Welcome to the AggieFresh Pilot Program!
AggieFresh is a CalFresh equivalent program that provides up to $291 a month for groceries and restaurant meals to eligible students who cannot meet the CalFresh citizenship and/or student exemption requirement.
Please review the eligibility requirements before applying.
AggieFresh Program Description
AggieFresh is a 2-year pilot program funded through June 2025. Similar to CalFresh, both undergraduate and graduate students who meet eligibility requirements are provided a credit card for food purchases up to $291 a month through the spring quarter. AggieFresh credit card limits are set to each student’s award amount and balances are paid in full by Aggie Compass on the 25th of each month. Unspent funds do not carry over. Benefits can be used to purchase food items, including hot and prepared foods, at grocery stores, markets, and restaurants where Visa is accepted.
Upon enrollment in AggieFresh, students are also enrolled in the Aggie Compass Career and Skills Program: Beyond the Basics course in Canvas. Participation in this program is required to receive AggieFresh benefits and includes verification of attendance at two or more Beyond the Basics workshops or events per quarter while enrolled in AggieFresh.
AggieFresh participants may also receive one or more program surveys, including a required program exit survey in June.
AggieFresh Eligibility Overview
- Step 1) Must be a UC Davis Student (undergraduate or graduate student) enrolled in at least 6 units.
- Both undergraduate and graduate students can be eligible for AggieFresh and CalFresh!
- Step 2) CADAA or FAFSA required (FAFSA recipients should apply for CalFresh FIRST)
- US citizens, AB540, and Undocumented Students may be eligible. This award is distributed through Financial Aid so students need to have a FAFSA or CADAA on file to be enrolled in this program.
Unfortunately, International students are not eligible.
Students with FAFSA might be eligible for CalFresh and should first apply for CalFresh! - Step 3) Must be under the gross monthly income limits based on household size.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HOUSEHOLD GROSS MONTHLY INCOME LIMIT 1 $2,430 2 $3,288 3 $4,144 4 $5,000 5 $5,858 Household is defined as the people you purchase and prepare meals with
- Step 4) UC Davis meal plan must not exceed 10 meals per week.
- If you have a meal plan with 11 or more meals, you are not eligible for AggieFresh or CalFresh.
- Step 5) Verify ineligibility for SNAP/CalFresh benefits if you have a FAFSA on file
- If you have a FAFSA on file, then you should first apply for CalFresh. Your application for AggieFresh will be denied if it seems like you might be eligible for CalFresh so we encourage you to first check for eligibility and apply for CalFresh!
Important Information:
- Program Participation Requirements
- 1) Enrollment and participation in the Aggie Compass Career and Skills Program: Beyond the Basics is a required part of the AggieFresh program. Beyond the Basics is designed to increase an enrolled student's employability by attending a minimum of two campus career and skills workshops per quarter, e.g. Blue to Gold Financial Wellness workshops, ICC Resume Writing, or Interview Skills workshops.
2) Survey participation - Toward the end of the program, you will be asked to submit a survey that will help us understand your experience with the program and gauge its effectiveness in order to make improvements. - Card Cycle - Ends on the 25th of each month and resets on the 26th of each month
- The card cycle ends on the 25th of each month and resets on the 26th. This means that your full balance is available on the 26th of each month. If the 26th falls on a weekend or holiday, the cycle will reset on the next business day.
- Allowable Purchases
1) AggieFresh benefits can be used to purchase food items only and will not work on non-food items.
2) Students who purchase items other than food (e.g. alcohol, toiletries, gas, etc.) or purchase food for others besides themselves or their dependents, may be terminated from the AggieFresh program.
- CalFresh Eligibility
1) AggieFresh is for students who do not qualify for CalFresh. Students will be asked to verify ineligibility for CalFresh and may be asked to apply or reapply before they are approved for AggieFresh.
2) If you become eligible for CalFresh while receiving AggieFresh benefits you are required to apply for CalFresh and upon receiving CalFresh benefits, notify AggieFresh to withdraw from the program.
- Financial Aid
- AggieFresh is considered financial aid and must fit within a student's financial aid package and will affect the amount of available aid, as determined by the Office of Financial Aid.
- Tax Considerations
- AggieFresh benefits are considered financial aid and must be reported as income to the IRS. These funds will not be included on your 1098T form and you will need to add them to your income.
- NOTE: Students who are not eligible to receive financial aid will receive a 1099 tax form and must report these funds as income.
- Information Sharing
When participating in the AggieFresh, UC Davis will have access to purchase details provided by internal Visa card reporting, including items purchased, dates, and locations of purchases.
All personal and identifiable information gathered during program participation is considered private and will not be shared outside of the AggieFresh program.
Questions/Concerns?
Send an email to aggiefresh@ucdavis.edu
If you are a program participant with card issues, please include information about the location you were trying to purchase from, the amount of the transaction, and when the card was declined so that we can better assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a household for the purpose of the application?
A: The household refers to the number of people who purchase and prepare food together. Housemates/roommates are not necessarily counted in the same household, although dependents would be.
Q: How long will it take for applications to be processed?
A: Applications will be processed on a space available basis only, but we anticipate that it will take two weeks or less for students who are accepted to be notified and receive their first card.
Q: What happens if I do not spend all of my benefits before the 25th day of each month?
A: Those funds do not accumulate and roll over. At the end of each quarter, we will reconcile what has been spent against the space being held in the Financial Aid award.
Q: What if I have a problem with a purchase?
A: You need to reach out to Aggie Fresh (aggiefresh@ucdavis.edu). Helpful emails will include: the location you were trying to purchase from, the approximate amount of the transaction and when the card was declined so that we can try to address any issues.
Q: What items can Aggie Fresh funds be used for?
A: The funds provided in this program are to be used exclusively for food - whether as groceries OR prepared foods from restaurants.
Q: Can I put my Aggie Fresh card into a mobile wallet or link to my Apple Pay account?
A: No - Aggie Fresh will not work in a mobile wallet.
Q: Can I use my Aggie Fresh card for online food purchases such as through Instacart or Doordash?
A: Yes, theoretically - we haven't heard any problems yet.
Q: If a student is eligible for CalFresh, can they choose to be in Aggie Fresh instead?
A: No - students will only be considered for Aggie Fresh if they can show (or we can reasonably predict) that they were or would be denied CalFresh eligibility.
Q: Is Aggie Fresh taxable?
A: Yes. Students will need to include funds from Aggie Fresh on their tax forms as an additional scholarship. It will not be reflected on the 1098T form. Undocumented students without CADAA will be issued a 1099 form showing these funds as income.
Q: Is proof of income required?
A: Proof of income is not required during the application process. However, students may be randomly selected to provide proof of income at a later date.
Q: How can I keep track of how much I've spent each month?
A: When you pick up your card, there will be information included about how to set up an account to view your balance and transactions.
Q: What if my card is lost or stolen?
A: Students will need to notify the bank and Aggie Fresh, who will need to reissue them a new card.