Students with Dependent Children

For Students with Dependent Children (AB 2881)

The state of California has enacted a new law to support parenting college students. The law is a unique and welcome addition; while roughly 1 in 5 college students is a student parent, there are only a handful of state laws designed to protect and aid this important student population. AB 2881 requires colleges and universities in California to provide priority registration for student parents, and to notify them of resources and support systems that can be critical to their success.

Priority Registration – Under the law, at minimum, institutions must provide priority registration to all students who have a child or children under the age of 18 who will receive more than half of their support from that student.

CalFresh - The CalFresh Program (formerly known as Food Stamps) helps low-income households increase their food-buying power to meet their household's nutritional needs. CalFresh benefits issued through Electronic Benefit Transfer, also known as EBT card, can be used in grocery stores and participating Farmers Markets. CalFresh is based on income and is open to children, U.S. citizens and certain non-citizens. To help you determine whether you are eligible, our Basic Needs team in the office of Health Promotion and Wellness offers a CalFresh Help Clinic.

California Earned Income Tax Credit - If you work and have low income, you may qualify for the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC). This credit gives you a refund or reduces your tax owed. Filing your state tax return is required to claim this credit.*

Young Child Tax Credit - Do you have a child under the age of 6? If you qualify for CalEITC (see above) and have a child under the age of 6, you may also qualify for a refundable tax credit of up to $1000 through the Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC)! If you qualify, you may see a reduced tax bill or a bigger refund. Use this calculator to see if you qualify and estimate the amount of your credit. Filing your state tax return is required to claim this credit.*

WIC - The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) promotes the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding people, infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious food to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care. You may qualify if you receive Medi-Cal, CalWORKs (TANF) or CalFresh (SNAP) benefits. WIC welcomes military families, migrant families, fathers, foster parents and legal guardians with eligible children. Participating in the WIC program does not affect the immigration status of anyone currently in the U.S. Use the WIC eligibility assessment tool to see if you qualify. Set up an appointment at a WIC local agency near you. Visit the website for WIC families to find a WIC local agency site near you.

* SF State University (the University) does not provide tax advice, nor do any of the university's employees, administrators, representatives or agents. Any information provided to you by our offices is intended for your general benefit. We are not responsible for individual income tax compliance. We cannot assist in the completion of tax forms, and we cannot respond to specific questions related to personal income tax. Any information provided by the university, including through our website, does not constitute personal income tax advice either expressed or implied. You are encouraged to seek professional tax advice for any personal income tax questions or concerns.