Quick answerStudents can get housing assistance, but special rules apply. In Section 8, a student under 24 who is unmarried, not a veteran, has no dependent child, and doesn’t have a qualifying disability generally must be independent of their parents or have income-eligible parents. In tax credit apartments, households made up entirely of full-time students need an exception. Public housing has no special student rule. For emergencies, check your college’s basic needs office, emergency grants, and a financial aid adjustment.
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Section 8 student rule (Housing Choice Vouchers and project-based Section 8)

A student enrolled in an institution of higher education is subject to extra rules if they are:

  • Under 24
  • Not married
  • Not a veteran
  • Without a dependent child
  • Not a person with a disability who was receiving Section 8 on November 30, 2005

Such a student must be income-eligible and either be independent of their parents (as defined by HUD, considering factors like independent living for at least a year, tax dependency, and parental support) or have parents who are also income-eligible. Financial aid beyond tuition and fees may count as income.

The rule does not apply to public housing.

Tax credit (LIHTC) student rule

Units occupied entirely by full-time students don’t qualify unless an exception applies:

  • A member receives TANF assistance
  • A member participates in a federal, state, or local job training program
  • Single parents and their children, none of whom are dependents of someone else
  • Married students filing a joint return
  • A member was formerly in foster care

Campus and emergency resources

  • Basic needs or dean of students office: emergency grants, short-term housing, food pantries
  • Financial aid office: ask for a professional judgment review if your circumstances changed; the cost of attendance includes housing
  • Homeless and unaccompanied youth: can be independent students for FAFSA. See McKinney-Vento rights
  • Former foster youth: Chafee and ETV funds and campus support programs. See youth aging out of foster care
  • SNAP: many students qualify under exemptions (working 20+ hours, work-study, caring for a child, and others)
  • 211 for off-campus emergency housing help

Renting off campus

Students have the same tenant rights as other renters. Review your lease carefully, especially joint and several liability with roommates. See shared housing and how to read a lease.

Independent student test for Section 8

When determining whether a student is independent of their parents for the Section 8 student rule, housing agencies generally consider whether the student:

  • Is at least 24, a veteran, married, has a dependent child, or is a ward of the court or orphan (these meet independence), or
  • Has established a household separate from parents for at least a year, isn’t claimed as a dependent on parents’ taxes, and receives no significant financial support from parents (the agency may require a parent certification)

Agencies may also consider a student independent if the financial aid office has determined independence for federal aid purposes. Ask the agency for its written policy.

Emergency housing for students

  • Campus emergency housing: many colleges keep short-term rooms for students in crisis.
  • Emergency grants: basic needs offices often have funds for rent, deposits, or utilities.
  • Break housing: ask about year-round housing if you have nowhere to go during breaks.
  • Community resources: 211, youth shelters (for students up to 24), and coordinated entry.

Student parents

Student parents may qualify for Section 8, public housing, and tax credit housing more easily (single parents with children are an LIHTC exception). Look into campus family housing, childcare subsidies (CCAMPIS programs on many campuses), and SNAP.

Renting near campus

  • Read leases for joint liability and summer terms.
  • Avoid paying large sums to “hold” units for next year without a signed lease.
  • Use the campus off-campus housing office, which may review leases and mediate disputes.

Frequently asked questions

Can a college student get Section 8?

Yes, if the student meets the rules. Students under 24 who are unmarried, not veterans, have no dependent children, and don’t have a disability that qualified them for Section 8 as of November 30, 2005 must generally show they are independent of their parents or that their parents are income-eligible too. Students living with parents in a voucher household aren’t affected.

Can full-time students live in tax credit apartments?

Only if the household isn’t made up entirely of full-time students, or an exception applies: a member receives TANF, is in a government job training program, is a single parent with children (none dependents of others), is married filing jointly, or was formerly in foster care.

Does financial aid count as income for housing programs?

In Section 8, for students subject to the student rule, financial assistance above tuition and required fees can count as income. For other households, many forms of student aid are excluded under HOTMA rules. Ask the housing agency how it treats your specific aid.

Sources and verification

Use these sources to check program rules. Funding, openings, and local procedures must be confirmed with the agency handling your application.

  1. 24 CFR 5.612 — Restrictions on assistance to students enrolled in an institution of higher educationElectronic Code of Federal Regulations
  2. 26 U.S. Code § 42(i)(3)(D) — LIHTC student ruleLegal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  3. Professional judgment and special circumstancesFederal Student Aid

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Published by Housing Assistance Info

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