Undergraduate Scholarships

Scholarships: Opportunities, Priorities & Planning at the University of Minnesota

Apply for Financial Aid:

Filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is an important step. The University uses the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and University aid programs. A financial aid package might include grants, loans, scholarships, and/or work study. Students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after it becomes available on October 1st of their final year of high school. Find more information at: https://admissions.tc.umn.edu/costsaid/finaid.html 

Incoming First Year/Freshmen Students

Incoming first year students are automatically considered for recruitment scholarships by the University, College and Department as part of the admissions process.

Scholarship Opportunities are available at three levels at the University:

  1. The University of Minnesota
  2. The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS)
  3. The Department of Food Science and Nutrition

Funding is also available from:

  1. FSCN Affiliated External Scholarships
  2. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP) Program

You are encouraged to apply at all three levels. While there are many opportunities at the University level, both CFANS and FSCN offer scholarships that are only available to students in the CFANS College and the FSCN majors.

Apply early and often!
You may apply for scholarships at all three levels every year, starting with the FSCN Department and CFANS College Scholarships, and continuing with University-wide or external scholarships. Make sure to note scholarship deadlines in your planning.

Will you qualify?
Students are often concerned that a low GPA may prevent them from getting any scholarship award. However, here at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition we do our best to support as many students as possible! Don’t hesitate to apply. 

  1. Food Science & Nutrition Department Scholarships

Applications can be found on the FSCN website under your major. Please contact the FSCN Dept. Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator ([email protected]) if you have any questions regarding FSCN Scholarships. 

  • FSCN Department Scholarship - Now combined with the CFANS Academic Year Scholarship! Apply for two sets of scholarships with one application. Applications Due March 1

The FSCN Department offers numerous undergraduate awards (totaling over $100,000 yearly), which are available to students in either Food Science or Nutrition. Individual award amounts typically range from $500 to $3,000 per student. This application is part of the CFANS Academic Year Scholarship Application.

  • Global Learning Scholarship - rolling deadline
    The purpose of the FSCN Global Learning Scholarship is to partially cover costs for student-designed international experiences. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and should be at least one month prior to the date you plan to depart for your international learning experience.  Applicants must be full-time students majoring in Nutrition or Food Science and be registered in that major for at least two semesters prior to the start of their international experience.
  • Conference Grants - Applications accepted at any time - rolling deadline
    Food Science and Nutrition undergraduate students may apply for funding to help pay for the costs of presenting a paper at or active participation in the program of a professional conference (for reimbursable costs, i.e. registration, travel, meals). Awards are typically $100 for out-of-town conferences and $50 for those in the Twin Cities metro area. Students may collect one award per academic year. 
  1. College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) Scholarships

Contact CFANS Student Services ([email protected] or 612-624-6768) for information about study abroad, transfer, and continuing student collegiate scholarship opportunities for CFANS students, or visit cfans.umn.edu.

  • Conference Grant
    CFANS offers up to $500 for undergraduate students to pay for expenses incurred to attend regional, national, and international conferences for professional and/or academic development related to CFANS majors. 
  • CFANS International Learning Grant
    CFANS undergraduate students can apply for college-sponsored grants for international study. Typical award amounts are $600 to $900 for short-term programs, $1500 for semester programs, and $2400 for academic year programs. 
  • Unpaid Internship Grant
    CFANS undergraduate students who have secured an unpaid internship within the United States are eligible to apply for one of several internship grants of up to $1,000. Students are selected for this grant based on the relationship of the internship experience to their academic and career goals. Apply through Career and Internship Services. Application deadlines vary by semester.
  1. University of Minnesota Scholarships

A large variety of student grants and scholarships are also offered at the University level through the Office of Student Finance. You can search the University of Minnesota Scholarship Database for scholarships that are the best fit for you! Visit scholarships.umn.edu for more information. 

  1. FSCN-Discipline External Scholarships

Industry or professional associations offer scholarships that Food Science and Nutrition students are eligible for yearly. Amounts vary depending on the individual scholarship. A sample of scholarships and their application deadlines are listed below. You’ll also see emails about these opportunities throughout the year.

 

  1. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: https://ugresearch.umn.edu/opportunities/urop

The University of Minnesota's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) offers financial awards twice yearly to full time undergraduates for research, scholarly, or creative projects undertaken in partnership with a faculty member. It encourages students to conduct research and pursue academic interests outside of their regular courses by employing them to work on special research projects. Awards are not based on financial need.