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Grants are a form of gift aid, meaning you don’t need to repay them. Most grants are based on your level of financial need determined by the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Grants may be considered taxable income at both the state and federal level.

Bethel-controlled grants and scholarships require a minimum of half time enrollment in courses required for graduation. Recipients must also be in good standing and working toward their first bachelor degree. Grants will be pro-rated for less than full time attendance. Below are the Grant Opportunities for students beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year. If you started at Bethel prior to the 2024-2025 year, please visit our Aid Opportunities for Prior Years page.

Bethel Campus Housing Grant

Need-based grant for new students living in Bethel campus housing.

Amount

Up to $2,000 per year ($1,000 per semester).

  • The grant is pro-rated for less than full-time attendance.
  • Bethel will adjust insitututional gift aid to avoid over-awards as summarized in Bethel's Financial Aid Terms and Conditions.

Renewal

Need-based institutional grants are not automatically renewable. Eligibility is determined annually, and the amount may vary, based on results of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and institutional policies.

Eligibility

Recipients must be needy and live on-campus. The grant may be used for qualified educational expenses as defined by IRS publication 970 (e.g. tuition and fees).  Financial aid offers will be adjusted shortly after the beginning of the semester to add or remove the Campus Housing Grant based on student's housing decisions.
  • Need-based.
  • Must live on-campus.
  • Admitted as a degree-seeking College of Arts & Sciences student for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Eligibility Exclusions: Resident Assistants, BUILD Housing Mentors and Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) students are not eligible for this grant.

 

How to apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Bethel Grant

Based on financial need.

Amount

40% of College of Arts and Sciences students received a Bethel Grant in 2023-2024. The grants ranged from $100 to $22,000. Half of our recipients received between $2,700 and $7,100 with an average Bethel Grant of $5,300.

  • The grant is pro-rated for less than full-time attendance.
  • Bethel will adjust institutional gift aid to avoid over-awards as summarized in Bethel's Financial Aid Terms and Conditions.

Renewal

Need-based institutional grants are not automatically renewable. Eligibility is determined annually, and the amount may vary based on results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and institutional policies.

Eligibility

Must be degree seeking and grants are need-based.

Academic requirements

Must be enrolled at least half time in courses required for graduation, be in good standing and be working toward first bachelor’s degree. Grants will be pro-rated for less than full time attendance.

How to apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Federal Pell Grant

Various amounts for students with high need.

Amount

21% of College of Arts and Science students received the Federal Pell Grant in 2023-2024. The Pell Grant ranged from $600 to $7,395. Half of our Pell Grant recipients received between $2,900 and $6,800 with an average Pell Grant of $5,370.

Renewal

Eligibility is determined annually, and the amount may vary based on results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)and federal policies.

Eligibility

Awarded to students with the highest financial need.

Academic requirements

Must be a student in good standing and working toward first bachelor's or associate's degree.

Must be enrolled in more than zero credits in courses required for graduation. Grants will be pro-rated for less than full time attendance.

How to apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Various amounts for students who qualify for a Pell Grant.

Amount

5% of College of Arts and Science students received the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant in 2023-2024. The FSEOG range was from $1,800 to $4,000. Half of our recipients received $4000 with an average of FSEOG of $3,900.

Renewal

Need-based institutional grants are not automatically renewable. Eligibility is determined annually, and the amount may vary, based on results of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Eligibility

Must qualify for a Pell Grant.

Academic requirements

Must be a degree-seeking student and enrolled at least half time in courses required for graduation, be in good standing and be working toward first bachelor’s degree. Grants will be pro-rated for less than full time attendance.

How to apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant

A grant that seeks to eliminate the cost of education barrier for Minnesota students who were in the foster care system.

Amount

The Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant is intended as a "last dollar" financial aid program.

Renewal

If you receive a Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant, each year you will need to reapply via the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act to be considered for the grant. After attempting 4 years of full-time postsecondary education, students are no longer eligible.

Eligibility

  • Must be a Minnesota resident, including students who apply for state financial aid via the MN Dream Act Application
  • Must be younger than 27 years of age
  • Must attend a Minnesota public or participating private higher education institution
  • Must be eligible for the Education Vouchers for Former Youth in Foster Care OR after your 13th birthday have been in in foster care in Minnesota, including any of the following:
    • Placement in foster care at any time while 13 years of age or older;
    • Adoption from foster care at any time after reaching 13 years of age; or
    • Placement from foster care with a permanent legal custodian at any time after reaching 13 years of age
  • Must have graduated from high school or completed the equivalent as approved by the Department of Education
  • Must be accepted for admission to, or are currently attending, an eligible institution
  • Submit a FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act application
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress

How to apply

To apply for the grant, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form OR Minnesota Dream Act application. Completing the applicable form will serve as the application for receiving a Fostering Independence Higher Education Grant, as well as other grants and financial aid resources.

