Minnesota Dream Act

If you have questions about this program, please contact the staff member listed on this page via email. If a staff member is not listed, please email info.ohe@state.mn.us and provide a detailed description of your question.

June 2020 update: In the decision regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that the way in which the administration rescinded the DACA program in 2017 was unlawful. Although the court sided with DACA recipients, it did say that the administration has the authority to end the program if they pursue it in the correct way. The decision means that the attempt to end DACA was invalid. This win for DACA youth and their families does not create a pathway to citizenship- only legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President can do that. However, this win does restore the DACA program completely, and both initial and renewal applications will now be accepted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). All eligible individuals should consult with a legal service provider for information about applying for DACA for the first time, renewing their existing DACA, and/or getting screened for eligibility for other, more permanent immigration options.

Just as before the SCOTUS decision, the Minnesota Dream Act remains intact. This includes access to the Minnesota State Grant, Minnesota Childcare Grant, Teacher Candidate Grant, Occupational Grant, Dual-Training Grant, Minnesota SELF Loan, in-state tuition rates and privately funded financial aid through public colleges and universities. Individuals are not required to have DACA in order to apply for and receive the benefits of the Minnesota Dream Act. One additional benefit of the Minnesota Dream Act is access to the Minnesota State Work Study program; for this specific program, students are required to document eligibility to work in the United States. DACA recipients may continue to utilize Minnesota Work Study until their work authorization expires.

Resources for informational purposes and help with legal services:

How do MN Dream Act and/or qualifying DACA students apply for benefits?

Undocumented students can apply for state financial aid by accessing the online MN Dream Act - State Financial Aid application. To be eligible for the MN State Grant, the application must be submitted no later than the 30th day of the term. The results of the application can also be used to qualify for in-state tuition rates at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Duluth campuses. Students attending Minnesota State campuses should also use this application to apply for state financial aid, but should apply for in-state tuition rates directly with the Minnesota State campus.

The MN Dream Act application should be submitted once for each academic year the student is enrolled in college.

What is the MN Dream Act?

The MN Dream Act (also known as The Prosperity Act) was introduced by Senator Sandra Pappas (SF723) and Representative Carlos Mariani (HF875) and was included in the omnibus Higher Education bill passed by the 2013 Minnesota Legislature and signed into law by Governor Dayton on May 23, 2013.

The MN Dream Act will provide certain benefits to undocumented students who meet the following criteria:

Attended a Minnesota high school for at least 3 years; and
Graduated from a Minnesota high school or earned a GED in Minnesota; and
Registered with the U.S. Selective Service (applies only to males 18 to 25 years old); and
Provide documentation to show they have applied for lawful immigration status but only if a federal process exists for a student to do so (does not include applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). There is currently not a federal process in place, so this documentation is not currently required.

Students who meet the criteria in the MN Dream Act will be eligible for the following benefits:

In-state resident tuition rates at public colleges and universities.
State financial aid available to students who meet state residency requirements.
Privately funded financial aid through public colleges and universities.

When did the MN Dream Act take effect?

All of the benefits provided by the bill were available to qualifying students for any term starting on or after July 1, 2013.

What documentation will be needed?

After the student submits the MN Dream Act application, the student will receive an email letting the student know the following information will need to be submitted to the MN Office of Higher Education to prove the student meets the requirements in the law. This information will only need to be provided the FIRST year the student applies.

MN high school transcripts showing attendance at a MN high school for at least 3 years (do NOT have to be certified copies)
MN high school diploma (or transcript showing the student graduated) or copy of GED earned in MN (does NOT have to be certified copy)
Copy of Selective Service card showing the student registered with the U.S. Selective Service (applies only to males 18 to 25 years old). If the student has not yet registered with Selective Service, the student should do so now. If the student has a Social Security number, the student can register online at www.sss.gov. Confirmation of registration will be sent to the student within two weeks. If the student does not have a Social Security number, the student should download the form here and submit it, along with all other documentation, to the MN Office of Higher Education. The paper Selective Service System Registration Form must be completed in black ink and in capital letters only. The document cannot be emailed or faxed to the MN Office of Higher Education; the original form must be mailed to:

MN Office of Higher Education
State Grant Unit
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108.

