Cultural Contribution Scholarship

Minnesota State University, Mankato values the cultural contribution of international students to our campus and local communities over additional tuition dollars.  For this reason, all new undergraduate applicants are automatically awarded the Cultural Contribution scholarship, which allows them to pay resident tuition – a savings of $7000+ per academic year in tuition and fees.  Please see below for required criteria to maintain the scholarship beyond the first semester.

The Kearney International Center will be responsible to administer, award, cancel, deny, and enforce the policy of the Minnesota State University, Mankato Cultural Contribution Scholarship Program. The scholarship is awarded and continued based on the following criteria:

 

Award requirement (to receive the award):

• Admitted as an F-1 or J-1 undergraduate student
• Admitted graduate student with undergraduate deficiencies

 

Continuation requirement (once awarded, to maintain the scholarship):

• Immigration Status (Valid F-1 or J-1)
• Grade Point Average (GPA) (term GPA 2.5 or cumulative 3.0)
• Academic Course Load (12 credits for undergraduate students/6 credits, graduate students)
• Contribution hours (25 hours due at the end of Fall and Spring semester)
• Number of Enrolled semesters at MSU, Mankato (not exceeding 9 for undergraduates or 5 for graduates)

 

 Evaluation and Continuation

Fall Evaluation: at the end of December

• Contribution hours (25 hrs submitted by the last day of the semester in the International Center)
• Number of enrolled semesters (max of 9 semesters, undergraduate or 5 for graduates)
  

Spring Evaluation: at the end of May

• GPA 2.5 term or 3.0 cumulative
• Credit course load (minimum 12 credits earned for undergraduates or 6 credits earned for graduates)
• Contribution hours (25 hrs submitted by the last day of the semester in the International Center)
• Number of enrolled semesters (max of 9 semesters for undergraduates or 5 for graduates)

Students starting in spring will be evaluated at the end of the semester for all requirements. 

 

Cancellation

Failure to fulfill any continuation requirement will result in the cancellation of the scholarship. If the student's Scholarship is cancelled the student must re-apply and meet the eligibility requirements of 12 earned credits and a 2.5 GPA to have it re-instated.

If a recipient's Cultural Contribution Scholarship is cancelled and the recipient wishes to appeal the decision, the recipient must submit a completed appeal form to the Kearney International Center by the end of the first week of the semester. (See more in appeal section)

 

Important Scholarship Terms and Forms

Application and Award/Denial: Application is to APPLY for the scholarship (newly admitted student who never attended MSU, Mankato do NOT need to apply)

1. The application must be submitted by the last date of the current semester.
2. You DO NOT need to complete 25 contribution hours if you are not currently on the scholarship.
3. All grades must be posted before a decision to award the scholarship is made.
4. We will try to make the best effort to notify you within the first month of the new semester.

Scholarship will be awarded at the beginning of each semester to students who met the eligibility requirement in the previous semester.

Students whose applications were denied may Appeal the decision by following the Appeal guideline.

• Application Form: [PDF] Cultural Contribution (69 KiB)[PDF] Scholarship Application (69 KiB)

 

Appeal: Appeal is to request that the scholarship should not be cancelled or denied for any reason. This must accompany supporting documents.

We understand that things happen in student’s personal and academic life that may jeopardize the scholarship. For that, students who are cancelled may appeal to keep the scholarship in spite of failing to meet one or more requirements.

The Appeal Committee will review appeal forms twice a year. It is the responsibility of the student to provide supporting documents. Each cancelation email will include the appeal deadline for that specific semester

No appeals will be considered if received after the Appeal deadline.

 

Appeal Deadline:

If Scholarship was cancelled at the end of Fall (December), the Appeal deadline will be at the end of the first week of class of the Spring Semester.

If Scholarship was cancelled at the end of Spring (May), the Appeal deadline will be at the end of the first week of class of the Fall Semester.

Appeal Form: [PDF] Cultural Contribution  Appeal Form (100 KiB)

 

Notification Process:

Students will be notified by email on cancellation, application and appeal deadlines, appeal decisions and awards.

However, International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) cannot be held responsible for notifications. It is student’s responsibility to determine their eligibility to apply, maintain, reapply and appeal for the scholarship and be aware of the respective deadlines.

 

Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirements and Immigration Status

1. Cultural Contribution Scholarship EligiMust be admitted at MSU, Mankato as an International Student who is on F-1 or J-1 visa or planning to obtain one of those two immigration status upon enrollment.
2. Students on work visas such as H-1B or other non immigrant status’ WILL NOT qualify for instate through the international center. They may wish to apply at the registers office to find out if they are eligible. Students, who may qualify for the resident student rate as a Minnesota resident, should contact the registers office at 507-389-6266, 132 Wrigley Administration Center.
3. Student attending MSU on athletic and talent grants/scholarship may have the option to obtain the residency tuition rate through those programs. If they choose to have in-state rate through the IC (Cultural Contribution Scholarship) they must follow the same regulations as other students.  Contribution hours done through those departments will be limited to 15.
4. Pending permanent residents from F-1 or J-1 statuses may be still eligible for the Cultural Contribution scholarship, however, the next semester after their SEVIS record has been change to permanent resident, they will not be eligible for instate through the International Center.
5. Micronesia and U.S. Virgin Island
    

Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirements and Academic Grade Point Average (GPA)

A grade-point-average of 2.5 or above for courses completed the previous semester at Minnesota State University, Mankato or a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

For pending grades or failure to attain the GPA requirement, please see the APPEAL section.

If your spring semester GPA is not 2.5 or higher, then we will consider the cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to continue with the scholarship.

