Guides · State programs · By FastTrack Advising

Dual Credit in North Dakota, explained for parents

Published September 18, 2026

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Dual credit is what North Dakota calls dual enrollment, and it is open to students in grades 10 through 12 with an administrator's written permission and, at most campuses, a 3.0 GPA. Families pay tuition, fees, and books at a reduced rate. Bank of North Dakota assistance covers two courses a year for students on free or reduced lunch.

Who: Grades 10, 11, and 12, under North Dakota Century Code chapter 15.1-25
Entrance bar: Written permission from a high school administrator, and a 3.0 GPA at most campuses
Tuition: The family's. NDSU's 2026-27 rate is $96.27 a credit when a high school teacher delivers the course and $166.07 when the university does
High school credit: Half a unit for a one-semester college course
Help during high school: Bank of North Dakota Dual Credit Assistance, up to two courses a year for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch
Help after high school: The NDUS Dual-Credit Tuition Scholarship, up to $750 toward college in North Dakota

Who pays in North Dakota

The default answer is you. Tuition, fees, and books for a dual credit course are the student's responsibility, at a reduced rate rather than a waiver, which puts North Dakota in a different category from the states that pay the whole bill.

The reduced rate comes in two versions, and the gap between them is large. North Dakota State University and Dakota College at Bottineau both post $96.27 a credit for 2026-27 when a qualified high school teacher delivers the course and that teacher is paid by the high school, and $166.07 a credit when the college supplies and pays the instructor. The same course content can cost a family $289 or $498 for three credits depending on who is standing at the front of the room.

What we tell families in North Dakota is to ask which of the two rates applies before registering, and then to ask whether the district covers any part of it. Neither question is on the course description, both are answered in a sentence, and together they are usually the largest variable in the year's budget.

Getting in

North Dakota Century Code chapter 15.1-25 opens postsecondary enrollment to students in grades 10, 11, and 12. In practice a student needs written permission from a high school administrator, and most campuses want a cumulative 3.0 grade point average.

Campuses set the detail. Bismarck State College takes sophomores, juniors, and seniors at a cumulative 2.0, though at least one partner district holds its own students to a 3.0, and every course still requires the placement scores or prerequisites attached to it. Courses run in the high school classroom, online, by interactive video, or on the BSC campus, and each format has its own add and withdrawal dates.

Credit flows back to the high school as well. A one-semester college course earns half a unit of high school credit, which is worth confirming against the graduation requirement it is meant to fill before the schedule is locked.

Bank of North Dakota Dual Credit Assistance

This is the state's answer for families who cannot carry the tuition. A North Dakota resident who is a sophomore, junior, or senior and qualifies for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program can apply for assistance covering the application fee where one exists, tuition and fees, and books including shipping.

The limits are clear. Assistance covers up to two courses per academic year, and the award is reduced by any waiver or other aid the student already has. A student cannot use it to retake a course they have already taken.

The application needs a signature from a school official, and the superintendent or a designee has to approve the course enrollment. That makes the counselor's office the first stop rather than the bank's website, and it makes the timeline longer than a family expects in August.

The scholarship that pays you back later

North Dakota also rewards dual credit after the fact. A student who completed dual credit coursework in high school and then enrolls at a North Dakota institution can apply for the NDUS Dual-Credit Tuition Scholarship, worth up to $750.

The cap has two parts. The award cannot exceed half of what the dual credit coursework cost, and it is limited to the tuition and fees for the term it applies to. Payment goes to the student's institution in the term after the application, and the scholarship can be used at a North Dakota public, private, tribal, or proprietary institution.

For a family paying $96.27 a credit, that is a meaningful share of one course coming back. It is also easy to forget in the middle of a first college semester, so put it on the list for the summer after graduation rather than the fall.

Why a small district's course list is short

Since September 1, 2023, a teacher delivering a North Dakota University System course inside a high school has had to hold a master's degree in the teaching discipline or 18 graduate credit hours in it. That is the standard the regional accreditor expects, and it is not negotiable at the district level.

The effect is uneven across the state. A district with a credentialed English teacher can offer college composition at the subsidized rate, and a district without one either pays the unsubsidized rate for a university instructor or offers nothing in that subject. That is worth asking about directly, because the answer explains most of what is and is not on your school's list.

