Minnesota benefits for college students

Food assistance: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Minnesota's name for SNAP, run by Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). If you are enrolled at least half-time, you need a student exemption to qualify, such as working 20 hours a week, work-study or caring for a young child. If you are enrolled less than half-time, the student rule does not apply and only the regular SNAP rules do. See every exemption →

DCYF's SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) handbook says taking part in SNAP E&T counts as a student exemption. A student enrolled in a career or technical program at the associate-degree level or below (not an Associate of Arts or other transfer degree) can be referred to a local SNAP E&T provider using the Student Enrollment Statement (DHS-7868); if the provider will accept them, SNAP treats the student as meeting the student rules. Some colleges are themselves SNAP E&T providers.

Apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Health coverage: Medical Assistance (MA)

Minnesota has expanded Medicaid, so adults with low incomes, students included, can qualify based on income. All your health coverage options →

Apply for Medical Assistance (MA)

Child care help: Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

Going to college or training counts as an approved activity in this state. Going to school is an eligible activity. Under the Basic Sliding Fee program the county or Tribe must approve the student's education plan; post-secondary programs (associate, bachelor's, certificate, technical) can be approved if they reasonably lead to full-time employment and the student keeps satisfactory progress. Post-baccalaureate study (master's or more degrees after a bachelor's) is not approved. If a student also wants care for work hours, they must work an average of at least 20 hours a week (10 if a full-time student) at minimum wage; a student who is not working has no work requirement. Where there is a waiting list, post-secondary students are Priority 5 unless they qualify for a higher priority.

Apply for Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) · Help on campus (CCAMPIS) →

Phone and internet: Lifeline

Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP): A $10 monthly bill credit for landline telephones. You may get both TAP and the federal Lifeline discount (up to $9.25 a month). Same eligibility: income at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines, or Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, federal public housing, or veterans/survivors pension. Service must be in your name. Who qualifies →

Apply for Lifeline (Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP))

Taxes

A refundable credit for full- or part-year Minnesota residents with earned income, worth 4% of the first $9,480 earned (more with qualifying older children); filers without qualifying children must be 19-64 and cannot be claimed as someone else's dependent. Minnesota has no state-run filing portal; the Department of Revenue lists IRS Free File partners that file both federal and Minnesota returns free for eligible filers (for 2025 returns, AGI limits range from $32,000 to $89,000 depending on the product). Free VITA and AARP Tax-Aide preparation sites are also available.

Minnesota Working Family Credit (claimed with the Child Tax Credit on Schedule M1CWFC) · Free state filing · Federal education tax credits → · Free federal filing →

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