Student Financial Aid Counselor

University of Minnesota; Crookston (MN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Regents Tuition Benefit Program

Competitive wages and benefits

Job summary

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is seeking a Student Financial Aid Counselor to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of financial aid funds to students. This role requires knowledge of state, federal, and institutional guidelines and will require excellent customer service and communication with students, families, and staff.

The position is hybrid with 4 days on campus and 1 day remote, and involves financial aid processing, student counseling, and state program administration.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree, or a combination of education and relevant work experience to equal at least four years.

Responsibilities

• Financial Aid Processing: manage the financial aid process and ensure the integrity of each student’s aid record; perform manual awarding and package adjustments.
• Provide Customer Service: counsel students on aid eligibility, loan options, debt management, and program-specific questions; handle student traffic and communications.
• Minnesota State Program Administration and Compliance: provide eligibility decisions for state grants and monitor MOHE databases for reconciliation.
• Other duties: assist in training student staff and support department operations.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Education

BA/BS degree or equivalent experience

Job description

About the Job

Job ID: 375960

Location: Crookston

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Job Code: 8461SF

Employee Class: Civil Service

Student Financial Aid Counselor

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Work Arrangement: Hybrid - 4 days on campus, 1 day remote

Job Code: 8461SF

Position Summary

The primary purpose of this position is to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of financial aid funds to students. This position requires the knowledge of and ability to follow financial aid regulations, guidelines, policies and procedures as stipulated by state, federal, and institutional entities, and ensure the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships operates efficiently and effectively. This includes the accurate and timely completion of tasks, and providing encouragement and assistance to staff in meeting departmental and individual goals. Excellent customer service and communication skills are imperative as this position involves heavy public contact with students, parents, and University employees, as well as with representatives from local, state, and federal agencies.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Aid Processing (30%)

• Manage and responsible for financial aid process as a whole, and the integrity of the individual financial aid record
• Manually resolve various error and other on-demand reports needing resolution; perform manual awarding and package adjustments
• Manually adjust cost of attendance budgets
• Disburse aid and/or disburse aid in override as needed; process outside scholarship checks, credit checks, housing applications, medical assistance, and other outside requests; understand and remain current on University, State of MN, and federal Department of Education program guidelines and policies
• Interpret and explain state and federal regulations to parents and students
• Resolve citizenship and selective service status
• Recommend policy and procedural changes.

Provide Customer Service (30%)

• Counsel students proactively and on the spot diagnostic support and problem resolution on a variety of issues such as aid eligibility, loan options, debt management, repayment options, customer accounts and payments, online student cost of attendance in relation to credit load and costs, and in-depth program-specific issues
• Represent the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships at student registration functions
• Communicate accurate financial aid information to colleagues, students, and parents and make appropriate referrals
• Manage in-coming student traffic and communications (calls and department emails)
• Process departmental mail
• Maintain the OneStop website, Facebook account, and departmental forms.

Minnesota State Program Administration and Compliance (30%)

• Provide expertise and eligibility decisions for the State Grant Programs, which include the MN State Grant, MN Student Teacher Grants, MN Fostering Independence Grant, MN Dream Act, MN GI Bill, MN Indian Scholarship Program, MN Child Care Grant and North Star Promise.
• Responsible for review and eligibility for grant awards
• Perform state grant eligibility reviews.
• Monitor the MN Office of Higher Education (MOHE) database for weekly reports to ensure completion of applications, request funding and to accomplish program reconciliation for MN State programs.

Other duties (10%)

• Complete I-9 processing for student employees
• Assist in training department student staff, communications, and checklist processing
• Other department duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree, or a combination of education and relevant work experience to equal at least four years.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $20.00- $25.00 per hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service & Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC)

With a strong tradition of technology-enhanced teaching and learning, the University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) serves as the U's major outpost in Northwest Minnesota. UMC provides both experiential, career-oriented degree programs as well as high-quality online programs, while connecting its teaching, research, and outreach to rural economic development and service to the region and beyond.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.