Military
The Carlson School and the University of Minnesota recognizes your unique background and needs when it comes to thriving in the higher education environment and transitioning to the business world.
We are dedicated to fully supporting your admission into our programs, and your success during and after.
#1 Military-Friendly graduate business school.
Application fee is waived for all Carlson graduate programs.
Scholarships range from $1k to full-tuition with living expenses.
Supporting your admissions
Our commitment to supporting you starts from the very beginning—before you even apply. Here’s what you can expect:
No matter which program you apply to, your application fee is waived.
You’ll have additional flexibility when scheduling an interview so you can meet your military commitments.
Your application will automatically be reviewed for military-specific scholarships if you apply to the following programs:
- Full-Time MBA
- Part-Time MBA
- Online MBA
- MS in Supply Chain Management
Connect with Carlson staff & faculty
All admissions counselors at the Carlson School are equipped to help you navigate the admissions process and answer any questions you may have.
The following staff and faculty have a military background:
Charles Altman, PhD
Commander, U.S. Navy (Ret)
Director of MBA Military & Veterans program
612-626-7147
altma047@umn.edu
Charles is the Director, MBA Veterans Program at the Carlson School of Management, and holds a PhD in Higher Education from the College of Education at the University of Minnesota. Following commissioning through the Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School, Commander Altman entered flight training and was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1983. His aviation career began that year as an aircraft mission commander was with Patrol Squadron Twenty-Two (VP-22), NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. He went on to serve years later as Commander, Pacific Patrol Squadron Det-1 San Diego in charge of a squadron consisting of 8 aircraft and 320 personnel on Coronado Island, California. Throughout his nearly 30 years of naval service, he amassed nearly 4,000 flight hours flying operationally in four separate combat squadrons located on air bases throughout the world.
Sunil Singh
Former Colonel, Indian Army
MS-Supply Chain, Interim Program Director
612-624-7010
sing0444@umn.edu
Sunil is a Senior Lecturer and Interim Program Director of the Supply Chain and Operations department, at the Carlson School of Management. In his previous ‘avatar,’ Sunil was a Colonel in the Indian Army where he commanded a Mechanized Infantry battalion in the desert sector. During his military career, he was a part of a Special Forces unit exclusively tasked for aviation security and was embedded with the national carrier. As founding principal of BravoMike Consultants, a Minnesota based consulting firm specializing in Airlines Technical Operations. Sunil has worked in the maintenance realm of the three largest US airlines undertaking turnkey projects in Process Improvement, Quality Control and Regulatory Compliance. He is a graduate of the MBA program from the Carlson School and also holds a PMP certification from PMI.
Funding your degree
The Carlson School is proactive in ensuring our programs are affordable for you.
More resources on Veteran education benefits at the University of Minnesota.
You’ll be considered for a wide range of scholarships specifically for military personnel and veterans. Availability and amount varies by program and can range anywhere from $1,000 to full tuition with a stipend for living expenses. Scholarship are awarded on the following considerations, but not limited to:
- Merit
- financial need
- military affiliation
- program of study
The following scholarships are named for students who are military veterans or have a military background.
- Buuck Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- Deloitte Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- Donald & Lorraine Freeberg Military Vets Fellowship
- Gatens/Benson Military Veterans Fellowship
- Graco Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- H. William Walter MBA Fellowship
- John & Nancy Lindahl Military Veterans Fellowship
- MBA Class of 2000 & 2002 Leadership Fellowship
- Michael & Judy Mee Fellowship
- Military Veterans Merit Fellowship
- Newman's Own Military Veterans Fellowship
- Polaris Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- Rangen/Erickson CSOM Military Vets MBA Fellowship
- Robert Potts Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- Torgerson Family Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- United Healthcare Military Veterans MBA Fellowship
- Victor & Fern Bates Scholarship
- Wiehoff Family Military Veterans Fellowship
- William and Jane Dudley Military Veterans Fellowship
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides education benefits to eligible service members, Veterans, and their dependents or survivors.
