ND Career Builders Scholarship: Odds & Deadline

The ND Career Builders Scholarship pays for training in North Dakota's high-need and emerging occupations through a partnership between the state and employers. A business, association, city, job development authority or other qualifying source contributes matching money, and the state matches it dollar for dollar up to $8,500, for a lifetime maximum of $17,000 per student toward tuition, fees, books and supplies. The program of study and the school must appear on the state's High-Need and Emerging Occupations list. In return, the student must finish the program, live in North Dakota (or, for applicants since August 2025, within 50 miles of its border) and work in an in-demand occupation in the state for at least three years; otherwise the full scholarship, including the employer's share, must be repaid. Students apply in the ND SAMS portal, and the University System then contacts the employer and donor for documentation and funds. Payment is issued only after the match arrives, so a graduating senior should line up an employer sponsor first.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the ND Career Builders Scholarship to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

Odds: not published by the provider
Paperwork: ~4 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to North Dakota residents
Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the ND Career Builders Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of North Dakota
Must attend a college in North Dakota (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to high school seniors
Planning to study Skilled Trades, Health & Medicine, or STEM

Confirm these before applying

Requires matching funds from an employer, donor or other qualifying public source
Program must be on North Dakota's High-Need and Emerging Occupations list
Must live and work in an in-demand North Dakota occupation for 3 years after finishing, or repay

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Secure a sponsoring employer or donor before applying; the state pays only after the matching funds reach NDUS.

Apply in ND SAMS once an employer or donor match is lined up: Any time

Track the next deadline Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the ND Career Builders Scholarship

How much is the ND Career Builders Scholarship worth?

The ND Career Builders Scholarship awards up to $17,000 total ($8,500 state match of an employer or donor contribution) and is renewable in later years.

When is the ND Career Builders Scholarship deadline?

The next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Secure a sponsoring employer or donor before applying; the state pays only after the matching funds reach NDUS.

Who is eligible for the ND Career Builders Scholarship?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of North Dakota; Must attend a college in North Dakota (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors; Planning to study Skilled Trades, Health & Medicine, or STEM.

Does the ND Career Builders Scholarship require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 4 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the ND Career Builders Scholarship?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: open only to North Dakota residents and restricted to specific intended majors. Plan on about 4 hrs of work.

Is the ND Career Builders Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The ND Career Builders Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

ND Career Builders Scholarship