Summer EBT: How to Qualify

If a child does not currently qualify for Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), there are steps their families can take to try to get them benefits.

Applying for Free and Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL)

Families can submit a FRPL application if their child's school accepts them. If the FRPL application is approved before the end of the 2024-2025 school year, then their child will qualify for Summer EBT.

Applying for a qualifying benefit program

Children can qualify for Summer EBT this year if their household applies and are approved for a qualifying benefit program by August 28, 2025. The qualifying benefit programs include:

• FoodShare
• Wisconsin Works (W-2)
• The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Certain income-based Medicaid programs (See Medicaid in Wisconsin: A-Z, P-02383)

Children who go to a school that is not part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must be school-aged to qualify. This includes children who are homeschooled or go to a fully virtual school. Children are school-aged if they were born on or between July 1, 2006, and August 31, 2019. Families will need to contact their child’s school to confirm if it participates in the NSLP.

Families can call 211 or visit ACCESS (ACCESS in Spanish) to learn about applying for any of these programs. Families can also contact their local or Tribal agency who can help them apply for the programs.

Applying directly for Summer EBT

The Summer EBT Application is for families who meet the income limit for Summer EBT but who don’t have information on file with the state showing that their child qualifies. This could be because:

• Their child’s school accepts FRPL applications but there is no approved application on file for the child.
• Their child’s school is in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP schools don’t use FRPL applications because every child gets meals at no cost.

Families should use the Summer EBT Application only if their child goes to a school that participates in the NSLP. If a child does not go to a school that participates in the NSLP, they cannot qualify for Summer EBT through a Summer EBT application. Families will need to contact their child’s school to confirm if it participates in the NSLP.

Summer EBT income limits

The income limits for Summer EBT are the same ones used by the NSLP. A household’s total income must be the same or less than the amount shown for the household's size. These income limits will change on July 1, 2025.

Help with Summer EBT

Get help with questions about Summer EBT by contacting the Summer EBT Support Team at DHSSEBTSupport@dhs.wisconsin.gov or visiting the Summer EBT: Frequently Asked Questions page.