Homeschool benefits through Northland Community and Technical College partner-district area
The Frandsen Family Foundation Scholarship pays the tuition and fees left after Pell and state grants for up to two years at Northland Community and Technical College, plus up to $1,000 for books, tools, and supplies. Homeschooled students who live in one of ten partner school districts qualify if they start full time in the semester right after graduation.
Who qualifies
Homeschools in a partner district
Eligible districts are Ada-Borup-West, Braham, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, Ely Memorial, Frederic, Luck, Pine City, Rush City, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo, and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. Homeschooled students within these districts can apply.
Starts right after graduation
Your student must enroll at Northland in the semester immediately following high school graduation.
Files the FAFSA or MASAA
Complete the FAFSA or the Minnesota Alternative State Financial Aid Application (MASAA) and all applicable state grant applications before the semester starts.
Enrolls full time outside the AA
Take at least 12 credits a semester in an accepted Northland program. The Associate of Arts degree is excluded.
What it is worth
Northland charges Minnesota residents $208.80 per credit in 2026-27; several technical programs charge more.
- Full-time semester (12 credits)
- $2,505.60
- Semester at 15 credits
- $3,132
- One year at 15 credits a term
- $6,264
- One year with fees at 15 credits
- $6,965.40
- Two years at 15 credits a term
- $12,528
- Books, tools, and supplies
- Up to $1,000
Programs such as welding, mechatronics, and aviation maintenance charge $233.50 to $259.59 per credit, so ask whether the scholarship covers the higher rate in full.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply to Northland
Get accepted into a Northland program other than the Associate of Arts, and choose a major for the application.
- Before the semester
Send the application and FAFSA
Pick the Homeschool box on the Frandsen application, sign it, and file the 2026-27 FAFSA or MASAA and state grant forms.
- First semester after graduation
Enroll full time
Register for at least 12 credits.
- By the end of year one
Earn 24 credits and a 2.5 GPA
Complete 24 credits in 2026-27, hold at least a 2.5 GPA, and meet an academic advisor each semester.
- Before year two
Renew
File the 2027-28 FAFSA so the scholarship renews for the second year.
What it pays for
Covered
- Remaining tuition
- Remaining fees
Not covered
- Associate of Arts degree
- Part-time enrollment
- Students who delay college a semester
Who pays first
- Federal Pell Grant
- Minnesota state grants
- Other scholarships and aid
- Frandsen Family Foundation Scholarship
It is last-payer funding: other grants, scholarships, and aid apply first, and the scholarship covers the tuition and fees that remain.
Who to contact
Nancy Mach, the Frandsen Foundation's administrator, answers questions about the scholarship and its application.
nancy@frandsenfoundation.com 800-959-6282 Northland Financial Aid Office
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Minnesota
You must file the initial report by October 1 of the first instructional year after the child turns seven, or after establishing a new resident district. You must file within 15 days of withdrawing a child seven or older from public school, or of moving out of a district. You must file annual continuation letters by October 1 for the required ages.
Minnesota sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, history, geography, economics, government, citizenship, health, and PE. Instruction and materials are in English unless the statutory language-program exception applies.
- Testing: Annual nationally normed achievement test for ages 7–16, plus certain 16–17-year-olds first reported after age 16. Agree on the test, administration, and location with the superintendent. State-recognized accredited instruction is exempt.
- Records: Unless the accreditation exemption applies, keep schedules, materials, assessment methods, and proof of testing. Keep immunization or exemption records for five years after adulthood. File immunization statements by October 1 of the first homeschool year and grade 7.
- Teachers: A parent may teach without a degree if the assessment requirements are met. Other instructors need a qualifying license, licensed supervision, bachelor’s degree, or recognized accredited-school route.
Read the Minnesota homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Minnesota
Questions parents ask
- Which Frandsen application do we use?
- It depends on your district. Use the first form for Braham, Frederic, Luck, Pine City, or Rush City, and the second for Ada-Borup-West, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, Ely Memorial, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo, or Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.
- Can my student use Frandsen for the Associate of Arts transfer degree?
- No. The scholarship applies to every Northland program except the Associate of Arts degree.
- What does my student need to keep it for a second year?
- Complete 24 credits in the first year, finish with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, meet an academic advisor at least once each semester, and file the next year's FAFSA.
- Is there an application deadline?
- No posted date. The FAFSA or MASAA and state grant applications must be done before the semester starts, so send the scholarship application with them.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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