The MN Office of Higher Education will make a copy of the form and mail the original to the Selective Service System on behalf of the student.
Students will need to submit copies of signed student and parent (if dependent for financial aid) federal 1040 income tax returns for the prior-prior tax year (tax year 2018 for the 2020-2021 academic year). If the taxes were professionally prepared, a signature is not necessary. Schedules 1, 2, and 3, if filed: How do I know if I filed a Schedule 1? How do I know if I filed Schedule 2? How do I know if I filed Schedule 3? W2 forms are not required for tax filers unless there has been a change in marital status since the federal return was filed. If the student's and/or parents' income was so low they were not required to file a federal tax return, they should submit a signed statement indicating they were not required to file a federal tax return, along with any W2 statements. These documents will be required each year the student applies and will be used to verify the family income provided on the application.
Applicants who have attended college for three or more years prior to the academic year for which they are applying must also submit a copy of a college transcript from each college they have attended. Student copies are acceptable if they are up-to-date.

Eventually, documentation from federal immigration authorities verifying the student has applied for lawful immigrations status. The MN Dream Act states students will have to provide this document only if there is a federal process in place for them to apply for permanent legal status, which does not currently exist. So, documentation will not be required at this point.

With the exception of the paper Selective Service Registration Form, MN Dream Act Application materials should be email to MNDreamAct.OHE@state.mn.us or faxed to (651) 797-1637.

Do Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students qualify for the MN Dream Act benefits?

DACA students will qualify for benefits if they meet the criteria for the MN Dream Act. DACA students who don't meet the MN Dream Act criteria may still be eligible for state financial aid if they can meet at least one of the criteria in the state residency law used for financial aid after they have been granted DACA. For example, one of the criteria in the state residency definition is graduating from a Minnesota high school while residing in Minnesota, so the student would need to prove DACA was granted prior to high school graduation. DACA students will be required to submit proof of DACA. DACA students who do NOT meet any of the MN Dream Act or state residency criteria will NOT be eligible for state financial aid.

How much will I receive from MN State Grant? Will it cover my tuition and fees at my college?

Probably not. The MN State Grant award will vary based upon the student's financial situation, enrollment level and the price of the college attended. It is meant to be a supplement to the Federal Pell Grant, which is the main federal need-based grant program. Even though undocumented students cannot receive a Federal Pell Grant, the amount of Federal Pell Grant for which the student would have qualified must be factored into the MN State Grant award calculation. This means the MN State Grant might be fairly low for students from low-income families who would qualify for Federal Pell Grants. The MN State Grant award notice you receive from the MN Office of Higher Education will display the amount of your MN State Grant for each credit level. Here are sample State Grant annual (two semesters or three quarters) awards [.pptx] at different types of colleges for a student from a very low-income family.

Will MN Dream Act or DACA students be eligible for any other type of state financial aid?

Eligible DACA students with work authorization and Social Security numbers can be considered for State Work Study funding, which allows the student to earn money working on campus. Eligible MN Dream Act and/or DACA students can also apply for a Postsecondary Child Care Grant, which is a need-based grant to students with children in child care while they attend school. These programs have limited funding and are administered by campus financial aid offices, so students should contact the financial aid office at the college they attend after completing the online state financial aid application to complete further paperwork for those programs. MN Dream Act and qualifying DACA students will also be eligible for tuition reciprocity benefits to attend a public college or university in North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin. Any undocumented student can currently apply for a state SELF loan, which does not require the student borrower to have legal status, but does require a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.

Are there deadlines for applying for state financial aid?

To be eligible for a MN State Grant, the student must submit the online state financial aid application no later than the 30^th day of the term. Deadlines for other state financial aid programs administered on campus are determined by the college the student is attending.

Does meeting MN Dream Act criteria or establishing MN residency after receiving DACA mean I am guaranteed state financial aid?

No. Financial aid programs have other requirements all applicants must meet, such as demonstrating financial need. It simply means these students are eligible to apply for and receive state financial aid on the same basis as documented students.

Will MN Dream Act or DACA students be eligible for federal financial aid?

No. The MN Dream Act is a state law that provides state benefits to Minnesota residents regardless of federal immigration status. Federal financial aid programs require students to be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens to apply for and receive federal financial aid.