Grants, education benefits, & tuition waivers or reductions
These program funds are gift aid that you are not required to repay. Generally noncompetitive, awards are based on financial need and basic eligibility criteria. Tuition waivers, regardless of the source, are considered a form of financial aid that may reduce your eligibility for other financial aid. In your quests for gift aid, don't forget to research the wide array of scholarships available from agencies, companies, civic organizations, and individuals who support higher education.
Need-based federal, state, & University funding
When you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and are admitted to the University of Minnesota, you will be considered for these federal, state, and University grants. No additional application is required, unless noted in the description at the link. Awards are based on your financial need, any eligibility criteria specific to the source, and availability of funds, listed here in the order of their importance to student funding:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
- Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
- National SMART (Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent) Grant
- TEACH Grant Program
- Minnesota State Grant
- Minnesota Middle Income program
- University of Minnesota Founders Free Tuition Program
- Office of Student Finance (OSF) scholarships and grants
Aid for specific student populations
Some gift aid programs that are intended for specific student populations require you to complete and submit an application and meet individual criteria.
Child care, disability, reciprocity
- Blind and Deaf Student Tuition Waivers
- Child care grants (for students who are parents)
- Disabled student funding
- Tuition reciprocity (for students from neighboring states)
Dependents of military/police officers
(Contact a One Stop counselor for
more information.)
- Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Surviving Spouse/Dependent Education Benefit
- Minnesota Veterans' Dependents Assistance Program (children of POW/MIA)
- Public Safety Officer's Survivor Grant
Employment and service related
- AmeriCorps education benefits
- Dislocated Worker Programs
- Employer tuition benefits (Check with your employer.)
- Graduate Student Assistantship and Fellowship Funding
- National Guard education funds
- ROTC benefits
- TEACH Grant Program
- Veterans education benefits
University employees with at least 75 percent appointments
Youth in foster care/wards of state
- Education vouchers for former youth in care (Minnesota residents who were older children in foster care)
- Wards of the state (Contact a One Stop counselor for more information.)