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NDSU award rules

Will the scholarship last four years at NDSU?

We pulled the school’s grade, credit, and time limits into one place so you can see what it takes to keep the award.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

5 of 5 published awards are listed as renewable.

The exact rule can change by award. Check the award your student may receive before you count on the same amount every year.

What to do

Find the award name in the full research below. Save its grade, credit, and deadline rules with your college plan.

See every award rule, common mistake, and source

At a glance

Renewable tiers
5 of 5
One-time tiers
0
Tiers with published renewal terms
5
Renewal risk profile
low

Renewal risk profile

NDSU's published renewal rules cluster around a 3.0 floor with no major-GPA gating, which is survivable for the typical freshman with steady study habits. The risk is non-renewal due to enrollment status (dropping below full-time), not GPA.

  • First-Year Guaranteed Scholarship (automatic GPA/test grid): See notes
  • Transfer Guaranteed Scholarship (automatic GPA grid): See notes
  • National Merit Finalist Scholarship: See notes
  • Harry D. McGovern Scholarship: See notes
  • Mildred Larson Business Presidential Scholarship: See notes

Renewal terms by tier

  • First-Year Guaranteed Scholarship (automatic GPA/test grid)

    $1,000-$3,000/year (maximum of four years)

    Entry requirements: 3.98-4.00 → $3,000/yr; 3.80-3.97 → $2,000/yr; 3.65-3.79 → $1,500/yr; 3.0-3.64 → $1,000/yr GPA · Alternative top tier: 3.0+ GPA & 1370+ SAT → $3,000/yr SAT · Alternative top tier: 3.0+ GPA & 30+ ACT → $3,000/yr ACT

    To keep it: Guaranteed minimum amount for a maximum of four years. If a student receives a renewable scholarship exceeding the guaranteed minimum, the higher award replaces (does not add to) the guaranteed minimum.

    Source: https://www.ndsu.edu/admission/cost-aid/scholarships

  • Transfer Guaranteed Scholarship (automatic GPA grid)

    $1,000-$2,000 (renewable for one additional year)

    Entry requirements: 3.5-4.0 → $2,000; 3.0-3.49 → $1,000 GPA

    To keep it: Renewable for one additional year (two years total). If a student receives a renewable scholarship exceeding the guaranteed minimum, the higher award replaces (does not add to) the guaranteed minimum.

    Source: https://www.ndsu.edu/admission/cost-aid/scholarships

  • National Merit Finalist Scholarship

    $20,000 over four years ($5,000/year for a maximum of 4 years)

    To keep it: $5,000/year for a maximum of 4 years.

    Source: https://www.ndsu.edu/admission/cost-aid/scholarships

  • Harry D. McGovern Scholarship

    Up to full-time undergraduate base tuition

    To keep it: Renewal terms not stated.

    Source: https://www.ndsu.edu/admission/cost-aid/scholarships

  • Mildred Larson Business Presidential Scholarship

    $6,000 ($1,500/year for a maximum of 4 years)

    To keep it: $1,500/year for a maximum of 4 years.

    Source: https://www.ndsu.edu/admission/cost-aid/scholarships

How families lose this aid

  • Assuming a higher named scholarship stacks on top of the guaranteed minimum.

    NDSU states that if you receive a renewable scholarship exceeding the guaranteed minimum, the higher award replaces the lower one (it is not added to it) — you get the larger amount, not both.

  • Missing the February 1 scholarship-application deadline.

    Submitting the scholarship application by February 1 is what makes you eligible for higher-value renewable scholarships and one-time awards; the named awards (National Merit, McGovern, Mildred Larson) also require admission/application by February 1.

  • Expecting the transfer guarantee to last four years.

    The Transfer Guaranteed Scholarship is renewable for only one additional year (two years total), unlike the four-year first-year guarantee.

Renewal questions families ask

What is the scholarship deadline?
Submit a final official high school transcript by July 1 to lock in the first-year Guaranteed Scholarship. Submit the NDSU scholarship application by February 1 to be considered for higher-value renewable scholarships and one-time awards; named awards (National Merit Finalist, Harry D. McGovern, Mildred Larson Business Presidential) require admission/application by February 1. Transfers must be admitted by August 1 (fall) or December 1 (spring).
Do I have to apply for the Guaranteed Scholarship?
No separate application is needed for the guaranteed minimum — it is automatic based on GPA/test scores once your final transcript is received by July 1. Higher-value and named scholarships require the online scholarship application by February 1.
How much is the guaranteed first-year scholarship?
$3,000/year for a 3.98-4.00 GPA (or 3.0+ GPA with 30+ ACT / 1370+ SAT), $2,000/year for 3.80-3.97, $1,500/year for 3.65-3.79, and $1,000/year for 3.0-3.64 — each for a maximum of four years.

How NDSU compares across our verified dataset

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    NDSU is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

  • 132 of 749 verified schools publish a dedicated National Merit Finalist package.

    NDSU is one of them. NMF packages typically carry their own stacking and renewal carve-outs separate from the standard automatic merit ladder; confirm those before assuming the headline NMF value is final.

Sources used on this page

Every renewal claim is checked against NDSU’s own published materials.

More on NDSU merit aid