Grants
Grants are sources of financial aid based on need and do not need to be repaid.
Types of Grants
Federal Pell Grants are available to undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree who demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA.
Pell Grant amounts are prorated when enrollment is less than 12 credits per semester. Students are limited to 12 semesters (or the equivalent of 12 semesters) of Pell Grant funds.
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is available for undergraduate students pursuing their first undergraduate degree who demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Students must also receive the Federal Pell Grant to receive the SEOG. Amounts are prorated when enrollment is less than 12 credits per semester. Annual amount are determined by MSUM.
The American Indian Scholars Program was established in the 2023 Minnesota legislative session. The program provides a first-dollar tuition and fee-free pathway for Minnesotans eligible for resident tuition who are enrolled members or citizens of any federally recognized tribe or Canadian First Nation to attend a Minnesota State institution or the University of Minnesota. Students not eligible for resident tuition who are enrolled members or citizens of a Minnesota Tribal Nation are also eligible for the program.
The Teacher Education Assistance for College Higher Education (TEACH) Grant provides up to $4,000 per year for graduate and undergraduate students who intend to teach full time in high-need subject areas for at least four years at school(s) that serve students from low-income families.
Applicants must be formally admitted to one of the following TEACH Grant-eligible programs of study at MSUM:
- Undergraduate
- Special Education
- Science Education
- Mathematics Education
- Spanish Education
- Graduate
- Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction (with an undergraduate degree in a high-need field)
- Master of Science in Special Education
- 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 included on the Department of Education’s Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing.
Additional Requirements:
- Meet one of the following academic achievements:
- Score above the 75th percentile on a college admission test (e.g. SAT, ACT, GRE)
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher from the most recently completed semester
- U.S. 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) (Note: students are not required 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. The school must be listed on the Department of Education’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools when the student begins teaching. Click “Search,” choose the state and enter the school’s name or the county in which it is located.
Student who fail to complete the four-year teaching obligation within eight years of completing or ceasing their program of study will see the TEACH Grant converted to an unsubsidized loan with interest accrued from the date the grant funds were first disbursed.
Those selected to receive a TEACH Grant are also required to complete the following annual requirements:
- TEACH Grant Counseling
- Agreement to Serve (ATS)
- Those who met the academic achievement requirement with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher are required to maintain a cumulative CPA of 3.25 or higher.
The Minnesota State Grant provides assistant to resident students from low- and middle-income families who are pursuing their first bachelor's degree pay for educational expenses at Minnesota colleges and universities. Students complete the FAFSA annually to apply. Minnesota State Grant amounts are prorated when enrollment is less than 15 credits per semester.
The Minnesota Post-Secondary Child Care Grant program provides financial assistance to students who are Minnesota residents, have children 12 and under (14 or younger if child is handicapped), are not receiving assistance under the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA. The grant helps pay childcare expenses for students pursuing their first undergraduate degree or a graduate/professional degree.
The maximum award amount is $6,500 per eligible child per academic year. The amount is based on the student and spouse's income, the number of people in the student's family, the number of eligible children within the family who need childcare, and the student's credit level. The grant is limited to a period of ten semesters of attendance or the equivalent.
Contact our office for more information or to request an application.
The Minnesota GI Bill Grant provides post-secondary financial assistance to eligible Minnesota veterans, currently serving military, national guard and reserve members who served after September 11, 2001, and eligible spouses and children. This grant is separate from the Federal GI Bill.
Eligible students can receive up to $3,000 annually. The lifetime limit is $15,000
The Minnesota Dream Act (also known as The Prosperity Act) provides in-state resident tuition rates and state financial aid to undocumented students who meet certain criteria. These state financial aid programs include the Minnesota State Grant and the Minnesota Post-Secondary Child Care Grant. The Minnesota Dream Act is an annual application submitted to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education notifies MSUM which students are eligible.
The Minnesota Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant is a financial aid program that seeks to eliminate the cost of higher education as a barrier for Minnesota students who were in the foster care system. Minnesota residents under age 27 who were in the Minnesota foster care system at any point after their thirteenth birthday, are eligible. The grant covers the cost of attendance at any eligible Minnesota public or participating private college and university, including MSUM. To apply, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Minnesota Dream Act application. The Minnesota Department of Human Services will work with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to confirm your information and communication your eligibility to MSUM. MSUM will include Fostering Independence Grant as part of your official financial aid offer.
The Minnesota Future Together Grant provides eligible Minnesota residents a tuition-free pathway to earning a degree in a high-need field. The grant covers the cost of tuition and fees for eligible students after all other financial aid is calculated. Award amounts range from $100 - $15,400. Grants will be awarded through spring 2024. MSUM will calculate students' eligibility. No additional application is required.
Beginning fall 2024, the North Star Promise (NSP) will create a tuition and fee-free pathway to higher education for eligible Minnesota residents at MSUM by covering the balance of tuition and fees remaining after other scholarships, grants, stipends and tuition waivers have been applied. North Dakota and South Dakota students are also eligible for a tuition-free pathway with a university-funded version of this same type of scholarship. Eligible students must have a family adjusted gross income as reported on the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act application below $80,000. Eligibility will be determined by MSUM. No additional application is required.
Learn more about the North Star Promise Learn more about the Tuition-free Pathway for ND & SD