Building a year of credit, at these prices

Because the family pays, sequence matters more here than in a waiver state. Thirty credits at the $96.27 subsidized rate is $2,888 before books, and at the unsubsidized rate it is $4,982. That difference is worth a conversation with the principal about which courses the school can staff.

The workable plan for most families combines the three pieces. Take the subsidized sections where they exist, use Bank of North Dakota assistance for two courses a year if the household qualifies, and file for the tuition scholarship once your teen enrolls in a North Dakota college. Each one alone is modest, and together they cover a real share of a year.

Questions to ask your counselor

Bring these to the first meeting. The answers decide most of the plan.

Which campuses do we partner with, and is each of these courses billed at the subsidized or the unsubsidized rate?
Which of our teachers hold the master's degree or 18 graduate credits needed to deliver a college course here?
Does my teen qualify for Bank of North Dakota Dual Credit Assistance, and who signs the school's part of the form?
What is the total for this course once tuition, fees, and the textbook are added?
How many high school units does this course earn, and toward which graduation requirement?
If my teen wants a full year of college credit by graduation, what does that cost at this campus's rate?

Frequently asked

Is dual credit free in North Dakota?

No. Tuition, fees, and books are the family's, at a reduced rate. Bank of North Dakota Dual Credit Assistance covers up to two courses a year for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and some districts pay part of the cost.

What GPA do you need for dual credit in North Dakota?

Most campuses ask for a cumulative 3.0, along with written permission from a high school administrator. Bismarck State College admits students at a 2.0 cumulative, though a partner district can hold its own students to a higher line. Check the campus awarding the credit.

Can a sophomore take dual credit in North Dakota?

Yes. Century Code chapter 15.1-25 opens postsecondary enrollment to grades 10 through 12, and Bank of North Dakota assistance is available to sophomores as well as juniors and seniors.

How much is the North Dakota Dual-Credit Tuition Scholarship?

Up to $750, capped at half of what the dual credit coursework cost and at the tuition and fees for the term. It is paid to a North Dakota institution in the term after the application, and it can be used at public, private, tribal, or proprietary colleges in the state.

Why do two students pay different amounts for the same dual credit course?

Because of who teaches it. When a qualified high school teacher paid by the school delivers the course, NDSU and Dakota College at Bottineau charge $96.27 a credit for 2026-27. When the college supplies the instructor, the rate is $166.07.

Does a dual credit course count toward high school graduation in North Dakota?

Yes. A one-semester college course earns half a unit of high school credit. Confirm with the counselor which graduation requirement that half unit fills before the schedule is set.

Sources

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Dual Credit · grades served, the permission and 3.0 GPA rule, who pays, the half unit, and the teacher credential date
North Dakota Century Code, chapter 15.1-25, Postsecondary Enrollment · the statutory chapter behind dual credit enrollment
Bank of North Dakota, Earn College Credits During High School · Dual Credit Assistance eligibility, the two-course annual limit, and what it pays for
North Dakota State University, Dual Credit · the 2026-27 subsidized and unsubsidized per-credit rates and the fees inside them
Dakota College at Bottineau, College Credit in High School · the same two rates and what the subsidy depends on
Dakota College at Bottineau, New Scholarship Available to ND Students · the Dual-Credit Tuition Scholarship, the $750 ceiling, the 50 percent cap, and where it can be used
Bismarck State College, College Credit in High School · grades served, the 2.0 GPA, delivery formats, and term deadlines

Rules change. These were checked September 2026. Confirm the current version with your school before you act on any of it.

About FastTrack Advising

FastTrack Advising. FastTrack Advising works on dual enrollment and nothing else. We help families choose college courses a high schooler can take now that will still count toward the degree later, we check every course against the transfer rules of the colleges they name, and we stay in the picture through registration so the plan gets used. When the answer for a student is to wait a term, we say that too.

