Basic needs insecurity is affecting how students learn, persist, and engage with campus support.
Based on national data from the Hope Center for Students’ Basic Needs Support, this infographic highlights findings on food insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness, transportation barriers, mental health, and the awareness gaps that keep students from getting help.
Student Basic Needs in Higher Education: Infographic
Students cannot fully focus on their education when they are worried about food, housing, transportation, childcare, or where to turn for support. National data featured in this infographic shows that 59% of students experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity related to food or housing, and 73% face basic needs insecurity when broader factors like mental health, transportation, and childcare are included.
For colleges and universities, basic needs support is not separate from student success. It is part of helping students stay enrolled, connected, and able to continue their education.
This infographic highlights:
- The prevalence of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and homelessness among college students
- How basic needs challenges overlap with mental health, transportation, and childcare
- Why students often miss available campus resources
- How unmet basic needs can affect persistence and retention
- Why coordinated support and follow-through matter after referral
The infographic includes national data points such as:
- 41% of students struggle with food insecurity
- 48% of students experience housing insecurity
- 14% of students have experienced homelessness in the last year
- 79% of students who stopped out or considered leaving school cited basic needs insecurity as the primary reason
- 65% of students report they are not aware of campus resources available to help them
Source: National data from the Hope Center for Students’ Basic Needs Support, based on a survey of more than 74,000 higher-ed students across the U.S.
A Coordinated Approach to Student Basic Needs Support
Supporting students’ basic needs often requires more than a referral. Students may need help understanding what resources are available, taking the next step, and following through when support systems are fragmented.
TimelyCare’s Basic Needs Support helps colleges and universities connect students with the right resources, strengthen follow-through, extend staff capacity, and give campus leaders greater visibility into student need and support activity.
See the national data behind student basic needs insecurity.
Download the infographic to better understand the barriers students face and why coordinated support matters.
FAQs
Basic needs insecurity refers to challenges students face in meeting essential needs such as food, housing, transportation, childcare, mental health support, and other resources that help them stay stable and enrolled. The infographic shows that these needs often overlap, with 73% of students facing basic needs insecurity when broader factors like mental health, transportation, and childcare are included.
Basic needs insecurity can make it harder for students to attend class, complete coursework, and continue their education. According to the infographic, 79% of students who stopped out or considered leaving school cited basic needs insecurity as the primary reason.
Many students are unaware of available support or struggle to navigate fragmented systems after a referral. The infographic highlights that 65% of students report they are not aware of campus resources available to help them, and 48% of students experiencing basic needs insecurity were unaware that campus support existed.
