American Indian Programs

American Indian Programs

American Indian Tuition Waiver
In recognition of the Morris campus's history as an Indian Boarding School in the 1800s, the Minnesota legislature mandated that American Indians attending Morris are not required to pay tuition. Students must be admitted to the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM), complete the American Indian Tuition Waiver Application, and present acceptable documentation of blood quantum or blood line/heritage such as Tribal Registration, Certificate of Indian Blood or other legal documentation of American Indian heritage. Applicants are not required to be residents of Minnesota. Students will receive notification of the American Indian Tuition Waiver from the Financial Aid Office.

Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program (MISP)
Students who possess one-fourth or more Indian ancestry, are a Minnesota resident and have financial need should apply with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. In order to qualify for this scholarship, you must be eligible to receive the Federal Pell or Minnesota State Grants. The priority deadline is July 1. Students will receive an official notification of an award from the MISP.

The Priority deadline to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the University of Minnesota, Morris to the federal processor is March 1.

Students must be enrolled for at least 12 credits.

Tribal (BIA) Scholarship
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Students who are enrolled with a state or federally recognized tribe are encouraged to apply for BIA funds by directly contacting their BIA Higher Education Program. The amount awarded is based on financial need and availability of funds through the BIA. Students are encouraged to apply with their tribe as early as possible. Students will receive an official notification of an award from the BIA.

The Priority deadline to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the University of Minnesota , Morris to the federal processor is March 1.

Students must be enrolled for at least 12 credits.

Ethel M. Curry American Indian Scholarship
Ethel Curry was born in Hixton, Wisconsin near Black River Falls, in 1888. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1914 with B.A. in biology and mathematics. After graduation, she applied for and was accepted to two medical schools, but due to health considerations, she did not attend either. She instead worked 40 years as a surgical secretary at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

According to her niece, Jeanne Angel, Ethel lived simply and frugally, without television or telephone. She occasionally traveled and had special interests in botany and horticulture. Ethel was a lifelong scholar with a lively, inquiring mind and an independent spirit. She read National Geographic and scientific journals avidly, well into her last years.

Her tremendous wealth, which was not disclosed to her family, was attained through successful investments in a growing company called Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M). According to her friends, Ethel was a warm and sociable person, with compassion particularly for American Indian people. On March 24, 1995, Ethel Curry died at the age of 107, and bequeathed one million dollars to the University of Minnesota for scholarships to American Indian students.

The Ethel M. Curry American Indian Scholarship is awarded to students who are admitted to the University of Minnesota, Morris as a first-year freshman. To be considered for the Ethel M. Curry American Indian Scholarship students must complete the American Indian Tuition Waiver Application providing proof of American Indian heritage. Priority will be given to students who are one-fourth American Indian and are enrolled in a federally-recognized tribe. Preference will be given to Minnesota residents. The documentation deadline is June 1. Students that qualify will be notified by the Financial Aid Office.

This scholarship may be renewed up to three consecutive years, based on full-time status and by maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

The Priority deadline to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the University of Minnesota, Morris to the federal processor is March 1.

Students must be enrolled for at least 12 credits.

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Endowed Scholarship
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) Endowed Scholarship was established in 2008 through a generous gift from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. The SMSC scholarship program is designed to recruit and retain talented American Indian students with demonstrated financial need to the University of Minnesota. This scholarship program is administered by the University's Office for Equity and Diversity.

The primary goal of the SMSC scholarship program is to support incoming University of Minnesota first-year and transfer students with demonstrated financial need. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years or until graduation (whichever comes first) for undergraduates, contingent upon academic performance.

Scholarship Awards

Scholarships will be issued on the basis of demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. All SMSC scholarship funds can only be used for tuition, fees, and/or books related to the students coursework at the University of Minnesota.
The amount of each scholarship will vary dependent on individual demonstrated need and other awards received by the scholarship applicant. Scholarships will not exceed $10,000.
Continuing undergraduate recipients will receive a merit award of $500 per year for maintaining a 3.0 or above cumulative grade point average for the academic year. Such merit awards will be dispersed each fall for the previous academic year.

Scholarship Eligibility

To be considered for a SMSC scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:

Admission to one of the University's of Minnesota's five campuses (Twin Cities, Crookston, Duluth, Morris, or Rochester) as a full-time undergraduate.
Enrollment or eligibility for enrollment in a federally-recognized tribe.
Undergraduate scholarship recipients must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.5 grade point average for SMSC scholarships to be renewed after the first year.

Application, Deadline, and Selection

All students must submit a complete scholarship application packet. Download the application (PDF).
Application packets received by March 16, 2009 will be given preference. No applications will be accepted after May 31, 2009.
A complete SMSC application packet includes:
The SMSC application, completed and signed.
A letter of recommendation from a former teacher, employer, or community representative/elder.
An essay of between 250 and 500 words that includes a statement of the applicant’s educational, career, and life goals.
A copy of the completed Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA must be submitted each year for application or renewal of the SMSC scholarship.
Scholarship recipients will be selected by the SMSC Selection Committee.

The Priority deadline to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the University of Minnesota, Morris to the federal processor is March 1.

For more information about the SMSC scholarship program, contact Rickey Hall, assistant vice president for equity and diversity, at hallrl@umn.edu.