ND Scholars Program 

*NORTH DAKOTA STUDENTS ONLY*

All information can be found here: https://ndus.edu/nd-scholars-program

The ND Scholars Award provides merit-based, full-tuition scholarships to qualifying North Dakota high school graduates who choose to stay in North Dakota to earn a first bachelor’s degree.

Eligibility and Qualifications

• No separate application is required. The scores that NDUS receives from ACT, Inc. (ACT) or College Board (SAT) are used to award this program.

• High school students who score at least a 30 composite score on the ACT or SAT equivalent of all the ND test-takers, who took the ACT or SAT prior to July 1st in the calendar year preceding the individual’s enrollment in college, will be considered for the award.

• Students will be awarded in descending rank order, based on test scores, until available funds are expended or until the pool of applicants has been exhausted.

  • Rank order:

    • First based on highest ACT or SAT Composite score.

    • Second based on the sum of the scale scores.

    • Third based on the sum of English + math.

    • If there is no concordance table from the ACT to the SAT for any ranking component, the SAT score will be zero for that component.

• Funding is limited and therefore, not all students who score 30 or higher for their composite score (SAT equivalent) will receive the award.

  • Approximately 30 new awards per year are issued.

• Students who initially attend an out-of-state institution are not eligible for reinstatement.

Amount of the Award

• The amount of the scholarship is equal to no more than the regular undergraduate tuition rate, which is based on the NDUS Institutional Charges Schedule using 15 credits per semester.  The award will not exceed the highest regular undergraduate tuition rate in the NDUS, or actual tuition charges, whichever is lower, at non-public institutions.

• Scholars may receive the award for no more than eight semesters or twelve quarters of full-time undergraduate enrollment, or until the attainment of a baccalaureate degree, whichever occurs first.

• Students may use the award at the state’s public, tribal, or private institutions, provided the colleges have programs of study of at least 2 years in length.

• ND Scholars may not be awarded above the cost of attendance (COA).

How to Apply

• Take the ACT or SAT Assessment prior to July 1 in the calendar year preceding the student’s full-time enrollment in college.  This means July 1 – June 30 of the JUNIOR year of high school.  Scores outside of this range will not be used for consideration.

• No separate application is needed.

• Students will be notified in their senior year of high school if selected for the award.

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.

If you have questions, please contact the NDUS at ndfinaid@ndus.edu.