Minnesota Student Grants for College

Fund Your Education with Free Grant Money

Minnesota college grants help low and moderate income families deal with costly education-related expenses. State grants are accepted by several Minnesota universities and colleges.

Many Minnesota students are able to seek higher education thanks to state grants each year. On average 31 percent of Minnesota state grants go to families with a total income under $20,000.

Approximately 47 percent of Minnesota state grants go to families with a total income from $20,000 to $50,000 About 22 percent of Minnesota state grants go to families with a total income over $50,000.

Start With The Minnesota State Grant Program

The Minnesota State Grant Program involves a simple application process. There is no application fee. Students need to complete the FAFAS (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

The form will determine a student's (and family's) total expected financial contribution to educational expenses. The same form is used for other types of aid, including the Federal Pell Grant.

The FAFAS needs to be submitted within 30 days of the start date of the school term to the federal processing center.

Eligible Institutions In Minnesota

In addition to the University of Minnesota, eligible institutions in Minnesota include community colleges, technical schools and colleges, nursing and other health-related schools, private colleges and career institutions.

Contact the financial aid office at each of these schools for the specific grant procedures.

Other Types Of College Grants Available In Minnesota

The Minnesota Nursing Association offers certain research grants. These include:

Katharine Densford Dreves Research Grant - Award up to $10,000 for MNA members who are enrolled in a master program.
MNAF Research Grant - Award up to $5,000 with the same stipulations.
Clinical Practice Project (in Memory of Linda Knauff) - Award up to $2,000 for MNA members (active members get priority).

Completion is required within two years of initial funding date. Periodic updates, progress reports and a budget are required.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture offers several grants for students choosing certain agriculture related majors. Some grants apply to food preparation and dietary fields.

The Minnesota Forest Protection Reserve has a Planning and Preparedness Grants Program which is applied to slow or prevent the spread and related impact of Emerald Ash Borer.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture also offers dairy business planning grants, sustainable agriculture grants and dairy profitability and enhancement grants.

Minnesota Department of Education

The Minnesota Department of Education offers a number of teacher related grants to encourage students to pursue education as a major.

There are general teaching or education grants as well as specific grants for science, math, history, special education and other specific teaching fields. In some cases the grants require a commitment to work in the teaching profession in the state, others do not have that stipulation.

A number of federal teaching grants are also available. Some of these grants can be applied in connection with a state education grant.

Minnesota Department of Health

The Minnesota Department of Health offers several grants applicable to hospital-related fields, community-based organizations as well as grants specific to profit and non-profit organizations.

Some of the grants offered by the Minnesota Department of Health are specific to certain communities and require a student to either be from that area or to work in that area of a certain amount of time.

Applications for most of these grants can be found either online or through the financial aid office at schools.

State grants can not be applied to out-of-state schools, but Minnesota does have what are known as tuition reciprocity agreements with many states (along with a Canadian province) that can help lower education costs. In order to be eligible Minnesota students must be:

Graduates of secondary school or an equivalent
At least 17 years of age
Enrolled undergraduates for a minimum of three credits at at least one of the over 130 schools in Minnesota that accept these grants.

What Makes A Student Ineligible

There are certain factors that can make a student ineligible for a Minnesota state grant. These include:

Students who are currently in default on a student loan
Students more than 30 days behind on child support owed via a pubic agency (unless a payment plan is established)

Minnesota State Grant Limitations

State grants for eligible students may be received up to four consecutive quarters (full time) or three consecutive semesters per fiscal year. Minnesota state grants are limited to:

Students who have not attained completion of at least eight full-time semesters of post-secondary education (or equivalent).
Students who do not have a baccalaureate degree.

An extension of the eligibility term and application deadline is granted to those who had to withdraw for active military duty or had a qualifying major medical illness (with documentation by a physician).

State Grant Requirements

A student is required to apply each year in order to renew a grant. A Minnesota state grant is eligible for renewal for up to at least six semesters (full time) or nine quarters (or the equivalent).

