Scholarships
Scholarships are considered “gift aid” because they are a source of free money—financial aid that does not have to be repaid. Funds are awarded to individual students and are often based on specific criteria, such as your major, GPA, financial need, etc.
Many students receive scholarships from outside sources, such as hometown organizations, civic organizations, churches, and other local donors, or from businesses and corporations.
When you complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), any scholarships that you receive will be considered when calculating your financial aid award.
University scholarship awards disburse in accordance with the University's financial aid award policy. Consistent with University policy, the total annual aid amount awarded to a student, including all scholarships and grants, cannot exceed cost of attendance at the University of Minnesota.
Financial aid awards (e.g., loans, work study, scholarships, or grants) may be reduced for students whose total aid exceeds the cost of their program for the academic year, as determined by the Office of Student Finance.
When you receive a scholarship from an organization outside of the University of Minnesota, your existing financial aid awards will be reviewed and adjustments may be made based on the receipt of your scholarship(s). You may see a reduction in other types of aid, such as loans, work-study, or institutional aid.
The University of Minnesota will allow you to receive the maximum benefits of any scholarships within the US Department of Education guidelines.
Many scholarships require full-time enrollment. Information on eligibility for financial aid is available.
If you receive any scholarships from organizations outside of the University of Minnesota (e.g., a local community organization, church, etc.), it is your responsibility to forward the check(s) to One Stop Student Services for processing. You should endorse any check that is made payable to you and the University of Minnesota.
Several websites provide information on scholarships that are available nationwide. A few of them are listed below:
The Regents Scholarship Program covers a portion of tuition costs for eligible University of Minnesota employees enrolled in University of Minnesota credit-bearing courses. More information on the Regents Scholarship Program is available.
The University of Minnesota Morris offers donor-funded scholarships, U Promise Scholarship, and American Indian Funding Opportunities for students. Visit the Morris scholarships page for more information.
With your permission, the University of Minnesota is able to share information from your financial aid data or Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with scholarship-granting organizations or tribal organizations. You must have provided written permission for the information to be shared.
To enable the University to share your information do one or both of the following:
- Make sure your permission is on your request form or scholarship application.
- Complete a Student Information Release Authorization form.
A guide on how to review your financial aid awards is available.