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Get Ready FAFSA Challenge

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Completing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps students can take toward making college or career training affordable. It opens the door to federal, state, and institutional aid - including grants, scholarships, and work study - helping students access opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

Modeled after successful FAFSA completion competitions from across the country, Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota has launched the FAFSA Challenge to encourage schools to focus on improving FAFSA completion and recognize them for their successes in helping more students gain access to the financial aid available to pursue a postsecondary education.

To meet the Postsecondary Access Champions milestone, schools must have a FAFSA completion rate of 60% or increase your schools FAFSA completion rate by at least 5% points from the previous year by June 15, 2026. Use the dashboard below to see your school’s progress!

FAFSA Challenge Awards

The 2025-2026 FAFSA Challenge will take place from October 1, 2025 (or launch of FAFSA), through June 15, 2025, and award winners in the following categories:

Highest FAFSA Completion Rate (Small Schools): One $4,000 award will be given to the small-sized school (10-100 seniors) with the highest overall FAFSA completion rate.
Highest FAFSA Completion Rate (Medium Schools): One $5,000 award will be given to the medium-sized school (101-250 seniors) with the highest overall FAFSA completion rate.
Highest FAFSA Completion Rate (Large Schools): One $6,000 award will be given to the large-sized school (251-400+ seniors) with the highest overall FAFSA completion rate.
Largest Year Over Year Percentage Increase: $3,000 awards will be given to the two schools with the largest percentage increase in FAFSA completions over the prior year.

School Eligibility

Public schools must serve 50% or more Free and Reduced-Price Lunch eligible students to be eligible for the FAFSA Challenge. Eligible schools will be determined using the most recent enrollment data from the Minnesota Department of Education.
Schools must serve more than 10 seniors. Public FAFSA completion data for schools with 10 or less high school seniors is suppressed and cannot be counted.

FAFSA Completion Resources

Do you need additional resources to support FAFSA completion? Check out the resources below to find the support you need to improve FAFSA completion at your school.

FAFSA Challenge Toolkit: Find materials to motivate your school’s participation in the FAFSA Challenge and boost FAFSA completion including social media content, text message templates for students and parents, email templates, and more!

Minnesota Goes to College: Find information about Ready, Set, FAFSA webinars, social media toolkits for College Knowledge Month, a list of free college applications, and more great resources for educators.

Minnesota FAFSA Tracker: The Office of Higher Education FAFSA Tracker Tool aids high school counselors and college access programs in providing targeted outreach to students who need to file the FAFSA.

Federal Student Aid FAFSA Help Topics: Provides detailed help for filling out the FAFSA form, offering instructions on various sections, common mistakes to avoid, and additional resources for applicants needing further assistance.

Federal Student Aid FAFSA Videos: Videos that answer common questions about the FAFSA, providing guidance on how to navigate the financial aid process.

Get Ready FAFSA Challenge

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