Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Children are automatically eligible for the NJ Summer EBT program and do not need to apply to receive a benefit if:

• The household received SNAP or TANF between July 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025 and the child is enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program; OR
• The household received SNAP or TANF between July 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025  and the child is not enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, but was between ages 6-16 between July 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025; OR
• The child received Medicaid with qualifying income for the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program between July 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025 and the child is enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program; OR
• The child received Medicaid with qualifying income for the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program between July 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025 and the child is not enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program but is between ages 6-16 between July 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025; OR
• The child is a migrant, homeless, a runaway, in foster care, or attends a Head Start program administered by the school district, and the child is enrolled in a school that participates in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program; OR
• The household applied for and was approved to receive federal free or federal reduced-priced school meals through the School Meals and Summer EBT application.

You do not need to apply, but make sure your address is up to date with your local school district and/or your local county social service agency.

Please contact your child’s school to confirm if it participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP). These programs are key to determining eligibility.

Children enrolled in NSLP/SBP- participating schools who do not already have an individual eligibility determination on file between July 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025 will need to submit a School Meals and Summer EBT application to their local school district and be determined eligible in order to receive the Summer EBT benefit.

The table below shows the income limits (effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025) for Summer EBT. They are the same guidelines used for the NSLP/SBP. Your household’s total income must be the same or less than the amount shown for your household size. Note: These income limits will change on July 1, 2025.     

Children enrolled in NSLP/SBP- participating CEP schools who do not already have an individual eligibility determination on file between July 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025 will need to submit a School Meals and Summer EBT application to their local school district and be determined eligible in order to receive the Summer EBT benefit.

Children who qualify because their School Meals and Summer EBT application was approved for federal free or federal reduced price meals by their NSLP/SBP school can be any age.

If your child is not enrolled in an NSLP/SBP-participating school but your household participates in SNAP, TANF, income-eligible Medicaid, or Foster Care at any point during the 2024-2025 school year, they must be school-aged (meaning between the ages of 6-16 years old) in order to qualify.

If your child is not enrolled in an NSLP/SBP-participating school or is home-schooled but your household participates in SNAP, TANF, income-eligible Medicaid, or Foster Care at any point during the 2024-2025 school year, they must be school-aged (meaning between the ages of 6-16 years old) in order to qualify.

No. Unfortunately, students who qualify for free meals under the New Jersey Expanded Income Eligibility (NJEIE) category are not eligible for Summer EBT because they are considered “Federally Denied” (Paid) students. Income eligibility for Summer EBT is based on the Federal NSLP/SBP Income Eligibility Guidelines. Therefore, only children in households at or below 185% of the Federal poverty threshold are eligible for Summer EBT.