Governor Walz Announces Minnesota College Scholarship Registration as part of ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ Incentive Program

State will draw five Minnesota College Scholarships for children 5- to 11-years-old who have received both doses of vaccine

Governor Tim Walz today announced the registration form is open for Minnesota parents whose 5- to 11-year-olds receive the COVID-19 vaccine to register for a $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship, the next phase of the “Kids Deserve a Shot” vaccine incentive program.

Any Minnesota parent or guardian whose 5- to 11-year-olds have ever received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine by April 11 can enter to win one of five $100,000 Minnesota College Scholarships. On April 15, the State of Minnesota will hold a drawing for five $100,000 scholarships valid at any public or private non-profit higher educational institution in Minnesota.

The Minnesota College Scholarship drawing is part of an effort to boost the vaccination rate of Minnesota’s children. While Minnesota is a national leader in vaccinating children 5-11 years old, this age group still has the lowest vaccination rate among eligible Minnesotans.

The “Kids Deserve a Shot” program is helping boost vaccination rates among Minnesota children. The college scholarship drawing comes after Minnesota families registered more than 22,000 children to receive a $200 Visa gift card for getting their vaccines between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28. 

Minnesotans can learn more about the “Kids Deserve a Shot” program, register for the scholarship drawing, and view official rules at Kids Deserve a Shot. 

How Minnesotans can get their free shot:

• Use the state’s Vaccine Locator Map to find vaccine providers near you.
• Parents can also visit COVID-19 Vaccine for Children and Teens.
• Check for vaccine appointments at Vaccines.gov, where you can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer).
• Contact your or your child’s primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.
• Walk in to or make an appointment at one of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Community Vaccination sites.
• Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at schools or other community locations around Minnesota. 

How Minnesotans can get a COVID-19 test:

• Walk in or schedule an appointment for a test at one of the state’s free COVID-19 Community Testing Sites.
• Order a test through the state’s free COVID-19 Test at Home program.
• Find a testing option near you through the state’s Find Testing Locations map.

Questions about COVID-19:

• Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline: 1-833-431-2053, Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

-MDH-