Minnesota State Fair Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Minnesota State Fair

Introduction The Minnesota State Fair supports the education of young people across greater Minnesota through its scholarship program. Established in 1994, the Minnesota State Fair Scholarship has awarded more than $600,000 to date. All scholarships are financed by contributions to the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. Applications for the 2026 awards will open in March.

Scholarship overview

• Up to 22 scholarships of $1,000 each will be offered to applicants from greater Minnesota or to those enrolled in an agricultural program for 2025–2026. These awards may be used for any field of study.
• Two additional scholarships of $2,000 each will be reserved for individuals of any age who are beginning or advancing training in a skilled trade (examples: welding, lineman work, mechanics, plumbing, electrical, apprenticeship, technical or vocational training).
• A panel of reviewers will evaluate applications and choose recipients. Awardees will be notified by telephone no later than August 9, 2026. For questions, contact the Competition Department at 651-288-4417 or [email protected].

Who is eligible To be considered applicants must:

• Be Minnesota residents.
• Be attending or plan to attend a post-secondary institution, trade school, apprenticeship program, or other training during the current year.
  • Up to 22 awards are for students pursuing any course of study.
  • Two awards are specifically for people entering or furthering a career in the skilled trades.
• Indicate expected participation in the 2026 Minnesota State Fair on the application.
• Live in a rural area or be enrolled in an agriculture program (for example, being a 4-H member or enrolled in your school’s FFA—this applies even if you live in St. Paul).
• Be entering freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year at a four-year university, community college, or technical college.
• Note: past recipients of the Minnesota State Fair Scholarship are not eligible to apply again.

Application and submission requirements

• Complete the online scholarship application by July 15, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Late submissions will not be accepted.
• Applications must be complete. For the general scholarships (any field of study), include a transcript (official or unofficial). For the skilled trade scholarships, include a letter of recommendation. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• Transcripts must be uploaded via the online application.
• Submit only one application.

Sample application questions For the general scholarship (any field of study):

1. Describe your previous involvement at the Minnesota State Fair (years, programs, awards).
2. What do you plan to do at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair?
3. Summarize your academic achievements (GPA, honors, awards).
4. List leadership roles and activities (organizations, offices held, projects, athletics).
5. Describe community service or volunteer work you’ve participated in.
6. What are your future goals?

For the skilled trade scholarship:

1. Describe your previous involvement at the Minnesota State Fair (years, programs, awards).
2. What do you plan to do at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair?
3. Why have you chosen to pursue a career in the trades?
4. Describe community service or volunteer activities you’ve participated in.
5. What are your future goals?

Selection process

• A Minnesota State Fair representative will do an initial review to confirm minimum eligibility. Eligible applications will then be forwarded to committee members.
• Committee members will score each application according to the published criteria; the average of those scores will determine recipients.
• A State Fair representative will cast a vote only to break ties.

Notification, acceptance, and payment

• Scholarship recipients will be called to notify them of their award by August 9, 2026.
• Public announcements will be made at two events: the 4-H Beef Championship on Friday, August 28 (Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum) and the FFA Awards program on Monday, September 7 (Compeer Arena).
• Recipients must send a thank-you note to scholarship donors as instructed and may be asked to meet donors or write a thank-you to specific supporters.
• To receive payment, recipients must provide a copy of their post-secondary billing statement that shows tuition has been paid (payment can include grants, scholarships, or cash payments). Do not send transcripts or class schedules in place of the billing statement.
• The Minnesota State Fair Competition Department will issue payment after receiving the required thank-you note(s) and proof of paid tuition.
• Recipients must claim their scholarship by October 1, 2026. Payments are made to the recipient and mailed to the address listed on the application.

Contact Competition Department: 651-288-4417
Email: [email protected]