Applying for Free and Reduced Price School Meals

Schools send school meal applications home at the beginning of each school year. However, you may apply for school meals at any time throughout the school year by submitting a household application directly to your school. Your school will provide you with an application upon request.

If you are earning at or below current Income Eligibility Guidelines, we encourage you to contact your school to fill out a school meal application. The school or local education agency will process your application and issue an eligibility determination.

If you are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, your child automatically qualifies for free school meals. Please contact your school to determine if you need to fill out an application.

You should know...

If you are eligible for unemployment compensation, you might also be eligible for free or reduced price school meals.

With the cooperation of the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, we are reaching out to vulnerable households affected by current economic conditions. State Workforce Agency Administrators have been asked to inform those seeking unemployment benefits about the availability of free and reduced price school meals.

Please contact your school for additional information and assistance.

Prototype Applications

Below are application and verification form prototypes for State agency consideration.

The English version of the application was updated in 2009 to reflect minor Civil Rights edits as well as to include the name change of the Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The translated versions were not updated but are still being accepted.

Last modified:  September 23, 2009