Top 5 Minnesota Schol­ar­ships

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Consensus Ranked top 5 scholarshps STATES 22

The average salary in Minneapolis, Minnesota is slightly over $60,000 while the cost of living in nearly five percent higher than the national average. This leads to many individuals just getting by and not having the funds to save up for their child’s education. While the minimum wage is $9.50, an individual wanting to further their education will still struggle to pay bills, let alone have money to go to school. 

College scholarships in Minnesota provide students with free money to complete their education. Many college scholarships in Minnesota are merit-based, meaning students earn them based on their achievements, such as their academic performance or volunteer work. They may have to write an essay to prove their worthiness.

College Consensus is giving prospective students a leg up on searching for scholarships with our list of the top 5 scholarships in Minnesota. The list is presented in alphabetical order.

See Also: Best Scholarships for Online Students

1

Evelyn Lenander Scholarship

The Evelyn Lenander Scholarship was established in the late 1980s and is offered by Community Giving – the Community Foundation Idea Center. These scholarships in Minnesota provide $1,000 to $4,500 to teaching degree candidates – as juniors or seniors in a Minnesota university/college. Eligible recipients for these college scholarships in Minnesota must have graduated from a Minnesota high school and have submitted an application before March 1st. Additional information required includes an essay, recommendation letters, and transcripts from the school(s) the applicant attended during their freshman and sophomore college years.

Community Giving is a Minnesota organization, headquartered in St. Cloud, that is tasked with connecting partner foundations that provide grants, donations, and scholarships to the many local causes across the state. Community Giving seeks to provide funding that benefits the various local Minnesota communities. Community Giving is community-minded, providing services with integrity, innovation, commitment, and optimism.

2

Minnesota Child Care Grant

The Minnesota Child Care Grant scholarship is provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. These college scholarships in Minnesota are eligible to Minnesota residents with children (twelve or younger) who need to pay for childcare while attending post-secondary classes in the state of Minnesota. Eligible recipients for these scholarships in Minnesota receive up to $5,200/year, for each dependent child in need of childcare. The Minnesota Child Care Grant scholarship only pays up to 40 hours of childcare per week.

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education is an upper-level state agency created to facilitate funding opportunities for Minnesota students vying for associate degrees and beyond. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education is tasked with the responsibility of informing (and protecting) Minnesota residents regarding educational opportunities at the post-secondary level. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education grant division provides nearly $200 million in grants and scholarships, the largest financial assistance program of its kind in the state.

3

Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program

The Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program is provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to those Minnesota residents who can document that they have more than 25% Indian ancestry and a verifiable financial need/Pell Grant approved. These college scholarships in Minnesota are valued at $4,000/year for undergraduate and $6,000/year for graduate students attending an accredited institution of higher education in the state of Minnesota. The scholarships are renewable for up to ten years. The application deadline date for these Minnesota scholarships is July 1st.

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education holds the distinction of being a state-level cabinet department designed to assist Minnesota residents/students reach for post-secondary education. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education coordinates the various grants and scholarships available to Minnesota students. The new projects and state initiatives that are undertaken by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education are proposed by the state’s governor.

4

The Minnesota Masonic Charities Signature Scholarships

The Minnesota Masonic Charities Signature Scholarships are provided by the Minnesota Masonic Charities. The Minnesota Masonic Charities Signature Minnesota Scholarships are awarded to six high school graduates who have an ACT score of 29 (or an SAT score that exceeds 1350) and a non-weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) that exceeds 3.9. Eligible students must apply by February 15th and submit a resume, a short essay, a recommendation letter, a high school transcript, and an acceptance letter from an institution of higher learning, of available. The Signature Scholarships are valued at $5,000 per year for a maximum of four years.

The Minnesota Masonic Charities offers various college scholarships in Minnesota through its varied and many philanthropic causes. The Minnesota Masonic Charities was created in 2006 when long-existing Minnesota charities joined forces to improve their philanthropic impact. Since its inception, the Minnesota Masonic Charities have awarded more than $45 million to a variety of charitable causes in Minnesota.

