On a broad bipartisan vote, the Minnesota State Senate passed the Senate Republican higher education budget that puts the needs of students and families first by boosting scholarship funds, capping student tuition, and bolstering successful programs that meet workforce needs and lead to future employment. The bill is a component of the final balanced budget agreement reached by the legislature and governor.

“Students across Minnesota will benefit from this bill, said Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch). “We are investing in higher education to make tuition more affordable and to ensure students have greater access to excellent education across the state.”

The final higher education budget invests over $18 million in the Minnesota State Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to low-income students at all higher education institutions in the state, including private college and universities. The bill also provides for a significant expansion of the Workforce Development Scholarship Program by including additional training programs, adding flexibility to target returning workers, and rewarding campuses leveraging private-sector partnerships to increase scholarship awards. Further, additional grant funding is available to campuses working directly with employers to increase career exposure activities through the Skilled Workforce Partnerships program.

In addition to increasing scholarship access, the bill caps undergraduate student tuition at both the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Systems at the cost of inflation. Further, the legislation aims to reduce college costs through innovative reforms such as the expansion of the “Z-degree program”, which allows students to obtain a college degree without the need to purchase text books. The bill expands the program to three additional Minnesota State colleges, and mandates Minnesota State to issue a report on the possibility of lowering the cost of online tuition.