Public Safety Officer's Survivor Grant
Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE)
Tuition and fees (up to the State Grant caps) for children and spouses of Minnesota public safety officers killed in the line of duty.
- How much
- Up to average tuition and fees, capped at $18,071 (4-year/graduate) or $7,340 (2-year) per year (2026-27)
- Who qualifies
- Dependent child or surviving spouse of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty (on or after Jan 1, 1973)
- Public Safety Officer's Benefit Fund Certificate from the MN Department of Public Safety; enrolled at an eligible Minnesota institution participating in the State Grant program; dependent children under 23 (under 30 with qualifying military service); max 10 full-time semesters.
- For students starting college, undergrads, grad students
- When to apply
- Open now Annual application (2026-27 version released late July 2026); priority deadline set by OHE; final deadline is the last day of classes of the academic year. Funds are limited and run out.
- How to apply
- Get a Public Safety Officer's Benefit Fund Certificate from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, then give it and the student section of the annual application to your college's financial aid office, which submits it to OHE
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (ohe.mn.gov), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Education benefit for dependent children under 23 (under 30 if they served 181+ consecutive days of active military duty and were honorably discharged) and surviving spouses of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 1973. Pays up to the institution's average full-time tuition and mandatory fees, capped at the State Grant tuition and fee maximum ($18,071 four-year / $7,340 two-year in 2026-27), prorated by enrollment (full award at 15 undergraduate or 6 graduate credits). Usable for undergraduate, graduate or certificate programs at Minnesota institutions that participate in the State Grant program, for up to 10 full-time semesters. Only $100,000 a year is available; when it runs out, new applicants are wait-listed (2025-26 funds ran out). A 2026 law expanded the definition of 'killed in the line of duty' without adding money.
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.