Grants

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides funds to Ridgewater College for emergency financial aid grants to students for cost of attendance expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).

The Pell Grant is a program of student financial aid authorized by Title IV, Part A, of Educational Amendments of 1991. In the 2020-2021 school year, this program provided up to $6,345 for eligible students. Pell Grants are awarded according to credit level per semester.

The SEOG is available to all Ridgewater College undergraduate students with exceptional need.

Minnesota residents who have not completed the equivalent of four years of postsecondary education may be eligible for this grant program. Awards are based on financial need. Note that it is awarded according to credit level and direct costs.

The Minnesota GI Bill program was established in 2007 to provide postsecondary financial assistance to eligible Minnesota veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001. Full-time undergraduate or graduate students may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 per semester or term, and part-time students may be eligible to receive up to $500 per semester or term. Apply for the MN GI Bill.

Charles and Ellora Alliss Educational Foundation Grants
(Two-Year College Opportunity Grant Program)

Overview

The Alliss Two-Year Opportunity Grant Award is available to students with financial need who are attending a Minnesota State school and who are enrolled part- or full-time in A.A., A.S., A.A.S., A.F.A., diplomas, certificates, and MinnState courses designed to transfer to baccalaureate programs. The Alliss Grant awards shall be for an amount between $500-$2,000 per year, which may be renewable (but not automatically).

Eligibility Requirements

1. Must be enrolled part- or full-time at Ridgewater College in any A.A., A.S., A.A.S., A.F.A., diploma, certificate or Mn Transfer Curriculum courses designed to transfer to a 4-year baccalaureate program;
2. Must not have already earned a baccalaureate degree;
3. Must have completed a FAFSA for the current school year or be a MN DREAM ACT student.
4. Must intend to transfer and/or pursue a 4-year degree at Ridgewater or another institution.

Application Process

Students shall complete the required Application Form [PDF] to apply.

Grant Administration

• An Alliss Grant shall be for one semester only. To renew an award for a subsequent semester, the student must re-apply and meet all eligibility criteria. Alliss Grants may be used for spring, summer, or fall semesters.
• Alliss Grant awards shall be processed and coordinated with the College’s normal financial aid process and may be used to meet remaining need after the student has received Pell and/or Minnesota State Grants.
• Alliss Grant awards shall be applied directly to student accounts along with other financial aid for the semester for which they are awarded.

Questions on the Alliss Grant?

Contact
Leann Fischer
320-222-7475
Leann.fischer@ridgewater.edu

This award is based on financial need. Requirements: one-fourth or more Indian ancestry, resident of Minnesota, member of recognized Indian tribe, high school graduate or have GED, ability to benefit from advanced education and approved by Minnesota Indian Scholarship Committee. Apply for the Minnesota State Indian Scholarship.

Contact

Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program:
Megan Fitz Gibbon, Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1-800-657-3866 or 651-259-3931

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe: 218-335-8584

Minneapolis American Indian Center: 800-486-8797

Certain veterans and their children are eligible for educational benefits under the GI Bill and other laws. A child of a veteran who has been disabled, who has died in service, or who has died of a service-connected disability may be entitled to education benefits. These tax-free benefits vary depending upon the number of hours the student is enrolled and the number of dependents. For further information, contact the Veteran’s Administration at 1-800-827-1000 or the Veteran’s Service Officer in your area. Students receiving veteran’s benefits must also contact the Financial Aid Office at the time of acceptance of those benefits.