Urgent Help
Student Financial Aid Emergency Loans
- Nursing students apply through Nursing Student Affairs
- Pharmacy students apply through Pharmacy Student Affairs
- All other students apply in Student Financial Aid, MU200W at the Parnassus campus, or call 415/476-4181
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Emergency Food Program
- Provides a three-day supply of food for people in crisis
- Visit sfmfoodbank.org/find-food or call 2-1-1 for locations
- Service available to all San Francisco residents (with ID) one time in a 12-month period
Food Pantries and Free Meals
Get a current list of free food pantries and free meals offered around San Francisco at freeprintshop.org.
Ongoing Assistance
Student Food Market at UCSF
- Offers a variety of fresh produce and other healthy staples, free of charge, to any current UCSF student who needs it
- Registration is required, and this is not a drop-in program.
- Register for the PARNASSUS Student Food Market for either weekly or bi-weekly options
- Register for the MISSION BAY Student Food Market for either weekly or bi-weekly options
- Hosted at:
- Parnassus - Student Success Center in Millberry Union, 100w, from 4 to 6 p.m. every Thursday
- Mission Bay - Student Services in Mission Hall, 1300, from 4-5 p.m. every Thursday
CalFresh Program
- Government-funded food assistance program that issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods at many markets and food stores
- Some students are eligible to receive up to $194 per month in benefits
- See the CalFresh Student Guide for application instructions and eligibility details
- The online application takes only about 10 minutes to complete
- If you have questions regarding eligibility or assistance with Federal Work Study verification documents, please contact Student Financial Aid
Food 4 UCSF Students App
- Sign up to receive an alert on your cell phone when there is free food available after catered events on campus
- If you have a food allergy or dietary restrictions, please be cautious when using this service - food may not always be labeled, and providers cannot guarantee the absence of any common allergens in the food offered
- If you are a UCSF event organizer, please be encouraged to register as a food provider.
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
- The Food Bank not only provides emergency assistance, as described above, but also weekly groceries and free food pantries in neighborhoods around San Francisco and the Bay Area
- To access these programs, call 2-1-1 or use the online food locator
- Anyone who feels they need it will qualify for assistance from the Food Bank, and most of its programs require participants to provide only very basic information
- Service available to all San Francisco residents (with ID)
Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS)
- Provides students with health care and wellness services, including nutrition services and workshops
- Find recipes and meal plans that will help you eat well on a budget
- Visit the SHCS website for resources, to make an appointment, or to see hours and locations