College students can’t thrive academically or personally if their basic needs aren’t being met. Access to food, housing, transportation, childcare, and financial support are more than just conveniences, they are prerequisites for mental wellness, learning, and long-term success.

But the reality for today’s students is sobering. More than half (59%) report experiencing some form of basic needs insecurity, according to The Hope Center’s 2023-2024 Student Basic Needs Survey Report¹. Imagine how many of these students are unable to focus on themselves and their academics, because they’re worried about affording their next meal, rent check, or tuition payment. 

It’s no surprise that basic needs are directly connected to student mental health. When students have unmet needs, they’re more likely to experience stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. Addressing critical and basic needs is essential to ensuring students’ well-being and ultimate success, both in the classroom and outside of it.

What are basic needs for college students?

Basic needs are the essential resources we all need to survive, function, and thrive. This includes safe and stable housing, affordable healthcare, reliable transportation, financial stability, and nutritious food. When these needs go unmet, students face significant barriers to academic success and mental well-being.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs² provides a helpful framework for understanding this connection. At the base of the pyramid are physiological needs like food, water, and shelter, followed by safety and security. Only when these foundational needs are met can individuals focus on higher-level goals such as learning, achievement, and personal growth. 

Unfortunately, basic needs insecurity is a growing concern on college campuses. 

These challenges don’t just affect a student’s day-to-day life; they can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. This can hurt a student’s chances of succeeding academically, maintaining a healthy connection to the campus community, and reaching graduation. 

The link between unmet needs and mental Health

Research consistently shows a strong connection between basic needs insecurity and mental health among college students. When students are battling food insecurity, housing insecurity, transportation issues, or difficulty accessing childcare, for example, they experience significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. More than 70% of those facing basic needs insecurity reported moderate to severe anxiety – and the majority of students who experience these challenges don’t seek support.³ 

Without these foundational supports, students have a difficult time focusing, engaging, or succeeding academically, underscoring the urgent need for integrated mental health and basic needs services on campus. Ensuring students have the basics isn’t just a wellness initiative, it’s a foundation for long-term success. With the right support, students are able to stay healthier, more focused, and more engaged. 

Implementing campus solutions that work

Institutions across the country are starting to invest more into creative, campus-based strategies to address food, housing, and financial insecurity. The University of Michigan, for example, established the Maize and Blue Cupboard, a food pantry run by students that provides nutritious meals. All ten University of California campuses have a basic needs center, which provides a wide range of services including emergency housing support, life skills resources, and more.

Here are some examples of integrated support services on campus that can help support students’ basic needs:

• Food and nutritional support – You can stock with shelf-stable goods and produce, offer peer donations, as well as nutrition counseling and more. 
• Feal swipe donation programs – Let students donate unused dining hall meals to peers in need.
• Emergency aid funds – Offer one-time financial assistance to students facing any number of socioeconomic challenges.
• Financial support – Teach budgeting and credit management, or provide financial aid counseling, financial wellness workshops, and student loan navigation.
• Housing support – Offer family housing, emergency or subsidized housing, guidance for off-campus options, and emergency housing funds or rental assistance.
• Transportation support – You can provide free or discounted transit passes, bike rental programs, gas cards, late-night shuttles, or partner with local transit authorities. 
• Childcare support – This could include subsidized or low-cost childcare, financial assistance, parent resource centers, lactation rooms, and flexibility in scheduling.

Supporting basic needs is upstream intervention that can reduce demand for crisis services. When students’ aren’t worried about transportation, food, or housing, they can focus on their mental well-being and engage in preventative services, such as peer support, coaching, and wellness care. 

When basic needs are met, students thrive

The positive outcomes of meeting basic needs are measurable and long-lasting. Students who are supported holistically are more likely to stay enrolled, perform well academically, and report stronger mental health. It’s not only a benefit to the students, but the long-term success of the institution. But meeting students’ basic and mental health needs requires coordination, funding, and a cultural shift. 

In addition to establishing basic needs support, some actionable steps higher education leaders can take includes:

• Expanding emergency funding and aid – Include housing, food, and transportation assistance in institutional budgets.
• Simplifying access to support – Cut red tape and create a one-stop-shop for basic needs services.
• Partnering with organizations like Single Stop – Connect students with off-campus resources like SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and housing assistance through streamlined tools.
• Training faculty and frontline staff – Teach staff to recognize signs of basic needs insecurity and refer students to appropriate supports.
• Promoting resources campus-wide – Use syllabi, email campaigns, social media, and events to make sure students know what’s available.
• Partnering with students – leaning ons student leaders to share campus resources, become peer advocates, and volunteer to help stock food pantries, promote events, and mentor other students.

When institutions prioritize basic needs alongside mental health, they lay the groundwork for student success and retention. These efforts go beyond crisis response; they’re investments in a healthier, more resilient campus community. By building systems that are accessible and student-informed, higher ed leaders can create lasting impact not only for individual students, but for the institution’s mission as a whole.

Investing in holistic student care with Single Stop

Colleges that invest in basic needs support aren’t just checking a box, they’re building resilient communities. Students who are housed, fed, and supported are more likely to stay enrolled, graduate, and carry positive experiences into their post-grad lives.

They’re also more likely to feel connected to campus, recommend their institution, and contribute as alumni. For higher education leaders, addressing basic needs is a strategic investment in both student well-being and long-term institutional success.

At Mantra Health, we believe in addressing the full picture of student well-being. That’s why we’ve partnered with Single Stop, a proven leader in connecting students to essential resources like food, housing, childcare, and financial aid.

Single Stop helps students navigate complex systems to quickly access the help they need. Their services include a federal and state benefit screener, navigation to community services, case management, and more. When combined with Mantra’s mental health services, this partnership enables institutions to offer more integrated, preventative care that provides a safety net for all students who need it.

1. The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. (n.d.). The Hope Center Student Basic Needs Survey. Temple University. https://hope.temple.edu/research/hope-center-basic-needs-survey ↩︎
2. McLeod, S. (2025, March 14). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html ↩︎
3. The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. (n.d.). The Hope Center Student Basic Needs Survey. Temple University. https://hope.temple.edu/research/hope-center-basic-needs-survey ↩︎