The University of Minnesota has expanded its commitment to access for Minnesota residents by increasing access to need-based scholarships for the 2016-17 academic year. The University of Minnesota Promise Scholarship (U Promise) program, created in 2007, is now being awarded to eligible students with family incomes up to $120,000, compared to $100,000 previously.
Under U Promise, eligible new Minnesota resident undergraduates with a family income of up to $120,000, who enroll at any of the University's five campuses, will be guaranteed a U Promise Scholarship. This change was made to increase the number of students from Minnesota’s low- and middle-income families who benefit from financial support while attending the state’s flagship university.
System-wide, more than 13,900 Minnesota students received funding through the U of M Promise Scholarships this year. Student financial support—especially need-based aid—has been a key strategic investment of the University since the creation of this program in 2007. In the past six years, 40,400 students have been served across the U of M system.
According to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education’s annual report on higher education, the University of Minnesota is the most affordable option for families with the greatest need. For family incomes of $30,000 or lower, the University of Minnesota offers the lowest net price for undergraduates attending any public institution in the state, including both two-year and four-year colleges.
This new expansion of eligibility will increase the number of Minnesota families benefiting from need-based scholarship support at U of M campuses. Part of the University's commitment to Minnesota residents, these scholarship funds help a greater number of students in the middle income ranges, complementing the University's already strong commitment to providing need-based funding.
“Student success is always our number-one focus,” says Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Robert McMaster. “Our continued growth in student satisfaction, record retention and graduation levels, and increased financial support are all important elements in making sure that we are serving Minnesota families and fulfilling our leadership role as the state’s flagship. The U of M has always provided students with a world-class education that is also affordable – and U Promise underscores that commitment.”
Complete details and eligibility requirements for the University of Minnesota Promise Scholarship are available online at www.upromise.umn.edu.
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