Bemidji State University (BSU) Financial Aid and Scholarships
Students Receiving Aid
58%
Total Aid Amount
$15.888M
Financial Aid Official Website
www.bemidjistate.edu/students/financial_aid
Bemidji State University, Bemidji, Minnesota, extends all possible financial aid to its students so that any kind of financial set up does not cripple their wings of flying high. Here you will find a good number of ways to back up your funds through a variety of scholarships, grants, and loans. The university also assists the students and their families throughout the process of applying for such financial aid from the state, institution, and in a few cases private scholarships as well.
The percentage of students receiving aid at BSU is 58%, and the total aid amount rewarded is $15,887,888.
You are also considered eligible for the loans once you are done with the admission process and successfully enrolled as a candidate, which saves your effort for again going through tedious procedures, paper works for applying for these grants or scholarships. The rest of the work from checking if you meet the underlying criteria to making sure that you are a suitable candidate from receiving the financial aid, is done by the university itself.
Scholarships
When it comes to scholarships, the merit-based ones are available to only those students who are enrolled for on-campus programs only or who meet the academic scholarship eligibility. Therefore, off-campus and students availing the Bemidji State University online and distance programs are not eligible for the Freshman Merit-Based Scholarship Program.
The Presidential Scholarship can be received by the on-campus students up to an amount of $10,000. Academic Achievement as the name suggests is also based on an excellent academic record and would amount to nearly $5,000.
The University Scholarship Program offers $2,000 to suitable candidates. If you are a continuing candidate and want to renew your scholarship, you can do so only if your GPA is a minimum of 3.25. However, in no situation will the scholarship package amount exceed that of the total cost of attendance.
Grants
Federal Pell Grants are awarded to the students who meet the Pell Grants Eligibility and Requirements, whose family income is at a lower margin and covers not more than 12 full-time semesters. Alike Pell grants, the FSEOG Grants are allowed to those candidates who are in a dire need of it. It is crucial to apply as early as possible given the limited amount of funds available. The grant is on a first come first serve basis.
The MN Dream Act allows certain financial benefits to undocumented candidates who are necessarily a graduate from MN high schools. These benefits are offered to only male students. Also, the Minnesota State Grant is available to the undergraduate students and You have to fill in the FAFSA for this.
The MN Postsecondary Child care Grant is available to both the graduate and undergraduate level students of the university. The main criteria for such a grant are that the student needs to have a dependent child under the age of 12. The TEACH Grant is offered to both undergraduate and graduate students who enroll themselves in a high-need subject area with a GPA of 3.25 and more. However, in this case, the candidate is required to join a low-income school and serve as a full-time teacher for 4 years in that particular high need subject area within 8 years of being awarded the degree. In case this requirement cannot be met, the grant turns into an unsubsidized loan.
Apart from the above, you might also be allowed to avail Athletic Grants and Veteran Benefit Grants.
Loans
The major set-off you face while taking up a student loan is the burden of interest to be borne. The average federal loans provided at BSU ranges around $5,479.
Regardless of this fact, students do opt for loans. Bemidji State University also bestows you with the option of applying for loans if you may find it necessary.
Federal loans demand a lower interest rate than any other private source. The university advises you to look into ways you can be eligible enough for applying for federal loans instead of private loans. The federal direct subsidized and unsubsidized loan will call for a 4.53% interest rate for the under-graduation students. The interest rate for graduate students will be around 6.08%.
The students of this university are also given an opportunity to undertake a Federal Direct Parent Loan which is a need-based loan for the parents of dependent students. The repayment of this type of loan is required after 60 days of the complete disbursement. In addition, the university also provides you contacts of private lenders.