Scholarships

Scholarships are considered “gift aid”—a type of 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. Admitted freshmen are considered for University-wide scholarships based on an overall assessment of their admission application.

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.

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How scholarships affect financial aid

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.

Tips for writing a Scholarship Thank You Letter

A letter of thanks to your donor(s) is one of the best ways to convey your gratitude and let them know the impact their generosity is having on you.

Guidelines to help you craft your letter:

  • Brevity is key, but tell the donor(s) about yourself and the impact their generosity has on your education and future goals.
  • Be genuine and sincere in your tone, and try to show your personality.
  • Acknowledge your enthusiasm and excitement about receiving the scholarship.
  • Grammar and spelling should be correct, so be sure to proofread.
  • If you choose to handwrite your message, please make sure it is neat and legible.
  • Always be sure to sign your name.
  • Above all, convey your message of thanks clearly and concisely.

Consider sharing your background:

  • Hometown
  • Family background
  • Experiences and life situations that led you to pursue a degree at the U of M

Include information about your current situation:

  • Degree(s) and study plans
  • Involvement and/or activities both on- and off-campus
  • Research and/or internships in which you have taken part, or plan to
  • Describe how the scholarship support will help you meet, or exceed, your educational goals.

Finally, consider including your future plans:

  • What you hope to accomplish while a U of M student
  • Plans for after graduation, i.e. graduate school or career aspirations

If you have questions about your scholarship, please contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Regents Scholarship

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. 

Achievement Scholarships - Starting Fall 2022

Achievement Scholarships are awarded to incoming first-year on-campus students based on unweighted GPA and transfer on-campus students based on cumulative GPA starting Fall 2022. All applicants will be reviewed by an admission counselor.

First-Year Achievement Scholarships

Unweighted GPAAchievement Scholarship per year
2.5-2.749$500
2.75-3.09$750
3.10-3.59$1,000
3.60-3.75$2,000
3.76-4.0$3,000

 

Transfer Student Achievement Scholarships

Cumulative GPAAchievement Scholarship per year
3.0-3.49$1,000
3.5-3.74$1,500
3.75-4.0$2,000

 

Important scholarship criteria and requirements:
  • First-Year applicants who earned a GED are not eligible for Achievement Scholarships
  • Available to full time on-campus students seeking their first bachelor's degree
  • Must be a US citizen
  • Scholarships are disbursed equally across fall and spring semesters
Important renewal information and requirements:
  • Students must maintain a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA and be meeting satisfactory academic progress to continue to receive their Achievement Scholarship
  • Students must maintain full time enrollment (12+ credits) each semester to continue to receive the scholarship
  • Scholarships are renewable for up to four years for a first-year student and up to three years for a transfer student at UMN Crookston

Specialty Scholarships

The University of Minnesota Crookston is grateful to the many alumni and donors who contribute and make scholarships available to our enrolled students. "Specialty Scholarships" are awarded to students based on a specific set of criteria that may include only one or several of the following: academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community involvement, leadership, service, financial need and legacy.

Recipients are selected by various scholarship committees and students are notified via email or letter in advance of the academic year start.

There are several applications; therefore, review and apply for any in which you are eligible. The majority of scholarships are available from a single application depending upon enrollment status:

  1. Incoming new freshman or transfer students (due by May 1); or
  2. Returning students (due by May 1).

Apply now!

*Please note: New student's accounts do have to be activated in order to apply for specialty scholarships. To activate your account follow this link. You will need your 7-digit Student ID number which can be found on your admit letter. For help call the computer help desk at 612-301-4357.

Please note that the University Writing Center has many resources available to both online and on-campus students to assist in creating any essays that may be required for a scholarship application.

To view the list of different specialty scholarships and their criteria, follow this link: Specialty Scholarship Descriptions. These scholarships are included in the New and Returning Student Applications - complete one application to be reviewed for all scholarships you are eligible for.

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) endowed scholarship was established in 2008 through a generous gift from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.  The SMSC scholarship program is designed to recruit and retain talented American Indian students with demonstrated financial need to the University of Minnesota. For more information, see the SMSC Scholarship page.

