682 students at Concordia University received State Grants last year, making up 24% of undergraduates. The average grant was $3,868 with over $2.6 million awarded total. The State Grant program helps lower-income and middle-income students afford college while fostering choice, having statewide impact, and reducing borrowing and work hours. One in four Minnesota college students receives these grants, with recipients attending public and private schools across the state. Proposed changes could increase awards by $800-3,500 over four years and make 7,000 more students eligible to help address college affordability challenges.

1. THE STORY AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY
There were 682 State Grant recipients on campus
last academic year — that was 24 percent of all
Concordia undergraduates.
• The average State Grant award at Concordia
was $3,868.
• In total, more than $2.6 million in State Grant
awards were made to Concordia students.
STATE GRANT BENEFITS
The State Grant program helps students afford to attend
the colleges that best meet their needs. The program:
• Targets low- and middle-income families with
greatest need.
• Fosters student choice.
• Has statewide impact.
• Holds down additional borrowing and extra hours at
part-time jobs.
• Invests in state’s human capital and future economy.
JULIE DLUABCI YANG
Hometown: Little Canada, Minn.
Concordia University, St. Paul • Class of 2018
Major: Psychology
Minor: Hmong Studies
Extra-curriculars: Bold Scholarship recipient,
Member of Concordia Hmong Student
Association, plays for Intramural Volleyball
team; works in Financial Services office
STATE GRANT BACKGROUND 2016
* CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL FROM the Minnesota Private College Council
The State Grant has
helped my family and
it lessens the stress and
anxiety on how we
would possibly pay for
tuition.
Because I
have received
this grant,
I am able
to attend
Concordia
University.”
WIDESPREAD HELP
Where do State Grant students go to
college? Just about everywhere. They’re
enrolled both part-time and full-time
at all kinds of colleges — public and
private, two-year and four-year. Here
are some colleges with their numbers of
State Grant recipients:
• Minneapolis Community &Technical
College: 4,318
• University of St. Thomas: 1,351
• Metropolitan State University: 2,465
• University of Minnesota, Twin Cities:
7,066
One out of four:
share of Minnesota college
students receiving these grants
“

2. April 2016
BENEFITS
With these changes, policymakers can:
• Increase awards by $800 to $3,500 over four years and
• Make 7,000 more middle-income students eligible.
Investing in the State Grant program is the best way to spend limited government resources and
meet the state’s higher education challenges. And it would help lower-income and middle-income
students across the state at all colleges and universities — reducing their need to borrow.
For more on the Council’s agenda for
investment in the State Grant program visit:
www.mnprivatecolleges.org/policy/legislative-session.
2016 Agenda:
Prioritize support for college students in any new investments
Yes, new spending in the 2016 session is expected to be limited. But with the budget surplus,
investing in new higher ed spending is possible. If so, we encourage policymakers to prioritize
college students by improving funding for the State Grant program.
We ask policymakers to help college students by supporting Senate File 3219/House File 3733,
legislation that will improve how State Grant awards are set.
State Grant award amounts are based on what the government assumes about how much students
and families can pay. But those expectations have become unrealistic, leaving gaps and contributing
to the need for excessive borrowing. SF 3219/HF 3733 will make two improvements:
REQUEST
1. Decrease the “student share.”
The current formula expects lower- and
middle-income students to contribute as
much as $10,000 per year for two-year
college students and as much as $14,500 for
four-year college students through borrowing
and work. This unreasonable expectation
contributes to excessive student debt.
Request: Invest $13 million this year to lower
the student share.
2. Decrease the “family share.”
The current formula expects lower- and
middle-income families to contribute an
unreasonably large portion of their income
and assets to college costs. And when
families are unable to pay, either students or
their parents borrow to cover it.
Request: Invest $12.5 million this year to
lower the family share.