Scholarships for North Dakota Students to Apply for in 2025

About scholarships for North Dakota students

The rising cost of college tuition across the country has caused higher education to become out of reach for many students. Federal student aid is often not enough to cover the exorbitant costs that come with a college degree. Young people across the nation have taken on massive amounts of debt to afford college, and students in North Dakota are no exception.

Thankfully, North Dakota residents can find many scholarship opportunities to support their educational goals. North Dakota scholarships offer one helpful way for students to meet their financial need. There are plenty of scholarships open to students in North Dakota that will allow them to fund their careers.

North Dakota students and student debt

As a result of the climbing cost of attending college, many North Dakota students have had to turn to student loans. In 2021, there were 84,900 student borrowers that lived in North Dakota each with an average student loan debt of $29,446. The state has a total of $2.5 billion in student loan debt belonging to state residents.

Only 10.9% of North Dakota residents have student loan debt which is slightly less than the national average of 12.1%. This growing student debt crisis can stand in the way of students' life goals after they complete their degrees and also challenges high school students as they try to find affordable education.

High schools in North Dakota

There are 194 high schools in North Dakota, made up of 177 public schools and 17 private schools. The graduation rate for all North Dakota high school students is 89%, but the graduation rate for economically disadvantaged students is only 77%, showing a great need for additional resources for underprivileged students.

Colleges in North Dakota

North Dakota offers many opportunities for higher education that local students, as well as students from bordering states, choose to attend. There are 14 public and 15 private colleges in the state. Some of the notable universities in the state include the University of North Dakota Grand Forks and North Dakota State University. Both of these universities are members of the public university system in the state, the North Dakota University System. In total there are 11 campuses included in the North Dakota University System.

During the 2021-2022 academic year the total student population in North Dakota was 51,732, this total is made up of 43,450 undergraduate and 8,208 graduate schools students. The majority of students, 33,978, are enrolled full-time with only 17,680 enrolled part-time.

The average college graduation rate in North Dakota is only 51.04% which lags slightly behind the national average of 60.4%.

North Dakota college demographics

The gender division of students attending North Dakota's colleges is 46.83% male and 53.17% female, a more even gender distribution than many states.

There is not much diversity in North Dakota's student population as 39,669 students are White and only 791 are Asian, 1,587 are Black, and 1,999 are Hispanic. Native American students make up the largest minority group with a total of 2,042 students.

Costs of a college education in North Dakota

Luckily for students in North Dakota, college in North Dakota costs 17.05% less than the national average. Though the cost can still be prohibitive to many students—and this does not seem to be set to change any time soon. Tuition increased 6.63% from the 2018-19 academic year to 2019-20.

With each coming year, higher education becomes more and more out of reach for future students. The average cost of attendance at a public 4-year institution in North Dakota is a staggering $17,449. At a private 4-year institution students can expect to pay an average of $23,702 a year. Some students can try to save themselves money by first attending a public 2-year institution which costs an average of $5,073 a year.

The most expensive school in the state is the University of Jamestown which costs about $31,814 per year. The University of North Dakota is North Dakota's most expensive public university; in-state students pay $19,280 per year. The most expensive 2-year institution is Williston State College where in-state students pay $13,446 per year.

The best scholarships for North Dakota students 

Many scholarships exist for North Dakota students to secure financial assistance as they continue their education. There are scholarships out there for every student. Students can find scholarships in North Dakota no matter if they are incoming freshmen in college or even recent graduates. Some students might find that they can even fund their full tuition with their scholarship earnings.

A great place to find scholarships in North Dakota is on bold.org. Currently, bold.org does not have any North Dakota scholarships specifically looking to award a North Dakota resident, but new scholarships are added each day.

Additional scholarships that students in North Dakota should consider 

There are hundreds of scholarships listed on bold.org that are open to students anywhere in the nation. Students should take advantage of the easy scholarship application process offered by bold.org. Below are 22 scholarships North Dakota students are eligible to apply for.

Scholarships for North Dakota high school students to consider

By applying for scholarships while still enrolled in high school, students can secure financial support for their education early. Many scholarships are specifically aimed at high school students in their senior year, but opportunities exist for students of all grade levels.

