Minnesota Financial Aid: State Grants, Scholarships and Free College Programs

North Star Promise: Free Tuition Below an Income Line

North Star Promise is Minnesota's newest and largest college affordability program. Starting fall 2024, it covers tuition and fees at Minnesota State colleges and universities, University of Minnesota campuses, and Minnesota's Tribal colleges for students whose family adjusted gross income falls below $80,000, as reported on the FAFSA. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education reported the program benefited more than 53,000 Minnesotans during the 2024-25 school year, according to Minitex , a University of Minnesota library service that tracks state education programs.

North Star Promise works as a last-dollar scholarship. It fills the gap left after other grants and scholarships are applied to your tuition and fee bill, so it does not pay you cash directly and does not cover room, board or books. You also need to not already hold a bachelor's degree. Apply through the FAFSA, or through the Minnesota Dream Act application if you are undocumented and ineligible for federal aid.

North Star Promise runs as two tiers. NSP Base is the last-dollar tuition and fee award described above. NSP+ added a supplemental award worth 15% of your Pell Grant amount on top of NSP Base in its first year, 2024-25. That match rate dropped to 0% for 2025-26 because of State Grant program funding shortfalls, and the 2026-27 rate had not been finalized as of January 2026, according to Minnesota Office of Higher Education guidance. Check OHE's current NSP parameters for your enrollment year rather than assuming a 15% match.

North Star Promise stacks with your other aid rather than replacing it. You still file the FAFSA, still get considered for the Minnesota State Grant and any federal Pell Grant, and North Star Promise fills what remains of your tuition and fee bill after those awards apply.

Minnesota State Grant: The Largest Need-Based Program

The Minnesota State Grant is the state's largest financial aid program by dollars distributed, sending over $220 million a year in need-based grants to resident students at accredited Minnesota colleges and universities, per the Minnesota Office of Higher Education's 2025-2026 State Grant program materials. Unlike North Star Promise, it has no hard income cutoff. Instead, the state runs a formula based on your family's ability to pay, your school's tuition and fee level, and a living and miscellaneous expense allowance, so the award shrinks as your family contribution rises.

For the 2025-2026 aid year, you needed to submit your FAFSA by July 31, 2025 to remain eligible for that award year's funding. Expect a similar summer deadline for the 2026-2027 aid year. File as early as possible after the FAFSA opens each cycle, since the State Grant is need-based and funded on a per-year budget rather than a rolling first-come pool that never runs dry.

Minnesota GI Bill: Coverage for Veterans and Their Families

The Minnesota GI Bill pays up to $5,000 per academic year and $15,000 over a lifetime toward higher education, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and license or certification programs. It covers Minnesota veterans who served after September 11, 2001, current members of the National Guard and Reserve, and eligible spouses or children of deceased or severely disabled veterans, according to the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs . Veterans who have used up their federal GI Bill benefits also qualify for a one-time $750 grant to help finish a bachelor's degree.

SELF Loan: A State-Run Alternative to Private Loans

The Minnesota Student Educational Loan Fund, known as the SELF Loan, is a state-administered student loan available to Minnesota residents attending eligible schools anywhere, and to nonresidents attending eligible schools inside Minnesota. Rates do not depend on your or your cosigner's credit score, and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education's SELF Loan program publishes the fixed and variable rate options before you apply, so you know your cost ahead of time. A creditworthy cosigner is still required, and the program runs a mandatory credit check on that cosigner to confirm they qualify. Annual borrowing limits vary by program length and cost, running from $3,500 up to $40,000 depending on your school and program.

Treat the SELF Loan as a last resort behind grants and scholarships, the same way you would treat any student loan. It still needs to be repaid with interest after you leave school, unlike North Star Promise, the Minnesota State Grant, or the Minnesota GI Bill, all of which are aid you keep.

How the Pieces Fit Together

File the FAFSA first, every year, even if you expect to qualify for North Star Promise. The FAFSA is the single application that gives you access to federal aid, the Minnesota State Grant, and North Star Promise eligibility screening at the same time. Only turn to the SELF Loan after you have applied every grant and scholarship you qualify for, since it is debt you repay, not free money.