College of Arts & Sciences

Minnesota State Grants

Deadline

Your FAFSA must be received by the federal application processing center no later than 30 calendar days after the start of the term. Students who miss this deadline must wait until the next term to receive a Minnesota State Grant.

Estimated State Grants

The formula for Minnesota State Grants is determined by the Minnesota State Legislature. All Minnesota State Grant awards are subject to change if the Legislature or the Minnesota Office of Higher Education changes the state grant formula. If you have an "estimated Minnesota State Grant" on your Financial Aid Award, Bethel is projecting what your grant will be. Once the state grant formula is finalized, Bethel will recalculate the Minnesota State Grant eligibility and notify you accordingly.

Maximum State Grant Based on 15+ Credits/Semester

The Minnesota State Legislature gives the maximum Minnesota State Grant award to students who take 15 or more credits each semester.  At 4-1-4 schools (such as Bethel), credits taken during the January interim may be added to either fall or spring semester, or split between the two semesters when calculating a student's Minnesota State Grant. For example, a student who takes 13 credits for fall, three at interim, and 14 during spring will receive the maximum grant (13+2=15 credits for fall; 14+1=15 credits for spring). Credits from fall semester cannot be applied toward a spring semester Minnesota State Grant (or vice versa). Only the interim credits can "migrate" to either fall or spring semester.

Reductions in State Grant

The Financial Aid Award Letter records state grant eligibility for a given number of credits. Most awards are based on enrollment for 15 credits/semester (see your award letter). State grants are reduced by about $280/credit for full-time students taking fewer than 15 credits per semester. Students planning to enroll for a lower credit load should notify the financial aid office so we can adjust your award. If your Minnesota State Grant award presumes you will take interim and you do not take interim, your Minnesota State Grant award will be reduced retroactively.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Minnesota State Grant recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined in the College of Arts & Sciences catalog. In addition, Minnesota State Grant recipients must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA by the end of the first term of their junior year.

Four Years of Eligibility

Once students have attempted the equivalent of four years of full-time postsecondary education, they are not eligible for a Minnesota State Grant. Check with a financial aid counselor if you have questions about the effects of additional schooling on your Minnesota State Grant eligibility.