Educational Benefits Application and Information

Even though all students receive one free breakfast and one free lunch through Minnesota's Free School Meals Program (an application is not necessary), your student may qualify for other benefits like reduced fees at school. Your application may also help the school qualify for education funds, discounts, and other meal programs. To apply for Educational Benefits, please complete the application.

Children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and foster, homeless, migrant and runaway children can qualify for educational benefits without reporting household income. Alternatively, children can receive benefits if their household income is within the maximum income shown for their household size on the instructions.

Children in households participating in WIC or Medical Assistance do not automatically qualify for educational benefits. Children may be eligible depending on other household financial information. Please fill out an application. 

Include yourself and all other people living in the household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends).

Yes. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens for your children to qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.

List the amount that you normally get. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get overtime only sometimes. For seasonal work, write in the total annual income.

It may be. We may also ask you to send written proof.

Information you provide on the form, and your child’s approval for meal benefits, will be protected as private data. For more information see the back page of the Application for Educational Benefits.

Yes. Please complete an application at any time if your income goes down, your household size goes up, or you start getting SNAP, MFIP or FDPIR benefits.