In order to remain eligible for a Minnesota state grant a student is required to make what is termed satisfactory academic progress. This varies based on the specific institution, but generally includes a certain GPA/QPA requirement for colleges and universities (usually in the 3.0 range).

Full Time Student Requirements

In order to receive the full amount of a Minnesota state grant an applicant has to be a full-time student. A full-time student is defined as being registered for at least 15 credits each term.

If a student is less than full-time they will not receive the full amount of the grant. The grant amount the student receives will be prorated based on the number of credits per term. In should be noted that student and parent contribution ratio used to determine the total amount of the grant award is not reduced if a student is taking less than the full-time credit requirement.

In other words, a student who makes eligibility requirements at 15 credits may find they do not quality at lower enrollment (fewer credits).

Part Time Students

Part-time students who have three credits or more may be considered for a Minnesota state grant. There is no requirement to achieve the degree of choice within a certain amount of time, but part-time students will be encouraged to take as many credits per semester as possible to attain their degree as quick as possible.

The Amount Of Grant Money Received

The amount of grant money awarded will vary by year, but here is a rundown of current grant amounts (as of the 2010-11 academic year):

$6,174 is the maximum award for a two-year public college.
$9,059 is the maximum award for a four-year private college.
The minimum award (regardless of the specific institution) is at least $100 per year.

How The Grant Award Is Determined

It is important to have realistic expectations of what a grant may provide. This comes from an understanding of what factors are a part of the equation in determining the grant award. Awards are based on several factors:

The difference between the actual price of the institution the student will be attending (the overall tuition fee without financial aid subtracted) and the family of the students is expected to be able to contribute towards education expenses.
Applicants for state grants must contribute at least 48.2 percent of the total price of attendance from earnings, savings, loans or additional assistance private of school sources (i.e. financial aid from the school, private scholarships, etc.).
The remaining 51.8 percent of the total price of attendance for dependent students is met by financial contribution from parents determined by federal need analysis and a combination of Pell (federal) and state grant awards.
The remaining 51. 8 percent of the total price of attendance for independent students is met by a contributions from the student's assets and existing income and by federal need analysis and a combination of Pell and state grant awards.

Minnesota state grant awards are adjusted prior to the subtraction of federal need analysis contributions as part of the state grant award formula. The adjustments are:

Federal need analysis (FNA) parent contribution multiplied by 115.2 percent
FNA expected family contributions multiplied by 81.6 percent (applies to independent students w/o dependents)
FNA expected family contributions multiplied by 103.2 percent (applies to independent students w/ dependents)

The total price of attending* a university or college for the Minnesota state grant program consists of:

Tuition plus fees charged to the student (there is a tuition maximum established by the state legislature each year which varies)
Standard allowance (established by annually by the Minnesota legislature) applying to room and board, supplies, books and miscellaneous expenses.

*The total price of student attendance is pro-rated based upon the student's enrollment status.

Shared Responsibility

The Minnesota grant program divides total responsibility for the student's education expenses between the individual student, parents, and government aid (both state and federal). Students will receive an official grant award letter once a determination has been made.

Examples Of Grant Award calculation (Shared Responsibility)

State University

State university is a public four-year school. The approximate cost of attendance $13,895 per year broken down as follows:

$6,895 for tuition and fees
$7,000 for living expenses and miscellaneous expenses.

Dependent Student

Using the above figures applied to a dependent student:

Student contributes 48.2 percent of total yearly cost
Remaining 51.8 percent of total yearly cost is a combination of parent contribution and state and federal grants.

If a student comes from a family that can not make a financial contribution to education costs as determined by FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) then that student is eligible for state and federal grants equaling $7,198 (the 51.8 percent not contributed by the student).

