Minnesota Public Safety Officer's Survivor Grant

A student must:

• Meet one of the following:
  • A dependent child under the age of 23 before the first day of the academic year
  • A dependent child under the age of 30 if served on active military duty 181 consecutive days or more and has been honorably discharged or released to the dependent child’s reserve or National Guard unit
  • A surviving spouse
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program or a certificate program at an eligible Minnesota institution that participates in the State Grant Program
• Obtain a Public Safety Officer’s Benefit Fund Certificate issued by the Commissioner of Public Safety
• Have not received benefits for more than 10 full-time semesters or 15 full-time quarters (A student who fully withdraws from the institution for active military service or due to a major medical illness may be permitted to an additional semester of grant eligibility)

The amount of the award is the lesser of:

a) the annual average full-time tuition and mandatory fees charged by the institution, prorated for term length and enrollment level; or

b) the applicable tuition and fee maximum established in law for the State Grant program, prorated for term length and enrollment level.

The 2025-2026 full-time tuition and fee maximums are $17,717 for students in a 4-year degree or graduate program and $6,909 for students in a 2-year degree program.

Applicants must provide the Financial Aid Office at the institution they attend a copy of the Public Safety Officer’s Benefit Fund Certificate and fill out the student section of the application.

The Financial Aid Office will complete the institution section of the application and submit all required documents to the Office of Higher Education for review. Awarded students will be notified by the institution.

The eligibility certificate can be obtained from:

Minnesota Department of Public Safety
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1000 NCL Tower
St. Paul, MN 55101
Tel: (651) 201-7164

Who is Eligible?

A Pell-eligible student who is under the age of 24 or enrolled at a postsecondary institution at the time of the parent's or guardian's death.

Eligible students can continue to receive the maximum Pell Grant in subsequent award years if the student has a Pell-eligible Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is calculated when a student completes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

How Much Money Can You Get?

The maximum Pell Grant award for a full time student for the 2025-2026 award year is $7,395.

What is the Application Process?

Students must complete the FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov and contact the Financial Aid Office at the institution the student plans to attend to determine eligibility.