When students are food insecure, they often encounter adverse health, social, and academic outcomes, including harm to cognitive functions, mental health, and academic performance. Additionally, compared to food secure peers, students struggling with food insecurity are 43 percent less likely to graduate from college with a two- or four-year…

While enrollments across all higher education sectors decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, this decline has been particularly steep for community colleges. Many colleges and universities across the country instituted tuition freezes during the pandemic as a way to try to retain enrolled students and attract potential students, and relief funds…

College students are unable to meet their basic needs (food, housing, utilities, etc.) at greater rates than the general adult population of the United States. When students lack enough to eat and/or are unable to secure safe, stable housing, they often face tolls to their psychological and physical health. Additionally, compared to peers who are…

Transportation costs (gas, car maintenance, public transportation, and parking) make up a large part (nearly 20 percent) of college students' living expenses. Additionally, many students face long commutes because they lack access to a reliable car and/or rely on inconvenient public transportation. Periodic car breakdowns can lead to missed…

As the COVID-19 pandemic has proved, maintaining student financial wellness is key to keeping students enrolled. The Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) was administered a year and a half into the pandemic, during a time when vaccinations were allowing schools to return to in-person learning, but the pandemic was continuing to have a strong…

This brief explores the unique financial circumstances of parenting students, a population that makes up nearly a quarter of all postsecondary students. We find that parenting students are more likely to report experiencing financial struggles, use public assistance more often, and are more reliant on credit cards. At the same time, parenting…

This brief examines data from 19,934 students with self-reported educational debt in Trellis' Fall 2021 Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS), with special emphasis on their financial security and attitudes toward their loans, debt, and debt forgiveness. Nearly two-thirds of borrowers had accumulated more debt than expected, and 36 percent did…

It is well demonstrated that basic needs insecurities (i.e., food insecurity, housing insecurity, or homelessness) are more pronounced among certain groups of historically marginalized students, including students of color at traditionally under-resourced Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs),…

Many college students struggle to make ends meet while enrolled and sometimes must turn to a wide variety of safety net resources, including official government programs, borrowing from family, and selling belongings. This brief examines data from 63,751 undergraduate students who responded to Trellis' Fall 2021 Student Financial Wellness Survey…

Youth formerly in foster care (YFFC) are more likely to report facing financial struggles while in college and may lack resources, marketable skills, and have limited networks/ support to rely on. These students may not have access to the same kind of family support as their peers. To address these challenges, this population relies more heavily…

The State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas (SOSA) annual report from Trellis Research provides information helpful in informing policy and programs for higher education student financial aid. The report serves as a reference for colleges, universities, and policymakers, and provides a comparison of Texas state and federal student aid…

The report provides a landscape analysis of the workforce development environment in Texas. Many organizations are performing valuable roles in ensuring that the labor markets in Texas operate efficiently, supplying employers with skilled workers and providing workers with opportunities to continue their career advancement through reskilling. The…

The Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) provides a snapshot of student financial wellbeing during the fall of 2021. Over 700,000 students were surveyed from 104 schools in 25 states and 63,751 students responded. During this period Federal stimulus funding helped stabilize finances for many students, but many still struggled to make ends…

Postsecondary students face a myriad of complex financial decisions and tasks, such as financing their education, choosing a major with a return on investment, budgeting, and crafting repayment strategies for credit card and student loan debt(s). With respect to student loans, many borrowers feel "burdened by the repayment process" and…

The State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas (SOSA) annual report from Trellis Research provides information helpful in informing policy and programs for higher education student financial aid. The report serves as a reference for colleges, universities, and policymakers, and provides a comparison of Texas state and federal student aid…