GI Bill
The GI Bill is a great opportunity for you, but due to budget caps, it may not be able to cover your entire cost of attending college.
- Federal GI Bill - Your benefit can be used to pursue your degree, or in some cases, can be transferred to an eligible spouse or children.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill - Provides education benefits based on amount of time served.
- Yellow Ribbon Program - If you are 100% eligible through the GI Gill and are considered “active duty” at the start of your program, you will receive full coverage of Carlson School tuition and fees through a combination of VA funds and a contribution from us. More about the Yellow Ribbon Program.
You are encouraged to work with University Veterans Services at One Stop to explore eligibility and all available opportunities.
You will be assessed resident tuition rate for your degree.
No matter which program you enter, your resident tuition deposit is waived if you have a DD-214 on file that receives educational benefits. For more info or to receive in-state resident rates, submit a copy of your DD-214 to University Veterans Services.
Community once you're here
Your military community includes students and alumni from all military branches.
The Military and Veterans' Club
Members of the club include all aspects of military service: Active, National Guard, and Reserves. They also come from all branches of the military: Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard.
Join to attend:
- Networking events with organizations interested in hiring veterans
- Professional development workshops to translate work experience and prepare for interviews
- Fun events to broaden the Carlson student body's understanding of what it means to serve
2022-2023 Military Student Profile
Alum Profiles
Meet a few alums of the Carlson School with a background like yours.
Shannon Gregory
U.S. Marine Corps & National Guard
'18 MBA, Executive MBA Program
During his 25-year military career, Shannon Gregory has served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the National Guard and was deployed overseas five times in 15 different countries. Gregory now works as the Chief of Flight Operations at the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
Katie and Colin Robertson
Officers in the U.S. Army
'19 MBA, Full-Time MBA Program
Katie and Colin Robertson both had fathers who were in the military, which gave the couple a “sense of service.” The Robertsons spent 10 years as officers in the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning two Bronze Stars apiece for distinguished service.
Jack Schneeman
Minnesota National Guard
'19 MBA, Part-Time MBA Program
Jack Schneeman is currently serving an active duty tour in East Africa. That doesn’t mean he’s stepped away from Phraze, a healthcare company he co-founded while in the part-time MBA program that helps physicians digitize their notes to save valuable time. In 2019, Schneeman and Phraze were named one of the Most Disruptive MBA Startups by Poets & Quants.
Expand your professional network. Join our LinkedIn community.
Supporting your career
The Carlson School’s Graduate Business Career Center has extensive experience working with students like you and have helped them forge successful career paths in the business sector.
We understand the unique challenges you face and singular strengths you bring. So we offer tailored career programming, workshops, and one-on-one coaching to help you effectively translate your skills for a successful civilian career. You’ll be supported every step of the way during your program and for a lifetime after you graduate.
Career services include:
- Individualized coaching with staff with experience guiding vets’ career exploration and preparation
- Networking with organizations like MBA Veterans and Eagle Group of MN and alumni in the Twin Cities and nationwide
- Workshop, self-assessments, and jobs search tools and resources to help you build strong application materials
- Connection to local, national, and global companies with experience hiring vets
And so much more!
Life in the Twin Cities
With the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Join Air Reserve Station nearby, the Twin Cities and nearby counties have veteran services that can help you access support beyond the Carlson School and University of Minnesota campus.
Veteran Services Resources
- Hennepin County Veteran Services
- Ramsey County Veteran Services
- Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (located in the Veterans Service Building in St. Paul)
For Veteran families
- Art Museums & Centers for active duty military installations (interactive map)
New to the Twin Cities?
From a thriving and diverse business community to sports, music, food, the arts—discover all the Minneapolis-St. Paul region has to offer.
Join the community
We are proud to serve you
The University of Minnesota’s support of our military community goes back to the founding of the University in 1869. One of the original nine faculty members was Major General Richard W. Johnson and the University’s first Professor of Military Science. Since then we have grown our military community, especially within graduate programs at the Carlson School. We’re proud to have strong representation, resources, and career outcomes for those who have served our nation.