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How to Apply for Financial Aid

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The Minnesota Office of Higher Education wants ALL college-going students to apply for financial aid! Billions of dollars are awarded every year, and we want you to know all your options to help pay for college.

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Don’t think you’ll qualify? Think again!

The majority of students will receive some type of aid, so it is always worth the time to complete this free application. There are a lot of myths about applying for financial aid, review the resources below to learn more.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA form is an online application used to award state, federal, and college-based financial aid. Whether you are attending a 2-year college, 4-year university, or a career or trade school, filling out the FAFSA is the most important step in accessing money for college. The FAFSA is used to determine how much a student and their family is expected to contribute for the student's education. The difference between the total cost of attendance and the family contribution is your financial need.

Apply for FAFSA

Completing the FAFSA (2025-2026 FAFSA is open now!)

The most important advice about completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is to READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. Follow directions carefully as you complete your application; any errors will cause delays in processing or even the loss of financial assistance. You can find a detailed explanation of what is required when completing the FAFSA on the Federal Student Aid site.

You can complete the FAFSA:

Financial Aid Offer

After your need is determined you will receive a "financial aid offer" from the colleges you have applied to for you to review. This offer consists of any Federal Pell Grants, Minnesota State Grants, North Star Promise and any other financial aid offered by colleges and universities you are eligible to receive. Your financial aid may also be supplemented with loan and work study funds.

Your eligibility to receive a Minnesota State Grant and North Star Promise is determined by completing a FAFSA.
Results are automatically sent to Minnesota colleges. Some colleges and universities have opted to utilize an Online Student Eligibility Questionnaire as a way to document students have Minnesota resident status for postsecondary education purposes. Students who list a school that uses the Online Student Eligibility Questionnaire on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will receive an email from aid@mnaid.minnesota.gov or mnaid@nelnet.net. These are legitimate email addresses associated with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the administration of state financial aid programs.
Some scholarships offered by colleges may require separate applications through the campus financial aid office.

MN Dream Act Information

Eligible undocumented students can access state financial aid by submitting the 2025-2026 MN Dream Act. This application is open now! Here are some important resources.

Read more about the MN Dream Act to see if you are eligible and to apply.
Check out our resource page for additional supports and scholarship information.

Federal FAFSA hotline: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
Minnesota Office of Higher Education hotline: 1-651-642-0567 or 1-800-657-3866, Press 2
Contact your high school college and career counselor
- Students attending a Minneapolis Public School or Saint Paul Public School can also utilize Achieve Twin Cities services.
Contact the financial aid or admissions office at the college(s) you applied to
- Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system campus (includes state community and technical colleges and state universities
- Private college in Minnesota
- University of Minnesota campus
Make a one-on-one virtual appointment with College Possible. This service is open to all students and families in Minnesota.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Don’t think you’ll qualify? Think again!

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