North Star Promise Scholarship

Beginning in Fall 2024, the North Star Promise (NSP) Scholarship program will create a tuition and fee-free pathway to higher education for eligible Minnesota Residents at eligible institutions.  The NSP scholarship is considered a “last-dollar” program by covering the balance of tuition and fees remaining after other scholarships, grants, stipends, and tuition waivers have been applied. 

See If You Qualify for Financial Aid & Scholarships

Net Price Calculator

The Net Price Calculator tool estimates how much financial aid you may qualify for to calculate your "net price." Net price is the total cost of attendance at Minnesota State Mankato after subtracting your estimated financial aid.  

Net Price Calculator

Eligible students must

  • Be a Minnesota resident
  • Have a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) below $80,000 (FAFSA or MN Dream Act application)
  • Attend a Minnesota public higher education institution or Tribal College
  • Not be in default on a state or federal student loan
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards
  • Have not already earned a baccalaureate degree
  • Be enrolled in a program or course of study that applies to a degree, diploma, or certificate

What does "last dollar" mean?

The scholarship will cover the balance of your tuition and fees after other gift aid funding (scholarships, grants, tuition waivers, certain veterans' benefits, etc.). Any grants or scholarships you already have (from the university, private companies, community scholarships, etc.) would first be applied to your tuition and fees balance before the North Star Promise Scholarship is calculated. Loans and work-study are not sources of gift aid.

Other costs, such as housing, food, books, supplies, and transportation, are not considered for the North Star Promise Scholarship.

North Star Promise Scholarship Examples

Here are a few examples of what some hypothetical North Star Promise award calculations could look like on our campus for the fall of 2024:

A.

$9,500

Tuition/fees

 

-$7,300

Pell Grant

 

-$3,000

MN State Grant

 

=$0

North Star Promise Scholarship (the full tuition and fees are paid for)

B.

$9,500

Tuition/fees

 

-$5,500

Pell Grant

 

-$2,700

MN State Grant

 

-$1,000

Other Grant, Scholarship, or Waiver

 

=$300

North Star Promise Scholarship

C.

$9,500

Tuition/fees

 

$11,672

Room/meals (student living on campus)

 

$21,172

 

 

-$7,300

Pell Grant

 

-$3,000

MN State Grant

 

$1,000

Maverick Scholarship (or other grant, scholarship, or waiver)

 

$0

North Star Promise Scholarship (the full tuition & fees are paid for)

 

=$9,872

Net Price

Application Process

For more information, please visit: Minnesota North Star Promise Scholarship Program