CalFresh Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs)

Please refer to our Documents tab for more information on the documents you will need to submit for an application.  If you have any questions about specific documentation, where to find it, or how to submit it, please contact our team at calfresh@ucsd.edu or attend our in-person drop in hours.

If your stipend is used for “allowable educational expenses” including: tuition and mandatory fees (including the purchase or rental of any equipment, materials, and supplies related to course of study), books, supplies, transportation, dependent care, and “miscellaneous personal expenses” and is awarded within in your financial aid package, you may submit your financial aid package as proof of your stipend. 

If you receive your TAship/stipend to cover everyday living expenses, such as rent or mortgage, personal clothing, or food eaten at home, you may report that separately. To report your TAship/stipend income, we encourage you to attend our in-person drop in hours with a County worker for further assistance. 

A CalFresh “household” is defined as people you regularly purchase and prepare meals with. If you purchase your own groceries and are applying to receive your own individual benefits, then you would record your household size as 1. There are people you must include within your household even if you do not regularly purchase and prepare meals with them. These situations include:

• If you are 22 years of age or younger and live with your parents/guardian
• If you have a spouse and/or dependents

If you occasionally share food with your roommates, friends, or family members, you do not need to include them in your household. Any student over the age of 18 who lives at an address separate from their parents/guardians can apply independently.

Keep in mind that when applying with family, all individuals on the application will have to provide required documentation—proof of ID, income, etc. 

If you work on campus, you will receive your pay stubs through UCPath. You should upload your two most recent pay stubs to your CalFresh application. 

Yes! Log into your BenefitsCal User Account to access your existing application. Your dashboard will show an option to “Upload Your Documents” and you can add any remaining documents to the county there. If it’s your first time using this website, create a “BenefitsCal User Account” and link your existing case number.

A “CSAC Award Letter” is a letter sent by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) that confirms you received CalGrant A or B for the upcoming school year. Only students who meet the income requirement of annual parent and student income of no more than $50k will receive the CSAC letter with TANF (Temporary Assistance For Needy Family) language.

To locate proof of your TANF-funded CalGrant A/B, you may have received an email from CSAC (studentsupport@csac.ca.gov) labeled “Cal Grant Renewal Status.” You may download a PDF of this email and submit that as proof to the County. Alternatively, you may also find your letter through your CSAC WebGrants 4 Students Portal under “view CAR”. You may download a PDF of this email and submit that as proof to the County. For either document, assure that your full name is visible when submitting to the County.