University of Minnesota Promise Scholarship Programs

The Promise Programs are part of the University of Minnesota’s unparalleled commitment to the success of our students and make a U of M education possible for Minnesota resident students across the University's five system campuses. 

Under the programs, eligible Minnesota resident undergraduate students meeting the family income levels outlined below and who enroll at the U of M will be guaranteed funds to support their collegiate aspirations. 

Learn more about the Promise Scholarship Programs >>>

Berland Opportunity Grant

The Berland Opportunity Grant provides a financial incentive for enrollment in academic college classes for adults who have been out of school for at least four years.  The objective is to encourage enrollment at UMC by first-time adult students and adults needing retraining.  The grant will pay tuition for a maximum of four credits, for one semester.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Must have been out of school (high school and/or college courses for credit) for a minimum of four years
  • Must not be receiving tuition reimbursement
  • Must not have earned a baccalaureate degree
  • Must not have received a Berland Grant previously
  • Must submit application by the first day of the semester for which you are applying

Find the Berland Opportunity Grant Application on the Forms page.

There are limited grants given out each academic year, depending on funding. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.

Achievement Scholarship Renewals - Through Fall 2021

Achievement Scholarships were awarded to qualifying first-year and transfer on-campus students through Fall 2021. These scholarships are still eligible for renewal up to four years for first-year students, and two years for transfer students.

The Achievement Scholarship Deadline was May 1, 2021. You must be admitted by May 1st to be reviewed for an Achievement Scholarship.

Important renewal criteria and requirements: 

  • Students must maintain a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA
  • Scholarships are renewable for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students,
  • On campus students must maintain full time (12+ credits) enrollment to continue to receive the scholarship
  • Scholarships are disbursed equally between fall and spring semesters
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen

Online Student Achievement Scholarships - Through Fall 2021

Online Achievement scholarships were awarded through Fall 2021 to qualifying new online first-year and transfer UMN Crookston students. These scholarships are renewable for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students.

Important renewal criteria and requirements:

  • Students must maintain a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA
  • Online students must enroll in the minimum of 6 credits each semester 
  • Scholarships are evenly disbursed between fall and spring semesters

Other Online Student Scholarship Opportunities: 

  • Online degree-seeking students who are enrolled in 12 or more credits can apply for our Specialty scholarships.
  • Online degree-seeking students who are enrolled in 6 or more credits may apply for the Online Learning Scholarship, also on the Specialty Scholarship site. This scholarship is only for online students. You will be asked to attach your resume to your application.
  • The Berland Opportunity Grant is also available to online students.

Outside Scholarships

You are highly encouraged to seek additional scholarships through external organizations. Outside scholarships are awarded by entities outside of UMC, including but not limited to various clubs, civic organizations, booster clubs, churches, and high schools. In addition to local and regional scholarship opportunities, there are a number of online search engines and scholarship listings. As a reminder, you must report any outside scholarship awards to the financial aid office.

We receive many emails throughout the year from outside organizations who offer scholarships to students.  We are unable to research and validate them, but you are encouraged to check them out for yourself.  We post these scholarships to our facebook page.

If you receive any scholarship from organizations outside of the University of Minnesota (e.g., a local community organization, church, etc.), it is your responsibility to forward to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships for processing. You should endorse any check that is made payable to you and the University of Minnesota.

UMC Employee Grant

The UMC Employee Grant provides up to $2,500 per year for immediate family members of current full-time UMC employees.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Student must be enrolled full-time (12+ credits/semester) for full grant amount; amount will be prorated for any student less than full-time
  • Must be enrolled as a degree seeking undergrad student at UMC
  • The student must be a direct descendent or spouse to a current full-time UMC employee; dependent up to age 26
  • Student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Application must be completed each year

Find the UMC Employee Grant Application on the Forms page.

Additional scholarship search resources

Requests for your financial aid 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:

A guide on how to review your financial aid offer is available.