Scholarships

Scholarships are considered “gift aid”—a type of financial aid that does not have to be repaid. Funds are awarded to individual students and are often based on specific criteria, such as your major, GPA, financial need, etc. Admitted freshmen are considered for University-wide scholarships based on an overall assessment of their admission application.

Common scholarship sources

Many students receive scholarships from outside sources, such as hometown organizations, civic organizations, churches, and other local donors, or from businesses and corporations.

When you complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), any scholarships that you receive will be considered when calculating your financial aid award.

Graduate students will be given the opportunity to report scholarships online when responding to your Financial Aid Award Notice (FAAN) through MyU.

Additional scholarship sources

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How scholarships affect financial aid

University scholarship awards disburse in accordance with the University's financial aid award policy. Consistent with University policy, the total annual aid amount awarded to a student, including all scholarships and grants, cannot exceed cost of attendance at the University of Minnesota.

Financial aid (e.g., loans, work study, scholarships, or grants) may be reduced for students whose total aid exceeds the cost of their program for the academic year, as determined by the Office of Student Finance.

When you receive a scholarship from an organization outside of the University of Minnesota, your existing financial aid awards will be reviewed and adjustments may be made based on the receipt of your scholarship(s). You may see a reduction in other types of aid, such as loans, work-study, and/or institutional aid.

The University of Minnesota will allow you to receive the maximum benefits of any scholarships within the US Department of Education guidelines.

Many scholarships require full-time enrollment. Information on eligibility for financial aid is available.

Information on submitting outside scholarship checks

Please include the following information with each scholarship check:

  • Student's full legal name
  • Student's University ID number. If the student's University ID number is not available, please include home address or the last 4 digits of their Social Security number.
  • Scholarship donor's name, address, and phone number.
  • Letter from donor with any scholarship stipulations. If the full scholarship is intended for a particular term, please include it on the donor's letter or the memo section of the check (e.g. "Fall only," "Check 1/2"...).
  • If the check is made out to both the student and the University, the student must visit One Stop Student Services in person to endorse the check. 

Please send scholarship checks to:

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Office of Student Finance, Fiscal Unit
160 Williamson Hall
231 Pillsbury Dr. SE 
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Regents tuition benefit program

The Regents Tuition Benefit Program covers a portion of tuition costs for eligible University of Minnesota employees enrolled in University of Minnesota credit-bearing courses. More information on the Regents Tuition Benefit Program is available. 

UMR incoming student scholarships

UMR offers scholarships to incoming students. Visit UMR's scholarship webpage https://r.umn.edu/umr-admissions/scholarships for additional information.

UMR continuing student scholarships

The Continuing Student Scholarship Application is now open!

Limited institutional financial aid funds are available for the 2025-26 academic year to assist returning students.

These funds:

  • Will be awarded for the 2025-26 academic year.

  • Are one-time awards.

  • Will be awarded to eligible sophomore, junior, or senior status students, in good academic standing, and enrolled full-time (taking 12 credits or more).

  • Exceptions to the full-time requirement may be considered for seniors in their last semester and need fewer than 12 credits to graduate.

Students must complete the Continuing Student Scholarship application.

The priority consideration deadline is March 17. Applications will be accepted until April 4, pending availability of funds.

Cooperative and campus-wide scholarship resources

Cooperative scholarships 

Cooperative scholarships are often given to University of Minnesota students, but they are administered and awarded by outside agencies or organizations.

Additional campus-wide resources

Multiple scholarships may be listed under each resource link. Pay special attention to campus requirements for eligibility purposes. Some scholarships listed are not available to University of Minnesota, Rochester students and will be noted as such, but many are.

Additional scholarship search resources

Several websites provide information on scholarships that are available nationwide. A few of them are listed below:

Professional exam fee assistance

For information about outside assistance programs available for some professional admissions exams, please visit the following links:

Tips for writing a scholarship Thank You note

A letter of thanks to your donor(s) is one of the best ways to convey your gratitude and let them know the impact their generosity is having on you.

Guidelines to help you craft your letter:

  • Brevity is key, but tell the donor(s) about yourself and the impact their generosity has on your education and future goals.
  • Be genuine and sincere in your tone, and try to show your personality.
  • Acknowledge your enthusiasm and excitement about receiving the scholarship.
  • Grammar and spelling should be correct, so be sure to proofread.
  • If you choose to handwrite your message, please make sure it is neat and legible.
  • Above all, convey your message of thanks clearly and concisely.
Consider sharing your background:
  • Hometown
  • Family background
  • Experiences and life situations that led you to pursue a degree at the UMR
Include information about your current situation:
  • Degree(s) and study plans
  • Involvement and/or activities both on- and off-campus
  • Research and/or internships in which you have taken part, or plan to
Describe how the scholarship support will help you meet, or exceed, your educational goals.
Finally, consider including your future plans:
  • What you hope to accomplish while a UMR student
  • Plans for after graduation, i.e. graduate school or career aspirations

If you have questions about your scholarship, please contact the college/department that awarded the scholarship. You may also contact us.