North Star Promise Frequently Asked Questions

 

Below are answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the new North Star Promise Scholarship program, which will begin implementation in Fall 2024. If you have any questions that are not listed below, please feel free to contact us at NorthStarPromise.OHE@state.mn.us.

If you are a member of the media and have questions about the program, please email OHE Director of Communications Keith Hovis, keith.hovis@state.mn.us

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Frequently Asked Questions

Family Income / Dependent and Independent Student Status Related Questions

Q: My parents are divorced; whose income will be considered for the family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) below $80,000?

A: When parents are divorced, separated or never married, and do not live together, only one parent must complete the FAFSA/Minnesota Dream Act application. 

For 2024-2025, the first year of North Star Promise, this will be the parent who provides more financial support to the student. Starting in the 2024-2025 academic year, the FAFSA/Minnesota Dream Act will no longer take into account which household the student lived with most. If the parent who provides more financial support has remarried as of the date the FAFSA/Minnesota Dream Act is filed, the stepparent’s income, assets and dependents must also be reported.

Dependent students will have the AGI of their parent(s), and stepparent if applicable, considered for the program’s family AGI threshold of below $80,000. The AGI of dependent students will not be considered.

Q: I am 21 and live independently on my own, will be parent(s) income still be considered for the family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) below $80,000?

A: State financial aid programs, including the North Star Promise, follow the federal definitions for what makes a student independent or dependent in terms of financial aid. You can review what makes a student either dependent or independent here.

The North Star Promise program will begin the 2024-2025 academic year, and the age question on the FAFSA/Minnesota Dream Act application will ask: Were you born before January 1, 2001?

Students who can answer yes to that question will be considered independent and not required to report parental income or assets on the application and will only have their own Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) considered. If the student also happens to be married, the AGI of the spouse will also be considered.

Q: I am an independent and married; whose income will be considered for the family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) below $80,000?

A: The FAFSA/Minnesota Dream Act application will ask: Are you married as of today? If you are married on the day you file your application, then you will need to report the income and assets for your spouse. Independent, married students will have the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of both the student and spouse considered for program eligibility. To be eligible, the student and spouse's combined family AGI must be below $80,000.

Q: Is there a reduced benefit for people with AGI just over $80,000, or is it an “all or nothing kind of thing”?

A: The program criteria of a family adjusted gross income below $80,000 is set in statutory law based on the median family income in the state of Minnesota. Unfortunately, there is not a gradually reducing benefit for those over the threshold.

However, if a family has experienced a change in income, that can be considered by the financial aid office where the student enrolls. For example, the 2024-2025 financial aid application asks about income from 2022. If a family experiences a change in income, sometimes called a special circumstance, the family can ask the financial aid office for a professional judgement to consider 2023 income, rather than 2022. Also, while North Star Promise does not have a reduced benefit or award for AGIs over the threshold, you may qualify for other federal, state or school-based financial aid that can help cover expenses and should still complete either the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act Application. 

Q: Given the high wages for most jobs right now, my 18-year-old dependent child is considering taking a gap year to work, earn money and help out at home. I am a single parent and my income is well below the $80,000 AGI. Once she starts college, her income will drop significantly. Will her income be counted when considering her for the North Star Promise Scholarship? 

A: Dependent students will have the AGI of their parent(s), and stepparent if applicable, considered for the program’s family AGI threshold of below $80,000. The AGI of dependent students will not be considered. The first year of the program is the 2024-2025 academic year and the corresponding FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act application will ask about prior, prior year Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). In other words, the AGI from 2022.

Q: I am a non-tax filer because my income is so low that I am not required to file taxes. Can I be considered for the North Star Promise Scholarship?

A: Yes, your college or university will treat your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as $0 and you will be considered for the award.

Q: Are a student or family’s assets (529 plans, retirement accounts, savings account, investments) considered in the financial eligibility requirements for North Star Promise?

A: No, assets and/or investments are not considered when determining eligibility for North Star Promise.

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Degree, Diploma or Certificate Related Questions

Q: I already have an Associate Degree, but I am considering returning to school to earn my Bachelor's Degree. As long as I meet all the other eligibility requirements, would I be eligible for the North Star Promise Scholarship program?

A: Yes!  As long as you meet the eligibility criteria, the North Star Promise program will be available to you to help you earn your baccalaureate degree. However, students who already have earned a baccalaureate degree are ineligible for the program.

Q: I am enrolled in an Associate Degree program that requires 74 credits for completion. Will the North Star Promise be expanded beyond the 60-credit limit for my program?

