Students set foot on a college campus often the hope that their education will help them climb the economic ladder and sustain themselves and their families.

But in many cases, they’re going hungry in the process.

Nearly two million students may be walking around college campuses hungry and aren’t getting access to the resources to which they’re entitled.

That’s one conclusion of a report published Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office, the first-ever federal government effort to understand the scope of food insecurity on college campuses and offer possible policy solutions.

Among low-income college students potentially eligible for food stamps who have at least one additional risk factor for food insecurity — including being a first-generation college student or a single parent — 57% did not report participating in the food stamp program in 2016, according to the GAO.

“ The share of college students struggling to feed themselves adequately ranged from 9% to over 50%. ”

The report comes as higher education leaders and lawmakers are becoming increasingly aware of the challenges college students face meeting their basic needs, like having enough to eat, and how that can impact their ability to graduate college.

Of 31 studies on campus-food insecurity reviewed by the GAO, the share of college students struggling to feed themselves adequately ranged from 9% to over 50%, with 22 of the studies estimating rates of food insecurity at more than 30%.

Are you a college student struggling to afford food or housing? We want to hear from you. Email jberman@marketwatch.com

As colleges have started to better understand the nature of food insecurity on campus they’ve worked to respond. As of September 2018, more than 656 colleges have or were developing food pantries, according to data from the College and University Food Bank Alliance cited in the GAO study.

“ The report suggests a national response that goes beyond what individual campuses can do. ”

The report suggests a national response that goes beyond what individual campuses can do. The authors recommend that Food and Nutrition Service, the division of the Department of Agriculture that oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the official name for the food stamp program, improve information on its website related to student eligibility.

The report also suggests FNS work more closely with SNAP agencies to make it easier for eligible college students to access food stamps. That includes sharing information about how some regions are already successfully working with local college students to make them aware of their eligibility for the food stamp program.

Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor at Temple University who has studied and advocated around campus food insecurity for years, said she was heartened to see the report so forcefully advocate for an agency to work to address this problem.

“A policy response is a far cry from the current response, which is campus food pantries,” said Goldrick-Rab. “It means increasing the economic self-sufficiency of students so they eat every day rather then just giving them a couple of cans when they’re in an emergency.”

“ ‘A policy response is a far cry from the current response, which is campus food pantries.’ ” — Sara Goldrick-Rab, Temple University professor

The reasons why eligible students may be struggling to access SNAP are complex, but one major issue is the perception that college students don’t qualify. In 1980, the federal government restricted college-student access to SNAP as a way to prevent traditional students — those attending full-time and receiving financial support from their parents — from qualifying for the program because of their low income while in school.

But as the GAO notes, there are a number of exceptions to this rule, including for college students who are caring for a young child, working a minimum of 20 hours per week and participating in a federally or state-backed work-study program.

At nine of the 14 colleges studied by the GAO, officials and students had difficulty fully understanding the rules around college student SNAP eligibility. At one school, officials said they believed college students weren’t eligible for the program. Officials at three colleges said they would like information from FNS about college student eligibility for SNAP, but that targeted information isn’t available.

“ At nine of the 14 colleges studied by the GAO, officials and students had difficulty fully understanding the rules around college student SNAP eligibility. ”

Although the GAO found that some state SNAP agencies are working to help college students better understand their eligibility, the lack of information surrounding the topic means eligible students are struggling to access these benefits. That’s despite the many reasons we have to believe that students are walking around campuses hungry.

For one, more low-income students are coming to college than ever before, which means there’s a larger pool of students likely to be food insecure. At the same time, college costs have risen dramatically over the past few decades, and the support the federal government offers to college students hasn’t kept up — pushing students to scrounge for resources.

One college official interviewed by the GAO reported that, in the past, students at their institution had enough financial aid money left over after tuition to pay for rent and food, but now, because tuition is so high, students rarely get a refund after it’s paid.

“ ‘It’s the first time the federal government has recognized this problem really openly.’ ” — Sara Goldrick-Rab, Temple University professor

In addition to the information provided in the GAO report, its mere existence is important. “It’s the first time the federal government has recognized this problem really openly,” Goldrick-Rab said of food insecurity on college campuses.

And as the report notes, it makes sense for the government to acknowledge student hunger and its ability to undermine college completion — a goal the government invests hundreds of millions of dollars into each year.

“You can’t give somebody a scholarship, or financial aid, send them to college have them be hungry and expect them to do well,” Goldrick-Rab said.