Other state programs

All state programs

PSEO (Minnesota) Free tuition, books, and required fees for 10th through 12th graders, with a May 30 notice deadline that many families miss.
Running Start (Washington) Tuition-free college courses for juniors and seniors at Washington's community and technical colleges and a few universities. Families still pay fees and books, and the student gets to campus on their own.
College Credit Plus (Ohio) Open to 7th through 12th graders, free at Ohio public colleges for public school students, with an April 1 letter of intent and a 30-credit annual cap.
Dual credit (Texas) Each college sets its rate and each district decides how much to cover. Students who qualified for free or reduced lunch in the last five years pay nothing at colleges in the FAST program.
Dual enrollment (Florida) Tuition-free by state law, with a 3.0 unweighted GPA and a qualifying PERT, SAT, or ACT score to get in. Public school students get textbooks covered too.
Dual enrollment (California) Community college courses for 9th through 12th graders through a district partnership called CCAP, with no enrollment fees and no textbook costs, capped at 15 units a term.
Dual Enrollment (Georgia) State funding covers tuition, fees, and books for 30 semester hours, mostly for juniors and seniors. After 30 hours the family pays the college's rate, and ninth graders are outside the program entirely.
Career & College Promise (North Carolina) Tuition paid by the state at community colleges for juniors and seniors with a 2.8 unweighted GPA. Whether the district covers fees and books, and who drives, varies by district.
Concurrent Enrollment (Colorado) Open to 9th through 12th graders with an approved academic plan. The district pays tuition at the community college rate; books and fees are usually the family's, and so is getting to campus.
Dual credit (Illinois) Governed by the Dual Credit Quality Act and a model agreement between each district and college. Whether your teen pays depends on that agreement.
Early College Credit and Start College Now (Wisconsin) Two programs, one for the technical colleges and one for universities, both for juniors and seniors. The district pays most or all of the tuition, and applications are due March 1 for fall and October 1 for spring.
Dual credit (Indiana) Every Indiana high school has to offer dual credit. Priority courses at public colleges cost at most $25 a credit hour, and nothing for students on free or reduced lunch.
Dual enrollment (Michigan) Grades 9 through 12, for courses the high school doesn't offer. The district pays tuition up to a state-set share; anything above it, plus books, is yours. Ten courses across high school.
Dual Enrollment (Alabama) Rising 10th through 12th graders with a 2.5 GPA, at $133 a credit hour plus fees, with a state scholarship that covers some courses when the legislature funds it. No credit cap at all.
Dual Enrollment (Tennessee) The lottery-funded Dual Enrollment Grant pays up to $620.55 for each of the first five courses, then much less. One June 30 application covers the whole academic year.
Dual enrollment (Pennsylvania) Every school entity has to hold at least one dual credit agreement, and none of them has to pay for the courses. The agreement states the cost, and published rates run from $83.50 to $230 a credit.
Dual enrollment (Virginia) Juniors and seniors at the community colleges. Courses on a College and Career Ready Virginia pathway cost the family nothing, and courses outside it are billed at the college rate.
Dual enrollment (Arizona) A community college course taught inside the high school during the school day. Concurrent enrollment is the separate arrangement where the student goes to the college. Price is set district by district.
Dual enrollment (South Carolina) College courses through the state's 16 technical colleges, priced by each college and district, with Lottery Tuition Assistance covering part of the tuition once a student carries six credit hours in a term.
Dual enrollment (Louisiana) A Board of Regents floor for eligibility, four ways to clear it, and a bill the district assembles out of state and federal funds. TOPS Tech Early Start covers career courses for juniors and seniors.
Dual enrollment (Maryland) The Blueprint moved the bill off families for students who meet the College and Career Readiness Standard, and set a floor of two covered courses each fall and spring. Counties add their own terms on top.
Concurrent Enrollment (Utah) College courses for $5 a credit hour, taught mostly inside the high school by a college-approved teacher. Each college sets its own admission bar, and books are still yours.
Concurrent Enrollment (Oklahoma) Juniors and seniors get tuition waived by the State Regents, 18 credit hours a year for seniors and 9 for juniors. Fees and books stay with the family, and each college sets its own entrance bar.
Dual enrollment (New York) No single statewide program. CUNY's College Now is free for New York City public school students, SUNY campuses price their own, and a new state rule makes districts file their partnership agreements in 2026.
Dual enrollment (Massachusetts) Two state programs. CDEP waives tuition and fees at public campuses for eligible high schoolers, mostly in the spring, and designated Early College builds the courses into the school day at no cost.
Concurrent Enrollment (Iowa) College courses run through a district contract with a community college, at no tuition cost to the family. Iowa also runs PSEO, and the two programs treat a failed course differently.
