During COVID-19, there were two additional exemptions to the CalFresh rule that students are ineligible for CalWORKs: students who were eligible for federal or state work study and students who had an Expected Family Contribution of zero dollars. These new exemptions will no longer be available to new CalFresh applicants beginning on June 10, 2023 (30 days after the end of the federal Public Health Emergency).
Students who are currently exempt under one of the COVID-19 exemptions must remain exempt until their next annual recertification. Student status is not redetermined mid-period or periodic report. Beginning July 1, 2023, students who must do annual recertification will need to meet one of the permanent exemptions to the CalFresh student rule in order to be eligible.
As temporary students exemptions expire, counties should screen students for all allowable exemptions. (ACIN I-18-23, April 26, 2023.)