Food Assistance
UCSF offers a variety of food resources to students. All UCSF students may access the following programs below.
Student Food Market at UCSF
Every Thursday, the Student Food Market offers a variety of fresh produce and other healthy staples, free of charge, to UCSF students. The Student Food Market is open to all current fee-paying students at Parnassus and Mission Bay.
Visit the Student Food Market page for more information.
The Pantry
Basic Needs for Students is excited to announce The Pantry is open! It is an emergency food relief supply closet stocked with non-perishable foods and toiletries for students. Students may access The Pantry with their UCSF ID seven days a week (except on Thursdays during the Student Food Market from 3-6:30 p.m.) It is located outside the Student Success Center in Millberry Union 101w. Take what you need, need what you take.
Reach out to Basic Needs for Students ([email protected]) with any accessibility needs and questions.
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 $250 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
Food4UCSF Students Text Messages
- 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
Budget Bites
Get a great deal on your next meal with Budget Bites, a tasty entrée for just $4.50. Available at Moffitt Café & (Parnassus Hospital) and Shorenstein Family Café & Express (Mission Bay Hospital). Meals can be found inside the cafes or in the fresh vending machines afterhours.
Remote Access Food Program
Currently enrolled students who are on rotations outside of the Bay Area or whose courses, clinics, or labs do not permit them to utilize the Student Food Market may apply for the Remote Access Food Program. Students may apply online when the application period is open. The next application period will be: Due Monday, March 13, 2023.
See more community food resources.