More information

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education has full details on this grant opportunity.

For questions, please contact:

Please contact the Office of Higher Education at info.ohe@state.mn.us or (651) 642-0567 and select option 2.

 


International Student Grant

For citizens of countries other than the U.S.

Amount

$10,000 per year for international students enrolling for the first time in 2024-2025.

Renewal

Renewable each year.

Eligibility

Citizens of countries other than the U.S. who have support to cover most, but not all, of their Bethel expenses. Recipients of the international student grant are not eligible for other institutionally-funded or controlled scholarships.

Academic requirements

Must be enrolled at least half time in courses required for graduation, be in good standing and be working toward first bachelor’s degree. Grants will be pro-rated for less than full time attendance.

How to apply

Considered with the information provided on the Certificate of Finances form during the admissions process for international students.

Minnesota State Grant

Various amounts for Minnesota residents who demonstrate need.

Amount

In recent years, approximately 30-35% of our College of Arts and Sciences students received the Minnesota State Grant, In 2023-2024, half of the recipients received between $5,600 and $6,100. The smallest grant was $100 and the largest was $13,900. The average was $6,600.

Renewal

Each year a student’s eligibility for a Minnesota State Grant is calculated based on the results of the FAFSA. After attempting 4 years of full-time postsecondary education, students are no longer eligible.

Eligibility

Minnesota residents with demonstrated need. For complete eligibility requirements, see the Office of Higher Education.

Academic requirements

Student must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress. 

The amount of Minnesota State Grant varies depending on how many credits you take each semester. The maximum award is offered to those taking at least 15 credits per semester.

Students must enroll for a minimum of 1.0 credit in courses required for graduation, working toward first bachelor's degree and be in good standing.

For CAS students: When you are initially awarded financial aid it will be based on you taking 15 credits per semester. Three weeks after the start of the semester, the Minnesota State Grant will be revised based on your current semester enrollment. If you are not enrolled in at least 15 credits, your grant will be reduced based on your actual enrollment.

Beginning with 2023-2024 there will be no separate interim term. Credits cannot be "migrated" to either semester for Minnesota State Grant purposes. Credits taken in fall will count in fall and credits taken in spring will count in spring.

How to apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA before the deadline. The deadline for the 2024-2025 academic year is June 30, 2025.


Minnesota Student Teacher Grants

Financial Assistance to eligible students enrolled in Minnesota teacher preparation programs.

Amount

Limited funding is available. Undergraduate and graduate students may receive awards up to $7,500 for one term in which students are student teaching.

Eligibility

In general, applicants must:

  • Be enrolled in an eligible Minnesota college or university in an eligible teacher preparation program that requires at least 12 weeks of student teaching;
  • Must be student teaching for the term in which student is applying for the grant.
  • Be meeting satisfactory academic progress;
  • Demonstrate financial need; and
  • Meet one or more of the following requirements:
    • Intend to teach in a designated rural school district in Minnesota.
    • Intend to teach in an identified license shortage area.
    • Belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the Minnesota teacher workforce.

 

 

How to apply

1. Complete and submit the application on the Office of Higher Education website.

2. Complete the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Minnesota Dream Act and demonstrate financial need.

3. Notify the Financial Aid Office via email that you have submitted the application.

 

Priority deadlines for both student and college sections of the application:

Fall 2023: July 7, 2023

Spring 2024: November 3, 2023

Summer 2024: March 1, 2024

More information

More information is available at the Office of Higher Education.

New Bethel Opportunity Grant

Need-based grant for Minnesota residents with family Adjusted Gross Income below $90,000.

Amount

The sum of the recipient's Federal Pell Grant, Minnesota State Grant (based on 15 credits per semester), and Bethel-controlled grants or scholarships should be within approximately $2,500 of the full-time, full-year tuition charged to the student living in Bethel on-campus housing. For those living off-campus, the sum is within $4,500 of the full-time, full-year tuition charged to the student.

  • The grant is pro-rated for less than full-time attendance.
  • Bethel will adjust institutional gift aid to avoid over-awards as summarized in Bethel's Financial Aid Terms and Conditions.

If you're looking for information about the Bethel Opportunity Grant last offered to incoming students in the 2023-2024 academic year, visit: List of aid Opportunities available to Incoming Students in 2023-2024.

Renewal

The New Bethel Opportunity Grant is not automatically renewable; eligibility is determined annually, and the amount may vary based on the results of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), family adjusted gross income, and institutional policies.

