LISTEN: North Dakota University System Commissioner Brent Sanford’s conversation with Scott Hennen
NORTH DAKOTA – North Dakota University System President Brent Sanford said a program giving free tuition to Minnesota students isn’t leading to fewer Minnesotans going to public North Dakota colleges and universities.
The North Star Promise, allows Minnesotans to attend colleges and universities in the Minnesota State system, all University of Minnesota campuses and tribal colleges tuition free if their family has an adjusted gross income below $80,000. The program was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz in May 2023.
“There’s already a lot of federal assistance below those income levels and it didn’t make out to be the disaster that was feared,” Sanford said on The Flag.
In November 2023, North Dakota State University unveiled its Tuition Award Program giving Pell Grant-eligible Minnesotans and North Dakotans with family incomes of $80,000 or less free base tuition and student fees covered for their first two years at the school.
Sanford said more Minnesotans enrolled in North Dakota public schools for their freshman year this year than last year. He added some institutions, especially in Eastern North Dakota, have a larger number of Minnesotans enrolled in their first year of college in 2025 than North Dakotans.
