Minnesota GI Bill
Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
Up to $5,000 a year (lifetime max $15,000) for Minnesota veterans, service members and eligible survivors/dependents at Minnesota colleges.
- How much
- Up to $5,000 per academic year; $15,000 lifetime maximum
- Who qualifies
- Veteran, current service member/National Guard/Reserve (5+ years incl. post-9/11 service), or surviving spouse/child of a service member who died or is 100% disabled from service
- Minnesota resident (Minn. Stat. 136A.101); under age 62; enrolled at a Minnesota institution.
- For students starting college, undergrads, grad students, trade school students, adults going back to school
- When to apply
- Apply any time Reapply every academic year; the application for fall opens each spring. No closing date published.
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA, then apply online through MDVA each year (applications for fall open in the spring)
- MDVA regional education coordinators can help
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (mn.gov) and page 2
The details
State program, separate from the federal GI Bill, for Minnesota veterans who served honorably in any branch, National Guard/Reserve members with 5+ years of honorable service including some on or after September 11, 2001, and surviving spouses/children of service members who died or have a 100% VA permanent and total disability from service (must be eligible for federal Chapter 33 Fry Scholarship or Chapter 35 benefits). Higher education benefit: up to $5,000 per academic year at Minnesota institutions in Title IV-eligible certificate, diploma, undergraduate or graduate programs; lifetime maximum $15,000 across higher education, on-the-job training/apprenticeship and licensing/certification. Can also reimburse admission tests (SAT, GRE, LSAT) and credit-by-exam tests.
More money from Minnesota
- Minnesota Student Teacher Grants (Shortage Areas and Underrepresented Student Teachers)Up to $7,500 (one-time, for the student teaching term)
- Minnesota State GrantVaries by need and cost; formula uses up to $18,071 (4-year) or $7,340 (2-year) tuition and fees plus a $12,690 living allowance (2026-27), minus family share and Pell
- North Star PromiseUp to 100% of remaining tuition and mandatory fees (last-dollar, no fixed cap)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.