Great Education. Great Value. Great Scholarships
We're the best value in Minnesota for a reason: Our generous scholarships. You can receive up to $120,000 in scholarships to help support you through your college journey.
Cardinal Promise
Cardinal Promise provides a tuition-free path to private higher education for qualifying students in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Minnesota and Wisconsin residents with a family AGI under $80,000 who meet eligibility requirements qualify for the Cardinal Promise, which provides a “last dollar” grant that covers your remaining tuition costs for four years of study after all other scholarships and grants.
- Minnesota resident
- File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a family AGI of $80,000 or less.
- Live in on-campus housing
- Enroll as a traditional, full-time, first-time, first-year student
- Must be attempting a first bachelor’s degree
- Wisconsin resident
- High School GPA of 3.5+
- File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a family AGI of $80,000 or less.
- Live in on-campus housing
- Enroll as a traditional, full-time, first-time, first-year student
- Must be attempting a first bachelor’s degree
Merit Scholarships
If you’re a first-year or transfer student and live on campus, you can receive up to $120,000 in scholarships to help support you through your college journey.
$30,000 for first-year-students
$29,000 for transfer students
Your scholarship is renewable for three additional years based on successful maintenance of the required GPA of 3.0 for first-year students and 2.0 for transfer students. Scholarships are awarded at full amount for full-time, residential students only. Commuter students will have a $4,000 reduction in their scholarship.
$29,000 for first-year students
$28,000 for transfer students
Your scholarship is renewable for three additional years based on successful maintenance of the required GPA of 3.0 for first-year students and 2.0 for transfer students. Scholarships are awarded at full amount for full-time, residential students only. Commuter students will have a $4,000 reduction in their scholarship.
$28,000 for first-year students
Your scholarship is renewable for three additional years based on successful maintenance of the required GPA of 3.0. Scholarships are awarded at full amount for full-time, residential students only. Commuter students will have a $4,000 reduction in their scholarship.
$27,000 for first-year students
$27,000 for transfer students
Your scholarship is renewable for three additional years based on successful maintenance of the required GPA of 3.0 for first-year students and 2.0 for transfer students. Scholarships are awarded at full amount for full-time, residential students only. Commuter students will have a $4,000 reduction in their scholarship.
$25,500 for first-year students
Your scholarship is renewable for three additional years based on successful maintenance of the required GPA of 3.0. Scholarships are awarded at full amount for full-time, residential students only. Commuter students will have a $4,000 reduction in their scholarship.
Additional Scholarships
$1,000/year
Students graduating from a Catholic High School
1,000/year
Identified on application that parent, grandparent, or sibling is an alum (not a current student)
$2,000/year
Domestic students who are not residents of Minnesota
$1,000/year
Students who have already earned a minimum of 3 credits vis PSEO or PACC AT or through Saint Mary’s
Cardinal Visit Scholarship
Take time for a campus tour and receive a $1,000 annual scholarship, renewable each year. The Cardinal Visit Scholarship is awarded to incoming first-year students who make an official campus visit during their junior or senior year of high school or transfer students who visit before they enroll to Saint Mary’s.
An official visit is one scheduled online or with the admission office, a coach, or another official representative of Saint Mary’s.
Have an Associate's Degree? We've got you covered.
If you’ve already demonstrated your commitment to education by earning an associates’ degree from a community or technical college, you could be awarded up to $1,500 each year you attend Saint Mary’s.
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship for Transfer Students
If you’re a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the PTK Scholarship rewards the accomplishments of members in good standing at their current institution by providing up to $2,500 each academic year to high-achieving community college students to pursue their bachelor’s degree.
Financial Planning Resources
Forms and Policies
Find all the forms and information you need to apply for scholarships and other forms of financial aid.
Learn MoreNeed based aid
If you have demonstrated financial need, you may qualify for one or more types of need-based financial aid.
Learn MoreNet Price Calculator
The Net Price Calculator provides an early approximation of what a new first-year or transfer undergraduate student can expect to pay to attend Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.
Learn MoreFAFSA Verification
Flagged for Verification? Don't worry. Being selected for verification does not mean you did anything wrong or filled out your FAFSA incorrectly. It's really just a way to ensure funds are being distributed as equitably as possible.
Learn MorePlan your finances
We encourage applicants to submit their FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1. As long as we have received all the necessary forms, we should be able to send your Financial Aid Offer shortly after January 15th.
FAFSA becomes available: October 1
Financial Aid Offers start getting mailed: January 15
Deposit Deadline: May 1
Good news: You didn’t do anything wrong when you completed the FAFSA and, if you provide the Financial Aid Office with the right documents, this shouldn’t delay the processing of your financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education selects FAFSAs for verification to ensure that Pell Grant and/or Subsidized Stafford Loan recipients have completed their application correctly.
If you have a financial situation that you feel was not sufficiently addressed by the FAFSA, please complete our Special Circumstances Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office along with the appropriate documentation.
All tuition statements are available in your student portal or by contacting Cardinal Central. You have two payment options to chose from.
Single Payment Option (per semester)
Under the single payment option, payment for tuition, room, board, activity fee, and technology fee (minus your financial aid award) is due at the beginning of each semester. Payment is due on August 5 for the first semester and January 5 for the second semester. Additional fees incurred in any given month (such as special course fees, health service charges, vehicle charges, etc.) will come due on the 5th of the following month.4-Payment Plan Option (per semester)
Enrollment in the 4-payment plan is available in the student portal. The monthly payment amount is calculated each semester by dividing charges for tuition, room, board, activity fee, and technology fee (minus financial aid) into four payments. Semester one payments are due on the 5th of each month, August through November. Semester two payments are due on the 5th of each month, January through April. Additional fees (and credits) are calculated into the remaining balance and distributed through the remaining number of payments. An enrollment fee of $35 will be charged each semester.
Find Us
Winona Campus
Saint Mary’s Hall, Room 32
Winona Campus
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.