College Resources for Homeless, Unhoused and Housing-Insecure Students

If a housing crisis hits during your high school or college years, it can upend your educational plans. “When life happens, it never sends us a text to let us know that it’s coming. It just happens,” says Jenelle Bell, senior support coordinator at the University of South Florida’s Department of Student Outreach and Support. More than 1.5 million college students in the U.S. are homeless. Thankfully, people like Bell are here to help.

Whether you’re applying for college or trying to stay on track for graduation, there are tons of resources designed for students who are homeless or housing insecure. Depending on your school and which state you live in, these resources can include:

• Application fee waivers.
• Tuition assistance.
• Student support staff to help you navigate your situation.
• Housing support.
• Campus food pantries.

Let’s take a closer look at college resources available to homeless, unhoused, and housing-insecure students.

How Do I Know if I’m Considered Homeless?

There are different definitions of homelessness depending on what state you live in and which program you are applying for. For this blog post, we’re going to paraphrase the definition used by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. You are considered homeless if any of the following applies to you:

• You don’t have a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence. (Adequate means that it is safe and private and includes water, electricity, heat, etc.)
• Your nighttime residence is either a public space or a private area that isn’t intended as a place for people to sleep.
• You live “doubled up” with other people because you’ve lost your previous housing or have experienced financial hardship. (This can also include “couch surfing” between the homes of friends or relatives.)
• You live in a space such as:
  • An emergency or transitional shelter.
  • The street.
  • A hotel or motel.
  • A trailer park (depending on the circumstances).
  • A car.
  • A park or campground.
  • An abandoned building.
  • A public area.
  • A bus or train station.
  • A hospital.
  • Substandard housing.

If you’re not sure whether this definition applies to you, but you’re still worried about your housing situation, contact one of the people we list in the next section to confirm your status. Housing insecurity comes in many forms, and everyone’s situation is unique. It never hurts to find out what resources are available to you!

Who Can Help Me Access College Resources for Homeless Students?

The best person to contact depends on your situation — whether you’re still in high school, are applying for college, are already enrolled in college, etc. Keep this in mind: Even if you graduated high school a while ago, you may still be eligible for assistance because some programs do not specifically cite an age cap. Again, it’s always a good idea to reach out and see what’s available to you. Contact one of the following people:

Your High School Counselor

If you’re still in high school, your guidance counselor can assist you with everything from fee waivers for college entrance exams to finding a school that best fits your needs. The sooner you visit your high school counselor — begin as early as freshman year — the sooner you can get started on college prep.

The Homeless Education Liaison for Your School District

Every school district should have a homeless education liaison that helps students understand and access eligible services. Ask your high school counselor to connect you to the right person, or you contact your liaison directly by searching for “homeless education liaison” on your state’s department of education website (the Florida Department of Education, for example). Here is the contact directory for liaisons in Florida, organized by school district.

Your Prospective College’s Admissions Department

If you’re in the process of applying to college, the admissions department is an invaluable resource. Admissions staff can tell you how to apply for application fee waivers or tuition assistance (more on this later) and assist you if you have trouble finding or uploading required documents. Not every admissions officer at every school will be an expert in helping unhoused applicants, so keep trying until you find a person who is passionate about this issue.

In USF’s Office of Admissions, Malcolm Randolph goes out of his way to assist college-bound students who are housing or food insecure: “I prefer handling these students with the care that I know they need,” says Randolph, the director for special populations admissions. “I’m going to offer that personal one-on-one opportunity between me and my team to help walk them through the admissions process.”

Your School’s Student Support Office

It’s easy to get frustrated when you encounter roadblocks or unsupportive people, but don’t give up. “Find someone to advocate for you if you aren’t able to advocate for yourself,” says Bell. “I have found there’s going to be someone at a university that supports underserved youth at your institution — find out what the space looks like.” At USF, it’s the Office of Student Outreach and Support.

You can reach out to Jenelle Bell for help even if you are in the application process and have not yet been enrolled at USF.

How Do I Get a College Application Fee Waiver?

If you are homeless or meet any of these other qualifications (such as receiving income-based assistance), you will qualify for an application fee waiver. Your school may require you to submit documentation to prove your eligibility. If you need help with this part, reach out to one of the people we mentioned above, like your high school counselor.

USF will waive your admissions application fee if you can show evidence that the fee creates severe financial hardship and serves as a deterrent to your ability to seek admission.

Can I Get Tuition Assistance as a Homeless Student?

Some U.S. states offer free college tuition if you are unhoused. For example, in Florida, homeless students are granted free tuition and fees at a Florida College System institution or state university. However, you’ll still have to pay for textbooks and living expenses like housing and food. That’s why it’s important to apply for additional financial aid.

