Skip navigation
Research Report

Meet the Needs of Financially Insecure Students

As the cost of higher education has risen in the United States, more students are experiencing increased financial stress while pursuing their degree. Review the following two-page overviews to better understand the impact of food insecurity and textbook costs on the student experience, as well as learn new strategies from other institutions on how to best address these concerns.

As the cost of higher education has risen in the United States, more students are experiencing increased financial stress while pursuing their degree. Multiple studies on higher education have linked financially insecure students to decreased academic performance and overall sense of well-being, so support of these students has increasingly fallen to student affairs as a crucial component of overall student success.

EAB’s research on Scaling Support for Financially Insecure Students has identified food insecurity and textbook costs as two major stressors for this student population. Review the following two-page overviews to better understand the impact of food insecurity and textbook costs on the student experience, as well as learn new strategies from other institutions on how to best address these concerns.

Food insecurity

Food insecurity is one of the most pressing concerns for financially insecure students and is increasingly common among undergraduate students. According to a Hope Center Survey in 2019, 41% of four-year students reported that they had experienced food insecurity in the past 30 days.  

Common Resources

Campus Food Pantries: Food distribution centers on campus funded through community donations, student groups, and/or local food bank partnerships.

Meal Swipe Donations: Students donate unused meal swipes that staff distribute to students.

Mobile Food Pantries: Pop-up style pantries that bring food to campus and are typically only available monthly or weekly.

Satellite/Pocket Pantries: Mini food pantries, offering refrigerated…

This resource requires EAB partnership access to view.

Access the research report

Learn how you can get access to this resource as well as hands-on support from our experts through Strategic Advisory Services.

Learn More

Already a Partner?

Partner Log In