Share paid by student: $6,667
Share paid by parents: 0
Pell Grant (federal): $5,550
Minnesota Grant (state): $1,648
Total: $13,895

If a student comes from a family that can make a contribution of $1,000 (determined by FAFSA) that student is eligible for state and federal grants equaling $6,046 (the remaining 51.8 percent minus the contribution by the parents of $1,152).

If the student comes from a family that is expected to make a $1,000 contribution as determined by the FAFSA, the student would be eligible for federal and state grants totaling $6,046 (the 51.8 percent share less the parent's $1,152 contribution).

Share paid by student: $6,697
Share paid by parents: $1,152
Pell Grant (federal): $4,600
Minnesota Grant (state): $1,446
Total: $13,895

The student may be eligible to receive additional grant funds from private sources or from the institution. Acceptance and receipt of these grant funds will not affect the state or federal grants.

Any additional assistance can be used towards the portion of the cost the student is responsible for paying.

Private College (Shared Responsibility)

This applies to a private 4-year institution. The approximate cost of attendance is $17,488* per year broken down as follows:

$10,488 for tuition and fees
$7,000 for living expenses and miscellaneous expenses

* The actual cost of a private institution is approximately $30,400, but the Minnesota state grant program only recognizes $10,488 to apply the calculation for the grant award amount.

A student may be responsible for the additional cost of $19,923 for tuition and fees not acknowledged by the state for the purpose of the grant determination.

Private College (Dependent Student)

$10,488 for tuition and fees
$7,000 for living expenses and miscellaneous expenses *

* Assuming total of $17,488 of recognized costs, not counting actual cost of approx. $30,400 In this case the student would expected to contribute a total of 48.2 percent or $8,429 per year.

The remainder of the 51.8 percent per year (or $9,059) is contributed by the parents from state and federal grants.

If a student (in the above example) has a family that is not able to contribute to the education expenses (based on FAFSA application assessment of financial need) the student would then be eligible for state and federal grants equaling $9,059 (representing the 51.8 percent not expected to be covered by the student).

Share paid by student: $8,429
Share paid by parents: 0
Pell Grant (federal): $5,550
Minnesota Grant (state): $3,509
Total: $17,488

If the student comes from a family that is expected to make a $1,000 contribution as determined by the FAFSA, the student would be eligible for federal and state grants totaling $7,907 (the 51.8 percent share less the parent's $1,152 contribution).

Share paid by student: $8,429
Share paid by parents: $1,152
Pell Grant (federal): $4,600
Minnesota Grant (state): $3,307
Total: $17,488

The student may be eligible to receive additional grant funds from private sources or from the institution. Acceptance and receipt of these grant funds will not affect the state or federal grants. Any additional assistance can be used towards the portion of the cost the student is responsible for paying.

Federal Grant Options

While a state grant should be the first option, there are four basic federal grant options available to students at any eligible institution in any state.

Pell Grant. The Pell Grant provides up to $4,310 a year to eligible undergraduate students demonstrating financial need. The basic guidelines are similar to requirements for a state grant.
FSEOG. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a supplemental grant to the Pell Grant applicable to those in greatest financial need. Awards for this grant are up to $4,000.
Academic Competitiveness Grant. This grant is contingent upon successful completion of a related high school program. ACG acts to supplement Pell. The maximum is $750 during freshman year and upwards of $1,300 for second year.
National SMART Grant/ National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant. This grant also supplements Pell up to $4,000 per year. It applies to third and fourth year undergrads who major in specific physical, computer or life sciences, math, engineering, technology or in-demand foreign language fields.

Choosing a grant right for a student's educational needs and goals can be a daunting task, but there are a few basic tips that can make it easier: Evaluate your financial needs, including what you and your family can contribute (as these will be important factors in the amount of grant money received)

Determine educational goals. You will want to apply for grants relevant to your goals
Apply to several institutions specific to your goals to give you options since some grant funds will vary per institution
Be prepared to meet specific requirements to attain and keep certain grants
A grant is different from a scholarship in that you only have to prove financial need, so do not hesitate to apply for several grants to increase your odds of getting approval