Start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA qualifies you for federal and state financial aid including grants, loans, and work-study money, which you can use to help pay your living expenses. Your college also uses this information to award you aid. Be sure to complete the FAFSA by the deadline.

Check with your prospective school to see if you need to submit any additional financial aid applications. USF automatically considers you for merit-based scholarships as long as you apply on or before January 15.

If you have questions, reach out to:

• Your guidance counselor or homeless education liaison.
• Your college’s financial aid office.
• Your college’s financial education program. At USF, this is called BULL2BULL.
• The learning resources center on campus. Tutors can give you tips on writing standout essays for scholarship applications.

How Do I Fill Out the FAFSA if I’m an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?

Nobody likes spending an hour filling out financial aid paperwork — but it can be especially confusing if you do not have a parent or guardian. If this is your situation, you can fill out the FAFSA as an “independent student,” which means you don’t need your parents’ financial information or their signature. You can be termed an independent student by any of the following:

• Your local homeless education liaison
• A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shelter program director or its designee
• A Runaway and Homeless Youth Act shelter director or its designee
• A college financial aid administrator

What Housing Resources Do Colleges Provide Homeless Students?

As we’ve established, housing resources vary by state and school. Some states, like California, have created rapid rehousing programs to assist homeless students at public higher ed institutions.

Even if your state doesn’t provide housing assistance, your school can get creative. For example, your school might partner with community programs that temporarily house students in the homes of local residents. Ask your school’s student support office how they help students in your situation.

Although the University of South Florida does not currently offer emergency housing or aid, students can apply to stay on campus during academic breaks for an additional fee.

What Resources Do Colleges Provide Food-Insecure Students?

There’s a good chance your school will have a food pantry. In the U.S., the number of on-campus food pantries has grown from 80 to 800 in just ten years.

USF’s Feed-a-Bull pantries serve food-insecure students on each campus. Browse the food pantry aisles or place a customized order online. On the Tampa campus, you can have your order sent to a refrigerated locker to pick up after hours.

Preprepared meals are also available. “There’s a whole lot of students that don’t have access to a kitchen,” says Thomas Miller, a professor and coordinator in USF’s College of Education and a strong advocate for the food pantry. “What we’ve done is increase the number of offerings that we have in the food pantry that are grab and go. In other words, if Publix can make some sandwiches and put them out for people to pick up, we can too.”

What if I’m Not Comfortable Disclosing that I’m Homeless or Housing/Food Insecure?

College staff members understand that it can be hard to disclose vulnerable information about yourself.

“Yes, it’s going to be uncomfortable, but the bigger picture is: We are here to help,” says Bell. “We also understand that many of our students have not been treated well by people, so building trust is something that is going to be hard. But in order to transition to any type of positive change, you’re going to have to lean into something or someone…. It’s hard to go through life alone. It’s doable, but it’s so much easier when you have support.”

Some of the people you talk to may have gone through similar circumstances. “I am a first-generation college student,” says Randolph. “I’m from a small rural town in South Florida, which was at one point considered the poorest city in the state of Florida. Because of my humble beginnings and opportunities that I’ve been given due to my education, I prefer being the person with the lived experience working with these students.”

Like Bell, Randolph acknowledges that it’s not always easy to have these conversations. “I know what it’s like — the uncomfortable feeling of meeting someone in a college setting… and disclosing some of the most insecure things about yourself.” He listens with compassion, empathy, and respect — which is what you deserve during every conversation with college staff.

What Other Campus Resources Should I Know About?

Many four-year universities offer well-rounded resources for students, including:

• Career services. This is where you can start planning for your future career, but it’s also a great place if you need help finding a job right now. Some schools even let you “rent” professional clothing for free, so you can show up for your job interview or your first week of work looking — and feeling — your best.
• Health centers. From primary care to immunizations, nutritional counseling to physical therapy, universities like USF provide robust health services. Students at USF are not required to have insurance to access services, and providers do their best to keep costs affordable.
• Student support. We’ve already talked about the importance of finding a department that serves your needs. At USF’s Office of Student Outreach and Support, you can find people on your side. Case managers work one-on-one with students, addressing everything from their living situation to financial stressors to emotional distress.
• Mental health support. Many schools offer free short-term counseling for students. The counselor’s office is a safe, confidential space to share what you’re going through and explore your feelings. USF students can access individual counseling, group counseling, drop-in workshops, and more, both in person and virtually.

Find Out How USF Supports Homeless and Housing-Insecure Students

Are you thinking of applying to USF and want to learn more about the ways we can support you? Our admissions officers are friendly and always happy to answer your questions. Reach out to us online, or give us a call at 813-974-3350. We look forward to seeing your application!

If you’re already a student at USF and you’re going through a hard time, don’t hesitate to contact our student support staff. You can fill out a form online to ask for help, email the team directly, chat on Teams, or call at 813-974-6130.