North Dakota Scholars Program: Odds & Deadline

The North Dakota Scholars Program is the state's top merit award: a full-tuition scholarship for North Dakota high school seniors with the highest ACT or SAT scores who stay in the state for college. There is no application. The University System ranks the scores it receives from the testing agencies and awards scholarships from the top down until funds run out, considering students with an ACT composite of 30 or higher, or the SAT equivalent, from tests taken before July 1 of the summer before senior year. Awarding begins in the fall of senior year, and because funding is limited, not every student with a qualifying score is selected. The scholarship equals regular full-time undergraduate tuition at the student's North Dakota institution, capped at the highest resident tuition rate in the system, for up to eight semesters or until a bachelor's degree. Recipients must enroll full time and keep a 3.5 college GPA to renew. It can be used at accredited North Dakota colleges with programs of at least two years.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the North Dakota Scholars Program 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: ~0.5 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 rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score

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 North Dakota Scholars Program?

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
ACT score of 30 or higher

Confirm these before applying

ACT composite of 30 or higher (or SAT equivalent) from a test taken before July 1 preceding senior year
Must attend an accredited North Dakota college full time and keep a 3.5 GPA

Good to know

Not all qualifying students are funded; highest scores first

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 July 1, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual July 1 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open Automatic, from ACT/SAT scores. The qualifying score must come from a test taken by July 1 after junior year; send scores to a North Dakota institution so NDUS receives them.

Last test date counted: ACT or SAT taken before: July 1, 2027 (estimated)
Awards begin: Fall of senior year 2027

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 North Dakota Scholars Program

How much is the North Dakota Scholars Program worth?

The North Dakota Scholars Program awards full resident undergraduate tuition at a North Dakota institution, for up to 8 semesters and is renewable in later years.

When is the North Dakota Scholars Program deadline?

The next projected deadline is July 1, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual July 1 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open Automatic, from ACT/SAT scores. The qualifying score must come from a test taken by July 1 after junior year; send scores to a North Dakota institution so NDUS receives them.

When do North Dakota Scholars Program applications open?

Applications open Automatic, from ACT/SAT scores, and close July 1, 2027 (estimated). The qualifying score must come from a test taken by July 1 after junior year; send scores to a North Dakota institution so NDUS receives them.

Who is eligible for the North Dakota Scholars Program?

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; ACT score of 30 or higher.

Does the North Dakota Scholars Program require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 0.5 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the North Dakota Scholars Program?

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 open to a single grade level only. Plan on about 0.5 hrs of work.

Is the North Dakota Scholars Program free to apply?

Yes. The North Dakota Scholars Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

North Dakota Scholars Program