5

The PFund Scholarship

The PFund Scholarship is offered by the Pfund Foundation. These college scholarships in Minnesota are valued between $1,000 and $10,000 and have an application deadline of March 2020. Eligible recipients must be a member of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Allied LBGTQIA community. The PFund Scholarship can potentially be awarded to community leaders, activists, and organizers in support of the Minnesota LGBTQIA communities through the state, rather than as a strict tuition-based program.

The PFund Foundation is an organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA individuals and leaders throughout the upper portions of the Midwest of the US. The educational opportunities provided by the PFund Foundation is an integral part of an LGBTQIA student’s academic support in the state of Minnesota. To date, The PFund Foundation has awarded more than 400 Minnesota scholarships to members of the LGBTQIA population residing in Minnesota.

Does the State of Minnesota Offer Grants for College Students?

The state of Minnesota supplies students with grants for college students in Minnesota. To apply for government grants for college students in Minnesota, a student must first fill out a FAFSA form to determine financial eligibility. After, a student may apply for the state grants for college students in Minnesota. These grants are only for pupils who don’t already have a bachelor’s degree.

Individuals may find scholarships and grants for students who are choosing a particular career path. For instance, the Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care supplies the option of repayment programs and loan forgiveness for students in nursing or other healthcare-related degree programs.

Minnesota scholarships and grants are also available through individuals and organizations throughout the area. One example is United Cerebral Palsy of Central Minnesota, which offers $1,000 to a student in Benton, Sherburne, or Stearns who has cerebral palsy.

Many colleges throughout the state offer Minnesota scholarships for college students. Minnesota scholarships for college students are also available as memorial funds or through organizations, such as the Coss Family Foundation Scholarship.

Students may opt for local scholarships in Minnesota, which are exclusively for residents of Minnesota or even as specific as in a certain city. One example is the Minnesota Power Generation Scholarship Fund. As one of the local scholarships in Minnesota, this is available only to students in Minnesota Power’s service area.

There are also scholarships available in Minnesota for students in other states, such as Wisconsin. In fact, one of the scholarships available in Minnesota is the Minnesota-Wisconsin Reciprocity Program.

Do I Need Good Grades in High School to Get a Scholarship?

Scholarships for high school seniors in Minnesota are available once a student reaches 12th grade. Some are strictly for students who have high grade point averages, although the exact GPA a student requires to earn them varies.

Not all scholarships for high seniors in Minnesota are based on academic achievement. Some are for a student’s achievement in music or even their volunteer work. The Coss Family Foundation Scholarships is one example of financial assistance that has minimal to do with a student’s academic performance. This scholarship is dedicated to students who demonstrate leadership inside and outside of their school. A high school senior only needs to have a GPA of 2.0 to qualify. Another example is the Linden Scholaship. It’s solely based on a student’s volunteer work. The scholarship goes to the student who does the most good in his or her community.

Another option is the MAPA Scholarship, which only requires a student to have a GPA of 2.5 or higher. It’s for students who want to complete a degree program in accounting.

The Public Safety Officer’s Survivor Grant provides up to $5,736 per year for a two-year educational program and $14,189 per year for four-year degree programs. Students only need to have a GPA of 2.0.

Are there Scholarships for Minority Students in Minnesota?

Although anyone may apply to the scholarship programs available to students in Minnesota who meet the requirements, scholarships for minorities in Minnesota are available. For example, the Actuarial Foundation Diversity Scholarship program is available only to minority students. The student has to be in a full-time healthcare management master’s degree program. Additionally, he or she must be in his or her last year of the program and have a financial need.

The American Bar Association is another organization that provides minority students with financial assistance for school. The association offers up to 20 students a $5,000-per-year scholarship to law school for up to three years. The student must have a financial need and a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The Hispanic Dental Association Foundation scholarship is another option for scholarships for minorities in Minnesota. It’s available to students who are going to attend a dental program. The student must include a letter of recommendation and demonstrate an interest in bettering the oral health of individuals within Hispanic communities.

The Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship is an option exclusively to individuals of union families, including children, grandchildren, and spouses, who are minority students. The student receives between $500 to $2,000 each year as long as they attend one of the 31 approved colleges or technical schools.

Related Rankings:

Best Online Colleges in Minnesota

Best Colleges & Universities in Minnesota

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