239 STUDENTS SR 00-05, 01/00 (FSM-A)

A student is an individual attending any kindergarten, pre-school, grade school, high school, vocational or technical school, training program, institutional on-farm training, college or university. In order to be classified as a student, the individual must be considered by the institution as attending at least half-time. Individuals enrolled in a mail, self-study, or correspondence course are not considered students.

Student in higher education means an individual who is all of the following:

• between the ages of 18 and 50 (i.e., age 18 through age 49),

• physically and mentally fit for employment, and

• enrolled at least half-time (as defined by the institution) in an institution of higher education.

Enrollment begins the first day of the first school term. Once enrolled, consider the student enrolled through vacations, until the individual graduates, is expelled, drops out, or does not intend to register for the next term. Consider a student enrolled during summer vacations unless the individual does not intend to return to school for the fall term.

Example

A high school senior might be accepted by a college and register for classes before graduation; however, the District Office would not consider the individual enrolled until the first day of the college term.

Institution of higher education means:

• A business, technical, trade or vocational school that normally requires a high school diploma or equivalency certificate for enrollment in the curriculum, or

• A college or university that offers a degree program regardless of whether a high school diploma or equivalency is required.

Exception: Some colleges or schools that require a diploma or an equivalent may not require them for special programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL) or other courses that are not part of the regular curriculum. Students enrolled in such programs are not considered enrolled in institutions of higher education.

In general, students enrolled at least one half time in an institution of higher education are ineligible for food stamps unless they meet one or more of the Student Eligibility criteria in Section 239.01. Ineligible students are treated as excluded household members, and their income and resources are not counted or considered available to other household members.

Do not consider individuals to be students if they are

• enrolled in school less than one half time, or

• enrolled one half time in schools or training programs which are not institutions of higher education, including basic education, English as a Second Language, (ESL) or General Education Degree (GED).