they should or skipped meals because they could not afford food.

The GAO estimated that fewer than two in five food insecure students possibly met the criteria to receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which provide assistance to low-income individuals and families to purchase food at stores.

Out of those who possibly met the requirements, the GAO said 59 percent did not report receiving SNAP benefits.

Reps. Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.) and David Scott (D-Ga.) requested the report after Congress expanded students’ eligibility for food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

“Research has long shown that food insecurity affects students’ academic outcomes. Unfortunately, today’s GAO report affirms that too many college students are unable to escape hunger as they pursue their educational goals,” Scott said in a statement about the new report.

“Congress must ensure that students who are eligible for SNAP benefits have access to these benefits and that colleges are proactively informing students of the benefits available to them,” he added. “As the cost of attending college continues to rise, Congress can and should do more to support food insecure students and provide them with the resources they need to graduate.”