Concurrent Credit (Arkansas) State policy bars a college from billing the family for tuition, fees, or materials on a concurrent credit course. A 2025 scholarship replaced the old Concurrent Challenge grant and pays $65 a credit hour.
Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit (Mississippi) Mississippi separates the two terms in statute. Dual enrollment earns college credit only; dual credit earns high school credit too, and the distinction decides whether the course helps your teen graduate.
Dual Enrollment (Nebraska) Nebraska has no single statewide program, so the price depends on which college your high school partners with. The ACE scholarship covers tuition and mandatory fees for students who qualify on income.
Dual Credit (New Mexico) A statewide program where the college charges no tuition and the school district buys the books. Families pay special course fees and transportation, and the guidance is two courses a semester until graduation requirements are done.
Early College (Maine) Maine pays college tuition for high schoolers through the Aspirations Program, and the class of 2027 forward gets 18 tuition-free credits for the whole of high school.
Dual and Concurrent Enrollment (New Hampshire) The state and the community colleges cover two courses a year for students in grades 10 through 12, and most of those courses are taught inside the high school.
Dual Enrollment (Vermont) Two vouchers, each covering tuition on a college course of up to four credits, for any Vermont student who has finished grade 10, including home study students.
Dual credit (West Virginia) A state-funded pilot pays tuition and academic fees for courses on approved career pathways, for public, private, charter, microschool, learning pod, and homeschool students alike.
Dual enrollment (Delaware) No statewide program makes it free. State regulation puts the policy on every district and charter, bars turning a student away over money, and most courses run through Delaware Tech.
Dual enrollment (New Jersey) No statewide free tuition. Public colleges must sign dual enrollment agreements and districts choose whether to join, so the price and the eligibility rules come from your own county college.
Dual enrollment (Connecticut) A board policy rather than a statute sets the rules. Concurrent credit courses are capped at $50 a credit, CT State covers two courses a semester for qualifying juniors and seniors, and UConn ECE has run since 1955.
Accelerated learning (Oregon) Oregon calls the whole category accelerated learning. Dual credit at the high school is free or close to it at most community colleges, and Expanded Options moves a junior or senior onto a campus at no charge to the student.
Dual enrollment (Nevada) No statewide free tuition. Districts sign cooperative agreements with NSHE colleges and each agreement names who pays, so the price runs from $25 a credit at the high school to $154 on a university campus.
Concurrent enrollment (Kansas) Concurrent enrollment means the college course is taught at the high school, and it is not free by default. Excel in CTE pays tuition for approved technical courses, and a district board may cover the rest if it chooses to.
Dual Credit (Kentucky) A $99 ceiling on what a college may charge a high school student, and a state scholarship that pays that rate for one general education course a year.
Dual Credit (Missouri) Missouri draws a line between dual credit and dual enrollment based on who teaches, and the price and the GPA tier both follow from that.
Dual Credit (Idaho) Every Idaho public school student gets $4,625 to spend on college credit between grades 7 and 12, and the fund pays $75 a credit, which is what colleges charge.
Dual Credit (South Dakota) Juniors and seniors split a deeply reduced tuition rate with the state, at $80.37 a credit hour, under a statute with a hard rule about what happens if a course goes badly.
Dual and Concurrent Enrollment (Rhode Island) A state fund covers tuition and fees for part-time college courses at the three public institutions, and the statute behind it caps that fund at whatever the budget appropriates each year.
Early College and Running Start (Hawaii) Two programs run off one statute that never says who pays. Early College comes to the high school and the school usually covers it; Running Start puts the student on a UH campus at that campus’s published rate.
Dual Enrollment (Alaska) No state program and no state money behind it. What a college course costs an Alaska family depends on which University of Alaska campus offers it and whether the school district signed an agreement.
Dual Enrollment (Montana) The first two courses or six credits carry no tuition anywhere in the Montana University System, fees are waived, and everything after that costs half of resident two-year tuition, around $60 a credit.
Dual and Concurrent Enrollment (Wyoming) State law bars a college from charging a participating student for textbooks, materials, student services, or any other fee, and from 2026-27 the state starts reimbursing districts for what it costs them.

Planning Dual Credit for your teen?

Save this page and the state's deadlines show up on your own My FastTrack page, next to the tools. Which courses to take, in which order, so the credits still count at the college your teen ends up at, is the part we do with families.

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