Student Teacher Grants FAQs
You must apply for the Student Teacher Grants during the academic year in which you are completing the 12-week or more student experience.
Applications will still be accepted after the deadline, but eligible students may be placed on a waitlist depending on the availability of funds.
You can enter “TBD” if you do not know the student teaching placement during the time you are filling out the application. If selected to receive an award, the Financial Aid Office at your institution will be required to confirm your student teaching placement before the award can be received.
Student teaching placement can be in another state or in a private or non-profit childcare/early childhood center if it is approved by your institution.
The college or university must be in Minnesota and have a MN PELSB-approved teacher preparation program. The list of eligible MN institutions and teacher preparation programs is provided on the Student Teacher Grants website.
No, it does not. To be considered for the Student Teachers in Shortage Areas, students must intend to teach in designated rural school district in Minnesota or teach in an identified license shortage area after acquiring a teaching license.
Only students who are completing a 12-week or more student teaching experience can apply. Clinical/practicum hours do not meet the eligibility requirement.
The Student Teacher Grants is a one-time grant for only one term so you can only receive the grant for one of your student teaching experiences.
If you belong to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, you do not need to meet the other two program requirements (which are intended to teach in rural school district or in a license shortage area) but you must be enrolled in an approved MN Teacher Preparation program and meet the other listed eligibility requirements.
Yes, and you must complete the MN Dream Act application which is the state financial aid application for students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA.
After you apply, please upload the requested tax documents through your MNAid Student Portal and send an email to diamee.xiong.yang@state.mn.us and the Financial Aid Office at your institution to clarify that you completed the MN Dream Act for the Student Teacher Grants application.
No, Dream Act applicants who are Graduate students applying for STG will only need to submit the requested tax documents for income verification.
After you apply, please upload the requested tax documents through your MNAid Student Portal and send an email to diamee.xiong.yang@state.mn.us and the Financial Aid Office at your institution to clarify that you completed the MN Dream Act for the Student Teacher Grants application.
Please note: To be considered for in-state resident tuition rates at a public college and university, you must submit all the required documents to verify MN residency.
Financial need is based on a combination of factors including the Student Aid Index (SAI), Cost of Attendance (set by the institution), and other awarded financial aid. This information will be provided by the Financial Aid Office at your institution.
You must complete the FAFSA or MN Dream Act application to determine if you demonstrate any financial need. See Awarding Questions for more details.
Please contact the Financial Aid Office at your institution or the STG Program Administrator at diamee.xiong.yang@state.mn.us for assistance.
Go to the MN Aid Programs section on your MNAid Student Portal and select the “Student Teacher Grants” to view current status.
Students must meet one or more of the following program requirements to be considered for one of the two Student Teacher Programs:
- Intend to teach in a designated rural school district in Minnesota after acquiring a teaching license
- Intend to teach in an identified licensure shortage area
- Belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the Minnesota teacher workforce
Awarded students will receive an award notification from the Office of Higher Education. Please note that awarding will not take place until after the priority deadline for each student teaching term.
The award amount is based on the student’s unmet financial need which is determined by subtracting the Student Aid Index (SAI) and all other gift aid from the total Cost of Attendance for the student teaching term.
Student Aid Index (SAI) is generated through the completion of the FAFSA or MN Dream Act application which is used to determine federal and state aid eligibility, and other need-based aid.
Gift aid is financial aid that does not require repayment, such as scholarships, grants, stipends, third-party payments and tuition waivers.
Cost of Attendance is the estimated total cost of attending a postsecondary institution during one academic year and includes, but not limited to, tuition and fees, books, supplies, housing and food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.
Your institution will certify your eligibility within the first few weeks after the add/drop deadline, or the date of the award notification, whichever is later. Once the funds are received by the institution, it will be disbursed into your school student account.
The grant will be disbursed into your school student account and apply towards your balance. Please reach out to the Financial Aid Office at your institution for more information on remaining financial aid.
The grant cannot be transferred to another academic year. You must reapply once the application for the next academic year is available.
You can transfer your Student Teacher Grants award from the Fall to the Spring term if it’s within the same academic year and you still meet the eligibility requirements.