STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

For more detailed information on state financial aid programs contact:

North Dakota University System

10th Floor, State Capitol

600 East Boulevard Ave, Dept. 215

Bismarck, ND 58505-0230

Telephone: 701-328-2960

http://www.ndus.edu/students/paying-for-college/

The following are financial aid programs available to students who are residents of the state of North Dakota.

North Dakota Academic Scholarships

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly created these scholarships to encourage and reward high school students for taking challenging coursework in preparation for attending an accredited North Dakota public, private or tribal college or university.

• Amount : Total possible value is $6,000; $750 per semester. Scholarships are renewable for full-time students who maintain GPAs of 2.75 or higher.
• Who is eligible : Scholarship candidates must be North Dakota high school seniors, have GPAs of 3.0 or higher, complete the required program of study (see high schoolcounselor for details), and earn composite scores of 24 or higher on the ACT. For more information about the scholarships, go to the ACT/WorkKeys and Scholarships area on the DPI website.
• How to apply: ACT or WorkKeys assessments must be taken on or before Feb. 12. Application form is available on the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction website from March 5 to June 7.

North Dakota Career & Technical Education Scholarships

The North Dakota Legislature created these scholarships to encourage and reward high school students for taking challenging coursework in preparation for attending an accredited North Dakota public, private or tribal college or university.

• Amount : Total possible value is $6,000; $750 per semester. Scholarships are renewable for full-time students who maintain a college GPAs of 2.75 or higher.
• Who is eligible : Scholarship candidates must be North Dakota high school seniors, have GPAs of 3.0 or higher, complete the required program of study (see high school counselor for details), and earn composite scores of 24 or higher on the ACT or three 5s on the WorkKeys assessments. For more information about the scholarships, go to the ACT/WorkKeys and Scholarships area on the DPI website.
• How to apply: ACT or WorkKeys assessments must be taken on or before Feb. 12. Application form is posted on the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction website from March 5 to June 7.

North Dakota Indian Scholarships

Based on scholastic ability and financial need, between 150 and 175 scholarships are available to enrolled members of North Dakota Indian tribes.

• Amount : Scholarships range from $800 to $2,000 per academic year. Recipients must maintain GPAs of 2.0 or higher.
• Who is eligible : Applicants must be North Dakota residents and enrolled members of federally recognized Indian tribe. They must be accepted for admission by a North Dakota institution of higher learning or state vocational education program and be enrolled as full-time students.
• How to apply : Download the application form below or request an application from Rhonda Schauer , NDUS coordinator for multicultural education, 701-224-2497

North Dakota Scholars Program

This program provides 55 to 60 merit-based, full-tuition scholarships to North Dakota high school graduates who choose to earn undergraduate degrees in North Dakota.

• Amount : This full-tuition scholarship is renewable for up to three years to any tribal or private college or University System college or university. Scholarships for students who attend private institutions equal the average tuition at a University System research university. Recipients must maintain cumulative GPAs of 3.5.
• Who is eligible : High school juniors who score in the upper fifth percentile of all North Dakota ACT test takers.
• How to apply : Take the ACT Assessment between October and June of the junior year of high school. No separate application is required

North Dakota State Student Incentive Grant Program

Also known as the State Grant Program, this program provides between 7,900 and 8,500 non-repayable grants to first-time undergraduate students who attend North Dakota’s public, private and tribal colleges.

• Amount : North Dakota State Grants range from $800 to $1,500 per academic year. Students may reapply each year.
• Who is eligible : North Dakota high school graduates or GED recipients who meet campus admission requirements and enroll as fulltime students in North Dakota colleges or universities. Programs of study must be for at least one academic year.
• How to apply : Apply with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Deadline for top consideration is March 1

• If I am awarded a state grant, may I accept it online? You may accept the state grant online at www.ndus.edu/state-grant-acceptance

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Occupations Student Loan Program

The STEM Occupations Student Loan Program is intended to reduce student loan indebtedness for North Dakota graduates who work in STEM-related fields in North Dakota.

• Amount : Eligible graduates receive up to $1,500 per year in student loan forgiveness for each year they are employed in North Dakota in an approved occupation. Benefits are capped at $6,000.
• Who is eligible : Recipients include North Dakota college graduates who earned cumulative GPAs of 2.5 or higher and who have been employed in a board-approved STEM occupation for 12 months. Qualified North Dakota teachers who have fulfilled full-time, nine-month contracts in STEM-related teaching fields also are eligible. Loans must have been from the Bank of North Dakota or other participating lender. Recipients may reapply each year for up to 48 months. The number of loan reductions is contingent upon legislative appropriations, so not all qualified applicants are assured funding.
• How to apply: Click on the link below and read through the information provided. At the end of the page, you will find another link for the application materials.

Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program

This program reduces student loan indebtedness for individuals who teach in North Dakota at grade levels and/or in content areas identified as having teacher shortages.

• Amount : Funding recipients are eligible for up to ,000 (maximum of ,000)
  in continued loan forgiveness for each consecutive year they teach in a teacher shortage area.
• Who is eligible : Instructors who teach in North Dakota at a grade level or in a content area identified by the Department of Public Instruction as a teacher shortage area. The number of loan reductions is contingent upon legislative appropriations so not all qualified applicants are assured funding.
• How to apply: Click on the link below and read through the information provided. At the end of the page, you will find another link for the application materials.

Tuition and Fee Reductions

North Dakota University System colleges and universities have the authority to reduce tuition and fees for certain groups.

• Amount : Partial to full reductions in tuition and fees are available.
• Who is eligible : North Dakota National Guard members; surviving dependents of North Dakota military veterans, National Guard members, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel and peace officers who died as a result of injuries received in the line of duty; and University System employees. University System campuses also may offer tuition and fee reductions to create culturally and economically diverse student bodies, to attract graduate students and researchers, and for other purposes consistent with each institution’s mission.
• How to apply : Contact the North Dakota University System campus you plan to attend