Minnesota State Grant

If you have questions about this program, please contact the staff member listed on this page via email. If a staff member is not listed, please email info.ohe@state.mn.us and provide a detailed description of your question.

State Grants help students from low- and moderate-income families pay for educational expenses at eligible Minnesota colleges or universities.

In Fiscal Year 2020, approximately:

• 29 percent of State Grant recipients have family incomes below $20,000,
• 39 percent have incomes between $20,000 and $50,000, and
• 32 percent have incomes over $50,000.

In Fiscal Year 2019, approximately:

• 30 percent of State Grant recipients have family incomes below $20,000,
• 38 percent have incomes between $20,000 and $50,000, and
• 32 percent have incomes over $50,000.

What Is the Application Process?

There is no charge for applying to the Minnesota State Grant Program. Students can apply for a State Grant by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is used to determine the student's and family's expected financial contribution, and is the same form used to apply for the Federal Pell Grant and other types of aid from institutions.

To be eligible for the MN State Grant for the 2024-2025 academic year, the application must be submitted no later than November 30th, 2024.  We regret that we are not able to fund all eligible students for the entire aid year.  Additionally, the Office of Higher Education is not able to fund Minnesota State Grants for any students for the summer, 2025 term.  If you are interested in attending summer 2025, please contact your school’s financial aid office to find out if you are eligible for State Grant under the 2025-2026 aid application. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the deadline is July 31st, 2025.

Undocumented students can apply for a Minnesota State Grant by completing the MN Dream Act application.

Which are the "Eligible Institutions" in Minnesota?

Eligible institutions include the state universities, the University of Minnesota, public community and technical colleges, schools of nursing and related health professions, private colleges, and private career institutions in Minnesota. For more information, contact the financial aid office at the school the student is attending or wishes to attend.

State Grants may not be used at out-of-state schools. However, Minnesota has tuition reciprocity agreements with several states and one Canadian province that may help reduce the price of a student's higher education.

Who is Eligible?

Minnesota residents who:

• Are graduates of a secondary school or its equivalent or are at least 17 years of age.
• Will be enrolled as undergraduates for at least three credits at one of more than 130 eligible schools in Minnesota.

Students who are in default on a student loan or who are more than 30 days behind on child support owed to a public agency are NOT eligible, unless they have established payment plans with the appropriate agency and made a series of on-time monthly payments. Click here for more information on reestablishing eligibility for financial aid after a federal student loan default.

Students may receive State Grants for four consecutive full-time quarters or three consecutive semesters during the course of a single fiscal year.

State Grants are limited to:

• Students who have not yet attended eight full-time semesters of postsecondary education or the equivalent. Students who have withdrawn for active military service or for a major medical illness while under the care of a physician after December 31, 2002 are given an extra term of eligibility.
• Students who have NOT received a baccalaureate degree.

Students must reapply each year to be considered for a grant. A State Grant can be renewed for up to six full-time semesters or nine quarters (or their equivalent). However, the student must make satisfactory progress and demonstrate financial need as defined in state law.

Enrollment Status

To receive the full amount of the State Grant, the applicant must be a full-time student (registered for at least 15 credits per term). Less than full-time students will have their price of attendance prorated based on the actual number of credits. However, the parent or student contribution used in the award formula is NOT reduced if the student takes fewer credits, so a student who is eligible for an award at 15 credits may not qualify at a lower enrollment level.

Part-time students with three or more credits can be considered for a State Grant. However, students are encouraged to complete their degree as quickly as possible by registering for as many credits as they can handle each term.