A: The limit on up to 60 credits for the completion of a certificate or an associate degree and the limit on up to 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree is set in law. The law, as written, does not allow for exceptions or waivers for programs that exceed the standard program lengths of 60 credits for an associate degree and 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree.

Q: Right after high school I earned an Associate Degree, but I do not have a baccalaureate degree. I have not attended college for quite some time, and my GPA is not the best so I don’t think I can be admitted to a four-year school. Can I use the North Star Promise to go back to school for a second Associate Degree?

A: Before self-selecting out of options, we would encourage you to speak with the Admissions Office at a four-year institution and explain your situation. Your assumption may not be true. However, to answer this question, as long as all eligibility criteria are met, the law does not prohibit students who have already received an Associate Degree from receiving funds under North Star Promise as they pursue a second Associate Degree.

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Major and Program Related Questions

Q: Do I need to be in a certain major?  Are specific fields, trades or degrees being prioritized?

A: Unlike the Minnesota Future Together Grant, a previous Office of Higher Education program, the North Star Promise is not program- or major-specific. Also, awards are not prioritized based on specific fields, trades or degrees. You must meet all eligibility criteria, including be enrolled in a program or course of study that applies to a degree, diploma, or certificate at an eligible institution.

Q: At eligible institutions, are all programs eligible for North Star Promise?

A: No. Eligible institutions are all Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, all University of Minnesota campuses and all Tribal Colleges.  However, an eligible institution may offer programs that are not eligible for Federal Title IV Aid and/or Minnesota financial aid.  Typically, this is because the program length is too short to meet requirements for federal and/or state financial aid.

Q: Are non-credit programs eligible for North Star Promise?

A: No, non-credit programs (such as those offered through customized training) are not eligible for North Star Promise. Additionally, Registered Apprenticeship is another debt-free post-secondary pathway. Registered Apprenticeships combine on the job learning, related classroom instruction, and result in an industry specific, nationally recognized credential. Registered Apprenticeships are available in many fields, including but not limited to construction and utilities, manufacturing, healthcare, education, agriculture. Learn more about Registered Apprenticeship at The Department of Labor and Industry's website.

Q: Are certificate programs eligible for North Star Promise?

A: Yes, as long as the certificate program meets the state aid definition of certificate. The state aid definition of certificate is that the program is at least 8 weeks long, and at least 8 semester academic credits (12 quarter credits or 300 clock hours) in program length.

Q: Can North Star Promise be used for study abroad?

A: Yes, North Star Promise will consider the cost of tuition and required fees for study abroad in the award calculation; however, in order to be considered, the program’s tuition and fees must be charged to the student by the eligible institution. Third party study abroad tuition charges will not be considered in the award calculation.

Q: Will North Star Promise program also cover the costs of tuition and fees for my minor program, in addition to my major?

A: Yes, the scholarship will pay for tuition and fees associated with a minor. The program does have credit-limits. You may receive the NSP award up to 60 credits for the completion of a certificate or associate’s degree program and up to 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree. If the minor and major program causes you to exceed the program credit limit, you may run out of eligibility.

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Student Eligibility Questions

Q: Does the North Star Promise Scholarship have any kind of GPA requirement?

A: There is not a GPA requirement per se; however, in order to continue to be eligible for North Star Promise from term to term, students must meet their school’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards. In other words, you have to earn good enough grades, and complete enough classes (credits, hours, etc.), to keep moving toward successfully completing your degree or certificate in a time period that’s acceptable to your school. You can read more about Satisfactory Academic Progress here.

Q: I have already used up all of my Pell grant eligibility, can I still be considered for the North Star Promise program?

A: Yes, North Star Promise eligibility requirements do not factor in your lifetime usage of programs such as the federal Pell Grant, federal Direct Loan program, or Minnesota State Grant. You may still be eligible for North Star Promise even if you have exhausted aid eligibility in other programs.

Q: Are incarcerated students eligible for North Star Promise?

A: Yes, there is nothing in the statute preventing incarcerated students from accessing the North Star Promise program.

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Funding Related Questions

Q: Does North Star Promise cover expenses such as housing and/or meals?

A: No, North Star Promise is a tuition and fees program, meaning it only pays for tuition and fees charges. Housing, food, transportation, books, and supplies are all items that North Star Promise does not cover. Students will need to budget for these expenses separately. Even if living on campus is required, North Star Promise does not cover housing expenses.