The experience of food insecurity in the South African university student population is
not well documented or researched. Data to assess vulnerability to food insecurity in
a sample of 1.083 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg
Campus) was collected between 2007 and 2010 via a questionnaire developed
specifically for this purpose. The results indicate that 20.8% of the sample experienced
some level of vulnerability to food insecurity, with 16.1% reporting serious levels of
vulnerability, and 4.7% experiencing severe to critical levels of vulnerability to food
insecurity. Students on financial aid were found to be significantly more vulnerable
to food insecurity when compared to those who were not on financial aid. A similar
relationship was found between students in a bridging programme when their level of
vulnerability to food insecurity was compared to those in mainstream programmes.
The potential impact on university students’ educational outcomes and social and
psychological well-being are discussed. The results are also contextualised within the
retention and throughput efforts of South African higher education institutions, and
recommendations for institutional responses are made