Federal Pell Grant

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are only awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree and who demonstrate significant financial need. For many students, Pell Grants provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid may be added. To determine if you are eligible, the U.S. Department of Education uses a standard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the information you report on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This number is used by the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid to award Pell Grants, as well as other types of aid. How much you receive depends not only on your EFC, but on your cost of attendance, whether you are a full or part-time student, and whether you attend for the full academic year.  Eligibility is limited to 18 semesters for students receiving Pell Grant for the first time in 2008.

Minnesota State Grant

Minnesota residents who enroll at MSU Moorhead may qualify for aid through the Minnesota State Grant with eligibility for up to four years of full time enrollment. Aid eligibility is determined by the MSU Moorhead Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid. Awards are prorated on a credit by credit basis when enrollment is less than 15 credits per term. Students must apply every academic year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

 

 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The Federal SEOG grant is available for undergraduates with financial need and who are eligible for Federal Pell Grant. Annual awards are determined by MSUM. This grant is renewable on a “first-applied, first-awarded” basis to students who meet the February 15 priority date. This grant is limited to students who have not received a baccalaureate degree and who continue to demonstrate exceptional financial need.

 

 TEACH Grant

The new Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides up to $4,000 per year in grants for graduate and undergraduate students who intend to teach full-time in high-need subject areas for at least four years at a school(s) that serve students from low-income families.
To be considered for a TEACH grant, you must be formally admitted to one of the following TEACH Grant-eligible programs of study at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM):

Undergraduate Graduate

• Special Education
• Science Education
• Math Education
• Spanish Education

Graduate

• Masters of Science-Curriculum and Instruction (with an Undergraduate Degree in a "high-need" field)
• Masters of Science-Special Education

OR

Be formally admitted into a Teacher Education Program that is designated as a high-need program in the state you plan to teach and is listed on the Department of Education’s Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing located at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.doc.

• Meet one of the following academic achievement requirements:
  • Score above the 75th percentile on a college admission test (e.g. SAT, ACT, GRE); or
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.25 from your most recent completed semester.
   
• Be a citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Not in default on a federal student loan.
• Meet the Standards for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) located at www.fafsa.gov (although you do not have to demonstrate financial need).
• Agree to teach in a high-need subject area at a school serving low-income students for at least four of the eight years following graduation or ceasing your program of study. When you begin teaching, the school must be listed on the Department of Education’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools located at www.tcli.ed.gov (click on SEARCH button, choose a state and to narrow your search, either enter your School’s Name or the name of a county after Location).

If you fail to complete the 4-year teaching obligation within 8 years of completing or ceasing your program of study, your grant will convert to an unsubsidized loan which will have to be repaid with interest accrued from the date the grant funds were first disbursed.

If you are selected to receive a TEACH Grant, EACH year you will need to:

• Complete TEACH Grant Counseling (located at https://teach-ats.ed.gov)
• Complete and sign the Agreement to Serve (ATS) (located at https://teach-ats.ed.gov); and
• EACH semester, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 if you met the academic achievement requirement (listed above) with a cumulative GPA of 3.25.

Download the application form or contact the MSUM Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid at 1.800.593.7246 or 218.477.2251.