Eligibility

  • Must be a Minnesota resident, and
  • Have a family Adjusted Gross Income*(AGI) as reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) below $90,000, and
  • Not be in default on a state or federal student loan, and
  • Be enrolled taking at least six credits that apply towards graduation requirements, and
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, and
  • Have not already earned a baccalaureate degree, and
  • Demonstrate eligibility for the Minnesota State Grant, and
  • Have an unweighted high school GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4-point scale), and
  • Enroll as degree-seeking undergraduate student in the College of Arts & Sciences for the first time during or after the 2024-2025 academic year.

 

Eligibility Exclusions:

  • Minnesota Dream Act applicants, Bethel Employee Tuition Benefit recipients and Tuition Waiver Exchange Program recipients are not eligible for New Bethel Opportunity Grants.
  • New Bethel Opportunity Grant recipients are not eligible for Faith in Action (RAF161), Act Six (UABSIX), Fight for Something (RAF167, RAF168) or Bethel ROTC (UAROTX) scholarships.

Impact on other Bethel-controlled grants and scholarships:

For the 2024-2025 academic year New Bethel Opportunity Grant recipients may also receive the Music & Media Performing Afts Scholarship, Church Partnership Scholarship, Holman Chemistry Scholarship, Actuarial Science & Finance Scholarship, Finance Scholarship, Edgar G Johnson Memorial Physics Scholarship, Myers Engineering Scholarship, and the NASA Physics Scholarship.

How to apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

*The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) comes from the Federal 1040 Income Tax Return, as reported on the student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The first year of the program is the 2024-2025 academic year and the corresponding FAFSA AGI is from 2022.

Dependent students will have the AGI of their parent(s), and stepparent if applicable, considered for the program's family AGI threshold of below $90,000. The AGI of dependent students will not be considered. When parents are divorced, separated or never married and do not live together, the parent who provides more financial support to the student should be the parent of record for the FAFSA. This is the parent whose income will be reviewed when determining eligibility for the New Bethel Opportunity Grant. If the parent who provides more financial support has remarried as of the date the FAFSA is filed, the stepparent's AGI will also be considered when determining eligibility.

Independent students will have the AGI of the student considered for program eligibility. If the student is married, the student and spouse's combined AGI must be below $90,000 in order to be eligible for the New Bethel Opportunity Grant.


Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)

Up to $4,000 per year for students enrolled in teaching programs and commit to serving low-income students in a high-need field.

Amount

Eligible full-time students may receive up to $2,000 per term. This amount will be adjusted for less than full-time enrollment. The maximum total for undergraduate students is $16,000 and $8,000 for graduate students. (Due to federal sequestration, TEACH awards first disbursed after March 1, 2013, are subject to change.)

Renewal

Students must apply each year.

Eligibility

Students must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens completing the coursework required to become a teacher. Recipients of a TEACH Grant must serve as a full-time, highly qualified teacher in a high-need field, in a school serving low-income students for a minimum of 4 years within 8 years of graduation.

This grant reverts to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan (with interest accrued from the date of each grant disbursement) if students don’t complete teaching requirements.

Please note that students who have a felony conviction may not be successful in obtaining a teaching position and therefore would not be able to fulfill the required teaching service.

Academic requirements

Eligible students must be enrolled in one of the following approved education programs:

Undergraduate majors:

  • All education majors
  • Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Spanish
  • Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) K-12

Undergrad students must score above the 75th percentile on an admissions entrance test (e.g., ACT, SAT) or have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 GPA (high school GPA for first-year undergrads, college GPA for continuing and transfer students).

Graduate programs:

  • M.A. in Special Education
  • M.A. in Teaching

Graduate students must be pursuing a master’s degree to be eligible (licensure-only students are not eligible). Graduate students who are not current teachers must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 from their most recent schooling; however, students who are current teachers or who are retiring and have expertise in a subject in which there is a shortage of teachers have no GPA requirement.

How to apply

Apply for aid through Bethel by completing your FAFSA. Then complete the TEACH Grant Counseling and the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve or Repay (Agreement) online.

More information

If you don’t complete the required teaching service or other requirements, your grant will convert to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. The loan must be repaid in full, with interest (accrued from the date of each grant disbursement), to the Department of Education. Once a TEACH Grant is converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant. From disbursement on, TEACH Grants are all serviced by the same servicer, FedLoan Servicing. For TEACH customer service and service obligation questions, please vist MyFedLoan.org/TEACH.

After graduating or withdrawing from school, students must complete online TEACH Exit Counseling on the federal student aid website.