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Arrivals (DACA), the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that the way in which the administration rescinded the DACA program in 2017 was unlawful.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:
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.
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:
Students who meet the criteria in the MN Dream Act will be eligible for the following benefits:
All of the benefits provided by the bill were available to qualifying students for any term starting on or after July 1, 2013.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 students will also be eligible for tuition reciprocity benefits to attend a public college or university in North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin. Any DACAmented or 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. MN Dream Act students who are adult learners re-enrolling in college (age 25 or older and have completed 15 or more college credits without earning a degree), can also apply for MN Reconnect. This program provides specific services and resources to help adult learners successfully complete a certificate, diploma or associate program. The program is available at participating colleges.
To be eligible for a MN State Grant, the student must submit the online state financial aid application no later than the 30th day of the term. Deadlines for other state financial aid programs administered on campus are determined by the college the student is attending.
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.
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.
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