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Basic Food Employment & Training (BFET)

Limited funding available for Summer 2025!

New students: Worker Retraining has limited funding and will only enroll students that are receiving Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits from Employment Security Department (ESD).

The Workforce Education Application for Summer 2025 Funding is open until June 27, 2025, 12AM Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8). We recommend applying as soon as possible. Applying is just the first step; eligible applicants must complete their required enrollment steps by July 10, 2025, 12AM PST before being eligible to enroll into a Workforce Education program and funding is awarded.

The Basic Food, Employment & Training (BFET) program provides funding assistance with education, work training, and related support services at North Seattle College to eligible individuals currently receiving (SNAP) DSHS federally issued Basic Food Benefits.

BFET services may include:

  • Tuition assistance
  • Required textbooks and supplies for classes
  • Transportation (such as bus pass)
  • Basic needs resource support

To qualify for the WorkFirst program, you must enroll in an eligible training program and meet the eligibility criteria. Please see the eligibility requirements below.

Do I qualify?

Student eligibility requirements to receive BFET assistance are as follows:

  • You receive federal food assistance known as Basic Food or SNAP from DSHS
  • You receive Federally issued Basic Food Benefits through DSHS
  • You do not receive cash assistance known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) from DSHS
  • Your Basic Food / SNAP must be open on the first day of the quarter for you to receive funding for that quarter
  • You can work and intend to obtain employment after completing your academic program.
    • You understand that you will need to complete an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) annually or as needed to remain current while enrolled in BFET
  • You understand that you will need to submit monthly BFET participation forms

Think you might be eligible for Federal Basic Food Assistance?

Apply Now

Do I qualify for BFET?

How do I apply for the BFET program?

  1. Take the Start Next Quarter survey to check your funding eligibility; the survey is not an application for funding.
  2. If eligible for funding, you should receive a Results page that lists the funding program(s) for which you may qualify. Click the ‘GO’ button to be directed to the Attend a Workshop page.
  3. On the Attend a Workshop page, enter your contact information then click the ‘GO’ button to be directed to the Get in Touch page.
  4. The Get in Touch page includes information for the Workforce Education Application and link; click on the link to open the application.
  5. Complete and submit the North Seattle College Workforce Education Application. You should receive a confirmation email upon submission.
  6. The confirmation email also includes information about our review process and additional enrollment steps you can take while you await your eligibility email. If you cannot find a confirmation email, make sure to check your junk/spam and if needed update your email settings to prevent emails from us at nworkforce@seattlecolleges.edu going to your junk/spam.

BFET General Questions

There are two types of food assistance: federal food assistance and state food assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Basic Food/Basic Food Assistance (BFA) program is the federal food assistance program; BFET eligibility requires receiving federal food assistance. The State Food Assistance Program (FAP) is the state food assistance program.

You can only receive BFET funding at one school at a time. If you are planning to transfer to North from another school, please talk to your current BFET representative to let them know that you plan to transfer so they can close your BFET, as well as contacting the BFET Specialist at North to determine your next steps for enrollment into that BFET program.

Yes. BFET can help you keep your food assistance open. It may also help with funding gaps. For example, financial aid may have awarded you enough money to pay for tuition but not enough to cover textbooks and a bus pass. BFET may be able to help pay for your required textbooks and transportation – therefore filling that funding gap.

Questions? Please contact BFET Specialist:

Hayley Smith
Hayley.Smith@seattlecolleges.edu
(206) 934-6101

*Please include your first and last name, phone number and ctcLink ID number (EMPLID) when leaving an email or voicemail message.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.