 

Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirements and Academic Course Load

1. Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirements and Academic Course LoaSuccessful completion of twelve (12) undergraduate credits and 6 credits for graduate students. If your grade is "F", "Withdrawal", "Incomplete", "In Progress", or "Pass/No Credit" do not apply towards the twelve (12) credit requirement, unless courses are offered only on a "P/N" grading method.
2. Students with immigration approval to take less than 12 credits will have their GPA evaluated on those reduced course loads.
3. If a student is participating in an internship outside Mankato authorized by Kearney International Center and USCIS, the following additional conditions must be met to continue the Cultural Contribution Scholarship.

• Successful completion of enough credits a MSU, M for at least half-time student status (six credits for undergraduate) which is full-time CPT (Curricular Practical Training).
• Written notification of internship participation submitted to the Kearney International Center before the last day of each semester.
• Off campus contribution hours must be pre-approved prior to volunteering

For Incomplete courses, please see the APPEAL section.

 

Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirements and Contribution Hours

1. Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirement and Contribution HourEvidence of a minimum of 25 contribution hours each Fall and Spring semester at Minnesota State University, Mankato and/or the surrounding community as a cultural resource and/or a volunteer for service organizations must be submitted to the ISSS by the last day of each semester. The approval of the contribution hours will be determined by the Kearney International Center and any on-campus hours must be co-signed by the Kearney International Center. Contribution hours must be approved within 2 weeks of the event.
2. Cultural contribution hours must be earned during Fall or Spring semester when classes are in session and not at any other time. (NO contribution hours need to be done during Summer)
3. 2 hours will be added to the total contribution hours to be handed in every time a student signs up for an event and do not attend. 
4. Please see the contribution hours form to learn details about policies regarding contribution hours
5. Commuter students or students concurrently enrolled at MSU and another institution or those studying off site at 770 France Ave should obtain pre-approval for contribution hours.

Contribution Hours Form

   6. [PDF] [PDF] Volunteer Opportunity List (174 KiB) (174 KiB)

Note: Students are responsible to remeber the dates and times they sign up for contribution hours and attend those sessions. 

 

Cultural Contribution Scholarship Eligibility Requirements and Number of Enrolled Semesters

The scholarship is only valid for a total of nine ENROLLED semesters (registered part-time or full-time and receive grades). Students who withdraws from a semester and wants to know if that semester would be counted as an enrolled semester must the International Center. Such events will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Any extension for the scholarship must be appealed.

The time limit of 9 for undergraduates or 5 for graduates enrolled semesters includes any semester a student was on a different scholarship other than Cultural Contribution.

Ex: If a student was on an athletic scholarship for 8 semesters and then applies for the Cultural Contribution scholarship, that student will receive only one semester of Cultural Contribution scholarship.

 

If you are a NEW undergraduate international student

• Cultural Contribution Scholarship is given automatically to all new undergraduate in their first semester at MSU, Mankato.
• No applications or No application deadlines if you are a new international student.
• If you wish to continue with the Cultural Contribution Scholarship beyond the first semester, then you must complete at least 12 for undergraduates or 6 for graduate credits in your first semester, receive a term GPA of 2.5 and complete 25 contribution hours before the deadline (the last day of the semester).
• If you are a new international student, forms and applications below are not needed.
• We will provide more information about the Cultural Contribution Scholarship during the mandatory orientation.
• Shortly after the mandatory orientation, you are required to attend at least one of the informative sessions on the scholarship.
• If you are a new International student but transferred to MSU, Mankato from another U.S. college or institution, your cumulative transfer GPA will NOT be counted toward instate. All the decisions will be based on your MSU GPA only (term and/or cumulative).
• Please make sure to review your first semester tuition bill to confirm the receipt of the scholarship. The university cannot be held responsible for any oversight related to system error.

 

If you are a Returning Student:

Returning students are those who once attended MSU, Mankato and returning to resume studies or for a new program. This group includes previously MSU suspended students, those transferred out, students returning after a break and students on early authorized withdrawal. Students returning after a year, will receive their instate rate.

A student with prior MSU credits transferring back into MSU will be allowed to use the last semester term GPA from the previous institution they are transferring from, the institution must be in the United States.  Students enrolled in a Non-degree seeking program will not qualify (ie TOFEL, GRE, and Intensive English).

The original 9 semester limit will resume when the students begin taking MSU credits. This will NOT grant another 9 semesters.

If students finished their degree program at MSU but are now returning for a second bachelor degree program will only be eligible for the number of semester remaining.

If a returning student is an Out-of StatusOut-of-Status Student (students who fell out of immigration status while attending MSU, Mankato) and is now applying for reinstatement through MSU, will be eligible per the time or GPA limitation above.

 

Other Important Cultural Contribution Policies

Summer

Students can pay resident rate tuition during summer sessions if they have fulfilled the scholarship requirements during the preceding Spring Semester. There will be no contribution hours required during summer session. Students who may be eligible for an Cultural Contribution Scholarship for summer sessions for the first time based of Spring semester grades are required to apply. Summer transfer admits will be eligible in-state rate in the summer.

If a recipient's Cultural Contribution Scholarship is cancelled and the recipient wishes to appeal the decision, the recipient must submit a written letter appeal with documentation to the Kearney International Center.

 

Exchange Students

True exchange students – those whose tuition and fees are waived – are not required to complete cultural contribution hours

Visiting International Students - are students from partner universities who come as fee-paying students. They must complete the 25 Cultural Contribution hours every semester they are at MSU

 

International Students Studying Abroad

International students who wish to participate in an exchange must be eligible for the in-state scholarship in order to participate.  For the term that they participate in an exchange, the cultural contribution requirement is waived, but all other requirements remain in effect.