North Star Promise Scholarship Program

Beginning in fall 2024, the North Star Promise (NSP) Scholarship program will create a tuition and fee-free pathway to higher education for eligible Minnesota residents at eligible institutions as a “last-dollar” program by covering the balance of eligible tuition and fees after other scholarships, grants, stipends and tuition waivers have been applied.

By making college accessible and affordable, NSP is intended to have a positive impact on multiple fronts:

Help stabilize enrollment at Minnesota public institutions of higher education;
Serve as an economic driver for Minnesota by educating qualified workers who are much needed to fill vacancies in the state’s labor force;
Create a viable higher education path for Minnesota residents who may have previously thought education was not a possibility for them.

Important Updates and Changes – January 21, 2026

Due to a projected spending deficit in the North Star Promise program, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education is issuing a mandatory priority application deadline of June 1, 2026. Fund requests will be approved in the order received until funds are exhausted. Additionally, beginning with the 2026-2027 award year, two administrative changes to the program will be implemented:

For the purposes of the North Star Promise award calculation, the definition of eligible tuition will no longer include tuition differentials or tuition surcharges. Eligible tuition includes resident undergraduate tuition charged to students who began attendance in aid-eligible courses.
The definition of family AGI for dependent students will now include both the student and parent AGI combined. To be eligible for North Star Promise, a student must have a family AGI below $80,000:
- For dependent students the AGI of the student, their parent(s), and stepparent (if applicable) is used.
- As a reminder, for independent students the AGI of the student, and their spouse (if applicable) is used.

Important Updates and Changes – March 5, 2025

Due to a projected spending deficit in the North Star Promise program, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education has announced the following changes:

For Summer 2025, no NSP Plus funds (see description below) will be awarded.
Beginning 2025-2026 (Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026):
- Only tuition and mandatory fees will be included in the NSP award calculation. *Personal Property/Service Charges are NOT included.
- Fees that will NOT be included in the NSP award calculation are special course fees including but not limited to: Agriculture, Automotive, Veterinary Technology, Radiologic Technologist, Paramedic, Cosmetology, etc.
- NSP will not cover tuition charged for non-aid eligible courses, or tuition charged to student who never began attendance in a class or classes.
- No NSP Plus funds will be awarded.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible students must:

Be a Minnesota resident
Have a family Adjusted Gross Income* (AGI) as reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Minnesota Dream Act Application below $80,000.
Attend a Minnesota public higher education institution or Tribal College
Not be in default on a state or federal student loan
Be enrolled taking at least one credit
Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards
Have not already earned a baccalaureate degree (including those earned in a foreign country)
Be enrolled in a program or course of study that applies to a degree, diploma, or certificate

North Star Promise Award Information

*What does family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) mean?

The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) comes from the Federal 1040 Income Tax Return. The first year of the program is the 2024-2025 academic year and the corresponding FAFSA or Minnesota dream Act application asks about prior, prior year AGI. In other words, the AGI from 2022. This can be found on line 11 of the 1040. For the 2025-26 academic year, eligibility will be based on the 2023 AGI.

Dependent students will have the AGI of their parent(s), and stepparent if applicable, considered for the program’s family AGI threshold of below $80,000. 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 or Minnesota Dream Act. This is the parent whose income will be reviewed when determining eligibility for North Star Promise. If the parent who provides more financial support has remarried as of the date the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act is filed, the stepparent’s AGI will also be taken into account 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 $80,000 in order to be eligible for the North Star Promise Scholarship.

How much money can you receive?

There is not a limit on the maximum term, yearly, or lifetime dollar amount of an award you can receive. The amount you receive is based on the “last-dollar” calculation of your eligibility on a term-by-term basis. The amount will be calculated by taking your eligible tuition & fees charged minus all other sources of gift aid you receive.

For students earning 2-year degrees, you can receive the award for a total of 60 credits. For students earning 4-year degrees, you can receive the award for a total of 120 credits.

How is the award determined?

The college or university you are attending will calculate your award amount based on the eligibility requirements and award calculation. They will determine your eligible tuition and fee charges, subtract all other sources of gift aid (scholarships, grants, waivers and stipends) and award the remaining amount in a North Star Promise scholarship.

How are students notified about their scholarship?

Students are notified of their scholarship through the college or university’s standard awarding process.

What does “last-dollar” mean?

Before calculating your award, “last-dollar” programs consider any other sources of gift aid funding that you receive. “Gift aid” is financial aid that does not require repayment, such as scholarships, grants, stipends, third-party payments and tuition waivers. Loans and work study are not sources of gift aid. The goal of this strategy is to utilize available program funds to provide as many eligible students as possible a tuition and fee-free pathway to a college education.

Other costs, such as housing, food, books, supplies, and transportation are not considered for the North Star Promise.

Is the scholarship renewable? If so, for how long?

As a last-dollar scholarship, this award is calculated on a term-by-term basis. If new sources of gift aid are awarded to you, the North Star Promise scholarship will be recalculated.

You must continue to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards at your school.

There is no maximum length of time for which you can receive the award. However, for students earning 2-year degrees, you can receive the award for a total of 60 credits. For students earning 4-year degrees, you can receive the award for a total of 120 credits. The maximum credits for which any student is eligible is a total of 120 credits.

Are students attending private nonprofit colleges eligible?

Students attending private colleges are not currently eligible to receive a North Star Promise grant. That being said, private nonprofit colleges are great options for Minnesota students, and attending one can be more affordable than you think. In fact, 95 percent of first-year students at nonprofit colleges receive grants and scholarships. Many students who have a tuition-free option at a public institution will also have tuition-free options at one or more nonprofit colleges.

Explore how non profit colleges are within reach, including more about the financial aid at specific nonprofit colleges: https://www.mnprivatecolleges.org/student-aid

Can I be eligible for the scholarship, but not receive an award?

Yes. If you meet all of the eligibility requirements, but the total of your other sources of “gift aid” already covers the amount of your tuition and required fees, you will not be awarded a North Star Promise Scholarship. This is because the sum of your other aid has already provided you with enough funds to cover your tuition and required fees charges.

Are family size or household size considered in the North Star Promise eligibility requirements?

No, family or household size are not considered.

In order to qualify, do I have to be a new, first-time student for 2024-25 or 2025-26 school year?

No, the program is open to new and returning students who meet the eligibility criteria.

North Star Promise Plus (NSP+ Award)

North Star Promise Plus (NSP+) is a supplemental financial aid award given to students who are North Star Promise (NSP) eligible and who receive a Federal Pell Grant. The NSP+ Amount for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 is 15% of the student’s received Pell Grant for the semester.

Update: These funds are not available to students for the Summer 2025 term, and the 2025-2026 school year (Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026)

North Star Promise Scholarship Program

Why Ridgewater

Important Updates and Changes – January 21, 2026

Important Updates and Changes – March 5, 2025

Eligibility Requirements

North Star Promise Award Information