North Dakota Scholarships

Beginning with the 2025 graduating seniors, new awards will be issued under the North Dakota Scholarship.  The Academic and CTE Scholarship earners from prior years will be paid their remaining eligibility under those programs.

These scholarships were created to encourage and reward high school students for taking challenging coursework in preparation for attending a college or university within North Dakota.  The scholarships can be used at the accredited state public, private, and tribal institutions or accredited career & technical education schools with a physical presence in the state.  Beginning fall 2023, students enrolled in ND registered apprenticeship programs can also qualify!

Amount and Eligibility Criteria

• The total value is $6,000
• Maximum award amount = $750 per semester, $500 per quarter, or $500 per clock-hour term, or $500 per apprenticeship term.
• Recipients have up to six years following high school graduation to use the scholarship.
• To qualify for a disbursement, recipients must be:
  • Enrolled full time, as defined by the financial aid office at the institution for financial aid purposes.
  • Students in their final term to graduate may still qualify for payment if not enrolled full time.  Contact the NDUS at ndfinaid@ndus.edu to request an override of this one-time exception to full-time enrollment.
  • Maintain the minimum grade point average (GPA), or clock-hour equivalent, requirement of 2.75;
  • Maintain program completion progress requirements of the scholarship (see below).  Completion progress means earning a minimum number of credits or clock hours before qualifying for the next payment.
  • Students enrolled in qualifying ND registered apprenticeship programs must also meet enrollment, GPA, and progress requirements.  Learn more about eligibility for APPRENTICESHIPS online.

Establishing Program Completion Progress

• Payments 1 & 2 = Must be enrolled full time
• Payment 3 = Must hold 24 cumulative credits, 900 clock-hours, or 1,000 apprenticeship hours
• Payment 4 = Must hold 39 cumulative credits, 1,462.5 clock-hours , or 1,500 apprenticeship hours
• Payment 5 = Must hold 54 cumulative credits, 2,025 clock-hours, or 2,000 apprenticeship hours
• Payment 6 = Must hold 69 cumulative credits, 2,587.5 clock-hours, or 2,500 apprenticeship hours
• Payment 7 = Must hold 84 cumulative credits, 3,150 clock-hours, or 3,000 apprenticeship hours
• Payment 8 = Must hold 99 cumulative credits, 3,712.5 clock-hours, or 3,500 apprenticeship hours

How to Apply

In addition to taking the required high school coursework and meeting the required grade point average and testing requirements, an application is required.  High school students complete the application with the ND Department of Public Instruction.  Questions regarding the application can be directed to the Office of School Approval & Opportunity at 701-328-2244.

IMPORTANT:  Awards under the state grant and scholarship programs may not exceed cost of attendance (COA) at your institution.  Institutions will determine if COA is exceeded when other scholarships and grants are taken into consideration.  This includes other federal, institutional, tribal or outside scholarships or grants.  If total COA is exceeded, state aid must be reduced or cancelled for that term of enrollment