ND educators watching MN’s “free” tuition bill

North Dakota higher education leaders are watching and analyzing the potential impact of Minnesota’s proposed free tuition program.

Tuition at Minnesota’s public colleges would be free to resident whose families earn less than $80,000 annually. The program would only cover tuition and costs after grants and scholarships have been applied.

Minnesota students make up a large percentage of those attending North Dakota’s eleven colleges and universities. A 2022 enrollment report had 2,965 Minnesota residents taking courses at UND and over 5,000 undergrads enrolled at NDSU.

UND President Andrew Armacost says it’s been a topic of discussion among all the university presidents throughout the NDUS system.  “We are of course looking at what potential impacts that might have here…if any.  We want to make sure we articulate the case of the University of North Dakota education and high quality to anyone considering a college degree.”

The so-called “North Star Promise” legislation could be signed into law by Governor Tim Walz next week.