North Dakota Scholarships

North Dakota high school students now have the opportunity to achieve one of three state scholarships:

• ND Academic Scholarship
• ND Career & Technical Education (CTE) Scholarship
• ND Scholarship

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 701-328-4156 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.  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 = require full time enrollment
• Payment 3 = requires 24 credits, 900 clock-hours, or 1,000 cumulative apprenticeship hours
• Payment 4 = requires 39 credits, 1,462.5 clock-hours , or 1,500 cumulative apprenticeship hours
• Payment 5 = requires 54 credits, 2,025 clock-hours, or 2,000 cumulative apprenticeship hours
• Payment 6 = requires 69 credits, 2,587.5 clock-hours, or 2,500 cumulative apprenticeship hours
• Payment 7 = requires 84 credits, 3,150 clock-hours, or 3,000 cumulative apprenticeship hours
• Payment 8 = requires 99 credits, 3,712.5 clock-hours, or 3,500 cumulative 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.