Official Site of The State of New JerseyWho is Eligible for SNAP?
Your household must meet certain requirements to be eligible for SNAP and receive benefits, including meeting the maximum allowable income listed below. A SNAP household is anyone who lives and eats together.
Gross Monthly Income Eligibility Standard
(185% of FPL)
Figures Valid October 2022 - September 2023
| Household Size | Max. Allowable Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,096 |
| 2 | $2,823 |
| 3 | $3,551 |
| 4 | $4,279 |
| 5 | $5,006 |
| 6 | $5,734 |
| 7 | $6,462 |
| 8 | $7,189 |
| Each Additional Member | + $728 |
Households that include a senior (aged 60 and older) or people with a disability may be eligible even if their gross income exceeds the amounts in the chart above.
Meeting the maximum allowable income for your household size does not guarantee you are eligible for SNAP. You can screen for NJ SNAP in five minutes to find out if you may be eligible for food assistance, cash assistance and more. Click here to screen and apply in 20 to 40 minutes.
Eligibility - Seniors and People with Disabilities
SNAP applicants aged 60 or older and those with a disability but who are not 60:
- No work requirement
- Remain eligible for 24 months before needing to recertify
- Higher resource limits
- Resources counted
- Medical expenses over $35 per month deducted from income
- Automatically eligible for other utility benefit programs including Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Universal Service Fund (USF)
Eligibility - College Students
More college students may be eligible for SNAP. You may be eligible if you are enrolled at least half time in an institution of higher education and:
- are eligible to participate in a State or federally financed work-study program as determined by the institution of higher education; or
- in the current academic year, have an Expected Family Contribution of $0 as determined by the Higher Education Act
This expanded SNAP eligibility for college students will be available as long as federal public health state of emergency remains in place and for 30 days after the federal public health state of emergency expires.
Are you a student, age 18 to 49 enrolled at least half-time in a college, university, community college, or business, technical, trade, or vocational school that requires a high school diploma?
If so, you may be eligible for food assistance through New Jersey’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federal program that can help individuals and families with low incomes buy the groceries they need to eat healthy. Eligibility depends on several factors like income, household size, resources, etc.
In addition to income eligibility factors, students also must fit at least ONE of the following requirements:
- Be enrolled in an approved Career and Technical Education Program at a New Jersey community college;
- Be employed at least 20 hours per week AND paid for such work;
- Be participating in a federal work study program during the school year;
- Be participating in an on-the-job training program;
- Be responsible for the care of a member of your household who is a dependent under the age of six years-old;
- Be a single parent enrolled full-time AND responsible for a dependent under the age 12 years-old;
- Be unable to work due to a physical or mental disability; or
- Be receiving Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits (cash assistance).
Download the NJ SNAP Student Eligibility Verification Form
If you would like more information on college student eligibility, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
