Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pays benefits to low-income individuals who are either older than 65 years or disabled. College students can qualify for SSI if they are disabled within the meaning of the SSA's regulations and meet the statutorily minimum income requirement.
To qualify for SSI, a student must be 65 years or older, blind or otherwise disabled. In addition, the student must have limited income, limited resources and be a U.S. citizen. An SSI claimant must reside in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia or the Northern Mariana Islands. Other residency requirements may apply, and the claimant must grant the SSA access to his financial information.
To qualify for SSI, a disabled college student must have limited income and assets. The SSA considers parents' income and assets for an SSI applicant until the child turns 18 years.
Through Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), a student pursuing a specific vocational goal, such as college tuition, can set aside income and other resources and still receive SSI benefits. Under PASS, employment wages may impact SSI benefits.
To receive SSI benefits while working toward a specific goal, the following requirements must be met. The claimant must fill out form SSA-545 and state, in writing, his specific work goal, which includes describing the reasonable chances for success. In addition, the application must have a reasonable time frame and break down the claimant's exact expenses.