Homeless College Students Rate Rises Due To Hunger And School Fees, May Not See Graduation

America continues to struggle with the rising cost of higher education. As the cost of college and university fees and tuition grows, the number of homeless students also grows.

But according to reports, homelessness is still an invisible problem to many. In Boston, the Bunker Hill Community College is just one of the 25 food assistance programs in Massachusetts public college campuses.

There are homeless students who come to Bunker Hill every year. Some students lived in a shelter but after deciding to enroll in classes, they want to feel safe which means food and a proper and safer shelter, as reported by MPR News.

Now, America is slowly seeing homeless college students. Bit by bit the veil of invisibility lifts. According to researchers at the University of Wisconsin, 20 percent of 4,000 undergraduates who are enrolled in community colleges in America are hungry and 13 percent are homeless.

Sara Goldrick-Rab, a researcher from the university, says that they do not only work while studying, they also borrow and yet they still fall short. The basic needs of a human being such as eating and sleeping are not being met. Secondary expenses for a college student would include transportation, tuition, school fees and books.

In the University of California, 1 in 10 students are homeless and 1 in 5 are hungry, as reported by WBUR. These college students are not only worrying about where they are going to sleep and what they are going to eat. They are also worried about their future, if they can even make it to graduation.

The states can help with the awareness and funding on homelessness. And slowly the doors are opening. At Bridgewater State University, the school is offering a $10,000 scholarship to two students to cover most tuition and living expenses. Community colleges like Bunker Hill continue to help feed homeless college students. They, and many more, hope that these students will soon stop asking where they are going to sleep tonight.

Watch the ABC News clip below about Bianca Jeannot held down four jobs and cared for her family all while working on her degree: