Our survey will match you to the programs and services that can best support your needs during your time at UC Irvine. This form will assess your eligibility for food and financial assistance and point you towards programs that may particularly interest you.
All Services
UCI Basic Needs Center offers a variety of services to UC Irvine students to help them meet their basic needs. From FRESH pantry visits, CalFresh Application Assistance, to consultations with our social workers, we strive to offer support from a holistic approach.
Zot Bites
Text notification platform that invites students as after-event guests to receive excess food once a catering event is over. Food Partners (those who push out texts) must be UCI faculty/staff, any enrolled UCI student can opt-in to receive text message notifications.
Financial Wellness Consultations
Confidential peer-to-peer, financial wellness consultations that provide students with resources & education to achieve their financial goals in a college environment.
CalFresh Application Assistance
CalFresh is a federal nutrition assistance program that helps people purchase healthy foods at most grocery stores and farmers markets. Students can receive up to $291 per month. We offer 1-1 CalFresh application assistance appointments via Zoom.
Emergency Meal Swipes
Emergency Meal Swipes help students who are experiencing food insecurity and/or a student-related emergency, access healthy and well-balanced meals offered at UCI Dining Commons.
FRESH Pantry
The FRESH Pantry housed at UCI Basic Needs Center provides emergency food and toiletries to UCI students experiencing basic needs insecurities. Students can access once per week using their UCI information.
Short-Term Grocery Card Support
A one-time electronic grocery card to support students who are not able to physically access the resources at the FRESH Pantry at the UCI Basic Needs Center.
Short-Term Transportation Support
Short-term transportation support for students with financial barriers and need access to basic needs resources. Provides emergency Lyft passes in $25 dollar increments to eligible students.
Diaper Bank Support
The Diaper Bank helps parenting students with a monthly supply of diapers or training pants (pull-ups). As a result of FRESH’s partnership with the OC Diaper Bank Program via Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAPOC), parenting students can receive 75 diapers or pull-ups per month (for each size that they’re requesting). Sizes range from Newborn (size 0) diapers to Pull-Ups XL (4T-5T).
Economic Crisis Response Grant
A case-specific, university intervention to be utilized to address a student’s financial crisis. A student under consideration for the Economic Crisis Response (ECR) grant must meet all eligibilities.
Campus Social Worker Consultations
Confidential in-person or Zoom appointments with our on-campus clinical social worker to provide support and guidance to students experiencing financial stress and/or food/housing insecurity. All students are eligible.
Basic Needs Sponsored Housing
In collaboration with UCI Housing and the Office of Campus Social Work, we provide 30-days of temporary housing with a meal plan via on-campus housing to students who are currently facing homelessness per the McKinney-Vento definition.