Scholarships for North Dakota Students
Christen Arafeh 
There are more than 25 universities in North Dakota. No matter where you are vying for admissions, there are scholarship opportunities waiting for you
North Dakota Scholarships For College Bound Students
North Dakota isn’t just the Peace Garden State; there are plenty of opportunities for higher education. Though ranking of the state on a national level for public education is fairly low, high school dropout rate is only 7%. Most bachelor’s degrees are obtained in Business, Education, and Science and Engineering Related fields, so if you’re looking to get an education in one of these areas, North Dakota is the state for you!
As far as colleges go in North Dakota, the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, and the University of Jamestown are top-ranked. The University of North Dakota has popular degrees in subjects similar to the state as a whole (e.g. Business, Science, Engineering) and had lots of opportunities to participate in student life through Greek life, clubs, and student government. The in-state tuition hovers around $10,000, which is pretty standard. North Dakota State University is in the city of Fargo, which has a museum home to many Native American artwork and artifacts. The University of Jamestown, on the other hand, is a private institution with a price tag to boot. Compared to the just over $10,000 tuition for the public schools, University of Jamestown has a tuition closer to $23,000. Either way, shaving a few bucks off of your tuition bill is always a good thing. Here are a few scholarships to look over for your upcoming school year:
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 15, 2022 (annually)
Eligibility: Must be a private pilot of any age, currently hold a Private Pilot Certificate, resident of an eligible state (North Dakota along with other states in the Midwest)
Description: This memorial scholarship was made in memory of Bill Cowden, who tragically passed away during an airshow performance in 2014. His wife started this scholarship for “aspiring pilots who lack the financial resources to pursue advanced pilot training will be able to fulfill their dreams in Bill’s memory.” The application includes a professional resume, a letter of recommendation related to aviation skills, and a one-page, typewritten essay about your reasons for pursuing advanced training in aviation.
Amount: Up to $1,100 per semester.
Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Must be a North Dakota resident, graduated from high school in North Dakota OR high school bordering state pursuant to N.D.C.C. ch 15.1-29 OR completed a program of home education in this district OR received a GED from North Dakota, must be pursuing an eligible program at a qualifying North Dakota institution, must be enrolled at least quarter-time
Description: The North Dakota Grant and Scholarship system “provides a non-repayable grant to North Dakota residents who are first-time undergraduate students and who attend qualifying North Dakota public, private or tribal colleges.” The application is completed through the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so make sure that you know the FAFSA application at your specific school to get it in on time!
Amount: $750 per semester or $500 per quarter.
Deadline: June 3, 2022
Eligibility: Must be a North Dakota resident, must be enrolled full time at an accredited university, must be making adequate progress towards degree completion, graduate from a high school in North Dakota, or from a public high school in a bordering state according to provisions set forth in ND Century Code 15.1-29, or from a nonpublic high school in a bordering state while residing with a custodial parent in this state, must meet specific class requirements for either academic or career and education scholarship (English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, foreign languages, etc.)
Description: You can apply for the North Dakota Academic Scholarship and/ or the ND Career and Technical Education Scholarship. The website lists a variety of state universities, private colleges, and two-year colleges that are eligible for the scholarships. The online application is open for high schoolers who are graduating in the class of 2021.
Amount: $2,500 per year (up to 4 years).
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Eligibility: Must be in pursuit of eligible degree (Business, Economics, Finance, Mathematics, Technology, Supply Chain, Information Systems, Communications, Computer and Information Sciences, Construction Management, Construction Trades, Marketing, Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Agriculture), Students must be accepted as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited four-year college/university, or a current college student, must reside in eligible state (including North Dakota), have a GPA of at least 3.0, must be an enrolled citizen or a descendent of an enrolled citizen of a federal or state recognized American Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Village/ Native Hawaiian or decedent from a Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander or decedent from Pacific Islander/ Indigenous person of Canada, current AISES member.
Description: This scholarship is provided by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. You must create an application profile through their online platform. There’s a screening process to see exactly what scholarships you’re eligible for. During Stage 2, you must submit a resume, your most recent academic transcripts, your enrollment documentation that shows you’re part of one of the groups listed above, a letter of recommendation, and three essays of up to 500 words each.
Are you feeling stressed about applying to a bunch of different scholarships with no guarantee that you’ll be awarded any of them? Every college student feels that stress at some point, whether you’re in the Midwest or across the country. Luckily, there are online resources to help alleviate that stress a bit! Rather than searching through scholarship websites and catalogues for scholarships specific to North Dakota students, invest in the 5 Day Scholarship Accelerator! This site is invaluable in making your scholarship search more efficient, profitable, and generally more stress-free. Experts advise you on what scholarship committees are looking for; videos walk you through the process of gathering materials and searching for dozens of scholarships at a time.
Categories: scholarships, state scholarships
About the Author
Christen is the founder of Hive Education. She is passionate about helping families navigate the college application and admissions processes. She helps students set goals to work towards their own debt-free degrees with her personalized scholarship searches, scholarship courses, and by sharing her scholarship strategies that won her over $900,000 in for her own college education. With four years of experience in higher education, two years working with teens in inner city high schools in New Orleans, and starting her first college consulting company during a pandemic in 2020 she strives to make college accessible for everyone, especially for first generation, low income, and minority students. In her spare time she loves to share her love for books with her daughters. You can find her on Facebook.
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