North Star Promise
Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE)
Minnesota's free-tuition program: covers remaining tuition and mandatory fees at Minnesota public colleges and Tribal Colleges for residents with family AGI under $80,000.
- How much
- Up to 100% of remaining tuition and mandatory fees (last-dollar, no fixed cap)
- Who qualifies
- Minnesota resident student (as defined in Minn. Stat. 136A.101 subd. 8), including undocumented students who qualify under the Minnesota Dream Act; family adjusted gross income below $80,000; no bachelor's degree yet; HS graduate/GED or 17+ and regularly admitted to a degree/diploma/certificate program at a Minnesota public college or Tribal College; at least 1 credit; satisfactory academic progress; not in loan default.
- For students starting college, undergrads, adults going back to school, transfer students
- U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, or undocumented student eligible under the Minnesota Dream Act
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Opens later FAFSA/MN Dream Act driven; for 2026-27 OHE set a mandatory application deadline of June 1, 2026 (previously: before the 30th day of the term). The 2027-28 deadline had not been announced when checked.
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act application (no separate application)
- For 2026-27 it had to be filed by June 1, 2026
- Your college determines eligibility and includes the award in your financial aid offer
- Re-file every year
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (ohe.mn.gov), page 2, page 3, page 4 and page 5
The details
Last-dollar scholarship: pays the tuition and mandatory fees left after all other grants, scholarships and waivers, at all Minnesota State colleges and universities, all University of Minnesota campuses and Minnesota Tribal Colleges (not private colleges). No dollar cap; covers resident undergraduate tuition and fees charged to all students (from 2026-27 it no longer covers tuition differentials or surcharges, and non-resident or graduate rates are not covered). Does not cover housing, food, books or transportation. Up to 4 full-time semesters (or equivalent) for a 2-year degree and 8 for a 4-year degree. Open to new and returning students of any age, including adults returning to finish; certificate programs count if at least 8 semester credits/300 clock hours and 8 weeks. Family AGI must be below $80,000 (from 2026-27, a dependent student's own AGI is added to the parents'). North Star Promise Plus (a Pell-based extra award) is set to 0% for 2026-27. For 2026-27 OHE imposed a mandatory FAFSA/Dream Act deadline of June 1, 2026 because of a funding shortfall; requests are funded in order received until funds run out.
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
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.