#RealCollege 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity During The Ongoing Pandemic

Survey
Mar. 2021
Sample Size: 1,183
Demographics: undergraduate students
Topics: Covid-19 Student Support Equity

Top Findings:

  • Sixty-seven percent of students experienced at least one form of basic needs insecurity.
  • Forty-one percent of students experienced food insecurity in the prior 30 days.
  • Fifty-seven percent of students experienced housing insecurity in the previous year.
  • Thirteen percent of students experienced homelessness in the previous year.
  • Forty-one percent of students had a close friend or family member who was sick with COVID-19, while 6 percent were sick with COVID-19 themselves.
  • Thirty-nine percent of students exhibited at least moderate anxiety.
  • Seventeen percent of students who experienced basic needs insecurity used emergency aid, but 39 percent had not heard of emergency aid programs on campus.
  • Forty-four percent of students experiencing basic needs insecurity did not apply for campus supports because they did not know how.
  • Fifty-four percent of students experiencing basic needs insecurity received some form of public assistance.