1. Best Christian Colleges No-Essay Scholarship
2. Bold Great Books Scholarship
3. Snap Finance Young Women for STEM Scholarship
4. Hulede Collegiate Golf Scholarship
5. Scorenavigator Financial Literacy Scholarship

Scholarships for North Dakota high school seniors to apply for

In addition to the general high school scholarships listed above, graduating seniors can also consider the scholarships below. Scholarships that are limited to a single grade level will have fewer eligible applicants so you'll have an even better chance of winning!

1. Bold Deep Thinking Scholarship
2. Carl’s Music Matters Scholarship
3. Indigenous Women In STEM Scholarship
4. Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship
5. Jake Thomas Williams Memorial Scholarship
6. Scholarship Institute Future Leaders Scholarship

Scholarships for college students in North Dakota to check out

Students enrolled in undergraduate programs can still find ways to pay for their remaining semesters. College students can apply for scholarships while in the process of getting their bachelor's degree or even beyond.

Scholarships for college students are not exclusively for students enrolled in four-year degree programs either. Students in two-year or technical programs can also be awarded. Listed below are 6 scholarships for North Dakota college students.

1. Bold Great Minds Scholarship
2. Electronic Shark Scholarship
3. "$$$ Isn't Everything" Scholarship
4. CollegeXpress Graduate School No-Essay Scholarship
5. Minority/Women in STEM Scholarship
6. Sentant Interdisciplinary Technology Scholarship

Scholarships for international students in North Dakota

Students from abroad who attend university in North Dakota can receive significant financial aid in the form of scholarships. International students can often find it difficult to find resources to meet their financial needs because they are ineligible for state grant programs and other forms of federal aid. However, scholarships offer international students who are pursuing degrees in the US the necessary resources to fund their education.

1. WiseGeek Recent Immigrants Scholarship
2. Carlynn’s No-Essay Coming to America Scholarship
3. Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship
4. Expand Your Horizons Scholarship
5. International Studies Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in North Dakota

How to apply for scholarships in North Dakota

Applying for scholarships is made simple by bold.org. To start, all you need to do is join bold.org and create a free student profile. After you've completed your profile you will gain access to hundreds of scholarships.

Once you find a particular scholarship you would like to apply to, be sure to fully read through the description to ensure you are an eligible applicant. Some scholarships are only open to students who meet certain requirements like having a high cumulative GPA and showing academic promise, so it is important to not waste your time on scholarships you are not qualified for.

Each scholarship is awarded based on its own unique criteria. Some will require applicants to submit a short essay while others require the submission of art pieces or videos. The application requirements will be clearly listed in the scholarship's description. By scrolling to the bottom of the page, applicants can locate the area to upload files or paste their essays.

When can I start applying?

Students must start applying for scholarships as soon as possible in order to save themselves money and future anxiety. Students do not have to already be undergraduate students, they can find scholarships while still in high school.

While it can be a great idea to start applying as early as high school, it's never too late to begin applying. Many scholarships exist that help students who have already graduated to pay off their student loans.

How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?

Each scholarship's eligibility requirements will be listed at the top of the information page. Some scholarships will state that applicants must be of a certain ethnicity, like Hispanic American, while others will be open to a broader range of students.

Before beginning the application process, applicants must carefully read through all of the given information on a scholarship. This will prevent them from spending their time applying for scholarships they are unqualified for.

It's easy to determine if you are eligible for a scholarship when using bold.org. The eligibility requirements will be clearly listed at the top of the page, and if bold.org determines you are ineligible based on your profile information, it will even lock you from taking any further steps to apply.

What do I have to do to apply?

The application requirements for scholarships vary from scholarship to scholarship. Some may have students create works inspired by a particular theme or goal of the donor, while others are easy "no-essay" scholarships where students must only click apply.

Applying to as many scholarships as possible is the best way to maximize scholarship earnings and secure financial aid for your education. Most scholarships require that applicants submit a short essay, so it is a good idea for students to take note of deadlines to ensure they have created the best submission possible.

Are scholarships counted as income?

Generally, scholarships are not counted as income as the award is sent directly to the academic institution you will be attending to cover necessary tuition expenses. If you're not yet in college, bold.org will hold your scholarship awards until you choose which institution you will be attending. However, if money is left over after education expenses are paid then scholarship earnings may be counted as taxable income.