Minnesota State Fair Scholarships

The Minnesota State Fair is invested in the educational endeavors of young adults from greater Minnesota. The Minnesota State Fair Scholarship was established in 1994 and since its inception, more than $600,000 has been awarded.

Up to 22 scholarships of $1,000 each will be made available to young adults from greater Minnesota or those enrolled in an agriculture program in 2025-2026. These scholarships are available for students entering any field of study.

Two $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to people of any age entering a skilled trade career or furthering their training.

All Minnesota State Fair Scholarships are funded through donations to the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.

Applications for 2026 will open in March.

A qualified committee will review applications and select the recipients. Scholarship recipients will be notified by telephone of their award by Aug. 9. If you have questions regarding this program or application, please contact the competition department at 651-288-4417 or competition@mnstatefair.org.

Requirements for Consideration

Applicant must be attending or planning to attend a post-secondary school, trade school, or training in the current year.
Up to 22 scholarships will be awarded to students entering any field of study
Two scholarships will be awarded to people of any age entering or furthering a skilled trade career (ex: post-secondary school, apprenticeship, tech school, or vocational school that focuses on a skilled trade such as welding, lineman, mechanic, plumbing, electrical, etc.)
Application must indicate anticipated participation in the 2026 Minnesota State Fair.
Rural residency or enrollment in an agriculture program (for example, living in St. Paul and enrolled in your school’s FFA program, or are a 4-H member) is required.

Applicant must be a resident of Minnesota.
Applicant must be entering their freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year at a 4-year university, community, or technical college.
Previous Minnesota State Fair Scholarship recipients are ineligible to enter. 

Submission Requirements

Applications must be completed using the online scholarship application no later than July 15, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Incomplete applications, including applications without a transcript (for scholarship allowing any field of study) or letter of recommendation (for skilled trade career scholarship) will not be considered.

Transcripts may be official or unofficial, and must be submitted through the online scholarship application.

Do not submit multiple applications.

Sample Application Questions

For scholarship allowing any field of study

1. What was your past involvement at the Minnesota State Fair (years, programs, awards)?

2. What is your anticipated participation at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair?

3. Please describe your scholastic achievements (GPA, Honors, etc.)

4. What leadership activities are you involved in (associations and offices held, projects directed, athletics)?

5. What community service or volunteer work have you participated in?

6. What are your future goals?

For skilled trade career scholarship

1. What was your past involvement at the Minnesota State Fair (years, programs, awards)?

2. What is your anticipated participation at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair?

3. Why would you like to enter a profession in the trades?

4. What communnity service or volunteer activities have you been involved in?

5. What are your future goals?

Judging Guidelines

• A State Fair representative will initially review the applications to ensure applicants meet minimum requirements. Copies of the applications will then be sent to scholarship committee members.
• Applications will be scored by each committee member based on the application criteria. The average of all scores will be used to determine the final scholarship recipients.
• A State Fair representative will vote only in case of ties.

Scholarship Recipients

• Recipients will be notified by telephone of award by Aug. 9.
• Announcement of the recipients will be made:
• Friday, Aug. 28, at the 4-H Beef Championship in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
• Monday, Sept. 7, at the FFA Awards program held in Compeer Arena
• Recipients must write a thank-you to scholarship donors and supporters as instructed.
• Recipients may be asked to meet with donors and/or write a thank you to specific donors.
• Recipients must provide a copy of the billing statement from their post-secondary school showing tuition has been paid (paid tuition includes grants, scholarships, or cash payments). Do not send a transcript or class schedule.
• Payment will be made when proof of paid tuition and thank-you notes are received by the Minnesota State Fair Competition Department.
• Recipients must claim their scholarship by Oct. 1. Payment will be made to the applicant and sent to the address listed on the application.
• Minnesota State Fair Scholarship recipients may also be asked to meet with donors and/or write a thank you to specific donors.