Applying for Financial Aid

Getting started with Financial Aid

From filling out the FAFSA to setting up your loans, applying for financial aid is one of the big steps you'll need to take before you start classes.

Contact Financial Services

Our on-campus office is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. We are happy to help you either in person or virtually. Students may connect via phone, email, or video conference. Call 320-308-5936 or email financialaid@sctcc.edu.

Current Students:  You can see your financial aid status by logging into your eServices account and going to Financial Aid. 

Prospective and Returning Students:  To apply for financial aid, you will want to start by completing the 2022-2023 FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa if you plan to start classes in the fall 2022 semester.


The first step in receiving financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as you can. Use SCTCC school code 005534 when filling out the FAFSA.

To complete the FAFSA, you will need:

  • Your Social Security Number
  • Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
  • Your income tax returns, W-2s, and other financial records for the year that's indicated on the FAFSA. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
  • Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
  • Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
  • An FSA ID to sign electronically.

If you are a dependent student, then you will also need most of the above information for your parent(s). For more information, visit the FAFSA website.

For undocumented students:

The MN Dream Act will provide certain benefits to undocumented students who meet the following criteria:

  1. Attended a Minnesota high school for at least 3 years; and
  2. Graduated from a Minnesota high school or earned a GED in Minnesota; and
  3. Registered with the U.S. Selective Service (applies only to males 18 to 25 years old); and
  4. Provide documentation to show they have applied for lawful immigration status but only if a federal process exists for a student to do so (does not include applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - DACA). There is currently not a federal process in place, so this documentation is not currently required.

Visit the Minnesota Dream Act application at the Office of Higher Education site for more info and an application.