North Dakota State University

Welcome to the North Dakota State University Family! At NDSU, we know that the success of your student stems from your active participation and support throughout their college career.

NDSU tries to provide a family structure in a college environment. We help students move onto campus and get settled in their new “home away from home,” host Family Weekend each year, and inform students of all the services that are offered on campus, should they need help. We try to ensure that they are in a safe environment, conducive for receiving a comprehensive education.

This site is directed to answering your questions about all aspects of campus life; from tuition and fees to residential life to dining services and transportation on campus.

Students are not alone in their adjustment to University life. Many families also find the transition a challenge.  

Families of NDSU students can ease this transition by utilizing a few resources for parents.  

Please view our family newsletter entitled Bison Bridges. This newsletter is published in the Fall and Spring of each semester: http://oss.ndsu.edu/bison_bridges/

At NDSU we recognize that our students are adults and their legal rights must be respected. NDSU strictly follows the privacy regulations outlined in the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which regulates a wide-range of privacy related activities. Please review the following information on FERPA:

Notification of Rights Under FERPA

A student is the only one who may order an academic transcript of his or her academic record. Due to FERPA regulations parents cannot request transcripts. Students can find more information about transcript requests on the Bison Connection Website:

Official Transcript Request & Ordering Instructions

Enrollment verification is typically requested for health insurance, visa, employment and credit verification purposes. There is no fee for this service; however, it must be obtained by your student. Enrollment verification documentation can be obtained by your student via the Campus Connection Portal:

Obtaining an Enrollment Verification

Financial Aid Verification

Verification is the confirmation through documentation that the information provided on a student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is correct.

The federal government requires colleges and universities to verify, or confirm, the data reported by your son or daughter or you as their parent(s) on the FAFSA. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the financial aid to which they are entitled and prevents ineligible students from receiving financial aid to which they are not entitled.

Participation in the verification process is not optional. If a student who is selected does not submit the required documentation in a timely manner, the student will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid. If the verified financial information is significantly different from the original information provided on the FAFSA, the aid received will be adjusted accordingly.

If your son or daughter has been selected for Financial Aid Verification, please visit the following website to see what needs to be submitted: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/forms/finaidverify/

How financial aid is applied to charges

As long as your student accepts all aid that is offered, and completes other steps as instructed (these steps are included in a form titled Bison Bits or Bison Bullets, and is sent out along with your student's award notice), it will apply automatically to the student's account, and if there is more aid than charges, the student will receive refund (via check or direct deposit).

My son or daughter is in need  of additional aid - what are our options?

There are waiting lists for certain types of aid - being placed on a waiting list is not a guarantee that the student will receive it. If there are additional funds, waiting lists are evaluated.  Your student can contact Bison Connection for more information about these waiting lists. 

Alternative loans are another option - these are loans outside of FAFSA that require a credit check and co-signer.  A student can borrow an alternative loan up to their student budget, minus other aid.

Why didn't my student receive the same amount of aid at NDSU as they were offered at another institution?

Many times, an institution has limited funding for certain types of aid (e.g. SEOG grant, Perkins loan, Work-Study, etc.).  Some institutions have more funds to award certain types of aid than others.  Also, some institutions implement priority aid deadlines on the FAFSA - this is again because some types of aid have limited funding.  If your student does not complete their FAFSA by that school's priority deadline, the student will not be considered for those types of aid.  All schools that participate in Title IV federal funding will have their deadline dates listed on FAFSA's website: www.fafsa.gov

Could my student's award change?

The university reserves the right to make adjustments to your student's award at any time, based on additional information that becomes available.  This includes (but is not limited to): notification of additional resources such as scholarships and tuition waivers; changes resulting from Verification; changes in enrollment status; Veteran's benefits.

Is there anything that could delay the processing of my student's aid once they have accepted it on Campus Connection?

Yes. Delays will occur if:

• The student is selected for Verification - this process can take several weeks to complete after they submit all the requested documentation.
• If you are a new borrower of a Federal Direct loan, you'll need to sign a Master Promissory Note and complete Entrance Loan Counseling here
• If the student is borrowing a Perkins loans for the first time, and they did not complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN),  Personal Data Form, and Perkins Entrance Loan Counseling.
• If the student is borrowing a Federal Direct Loan and/or Perkins loan for the first time and they did not complete the Federal Direct Loan  and Perkins Combined Entrance Loan Counseling.

How much will it cost for your son or daughter to attend NDSU? Information about NDSU’s tuition and fees can be found by visiting the following website: http://www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/accounts/ This site has a lot of useful information, including information about the NDSU tuition cap which provides a maximum charge for tuition and per credit student fees for students taking more than the capped number of credits per semester.

Your student is responsible for understanding the charges and fees applied to their student account. It is also their responsibility to check their accounts for accuracy and ensure that account balances are paid by their due dates. Due dates for this academic year may be found on the Bison Connection website:

http://www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/dates/

Statements will not be mailed to students currently enrolled in classes. All billing statements are sent electronically to your students NDSU e-mail account. They should check this account regularly.

Payments can be made online, by mail, in person or by setting up a monthly payment plan. For more information about tuition payment information, please visit the following website:

http://www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/accounts/payments/

All first-year students (freshman) attending NDSU are required to live on campus (exceptions are reviewed on a case by case basis). We firmly believe that living on campus  increases student involvement, academic success, and overall satisfaction with the college experience. 

Applying for housing:

Students may apply for housing at any time.  A student does NOT need to be admitted to NDSU prior to submitting a housing application.  Generally, the earlier a student applies, the greater the chance of receiving the first hall choice.

There is a $50 application fee that must be submitted along with the housing application. This application fee is fully refundable if a student cancels his or her contract prior to June 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester.

Housing Contract Dates:

The housing contract is in effect for both fall and spring semesters.  In other words, a student who moves in for the fall semester is expected to remain on campus during the spring semester as well.  Exceptions to this are given for students who will be graduating, participating in a co-op or internship, studying abroad, student teaching, etc.

Housing Assignments:

The assignment process begins in late May or early June for the fall semester.  New freshmen are guaranteed housing, and their assignments are made first.  Assignments for transfer students are made based on available space.

What about my meal plan?

Meal plans are required for first year students and for individuals living in Pavek, Seim, Sevrinson, Thompson, Reed, Johnson, or Weible.  Upperclassmen in other residence halls are eligible to select a meal plan, but not required.

How much does living on campus cost?

Current residence hall rates may be viewed at http://www.ndsu.edu/reslife/residence_hall_rates/

Current apartment rates may be viewed at http://www.ndsu.edu/reslife/apartment_rates/

Need more on campus living information? 

For more information about living on campus, please visit the residence life website: http://www.ndsu.edu/reslife/

While at NDSU your student will have unlimited access to the numerous dining centers on campus when they purchase a campus meal plan. There are two types of meal plans that may be purchased, to learn more about each choice, please visit the dinning services website:

http://www.ndsu.edu/dining_services/meal_plans_2012_2013/

There are also several other dining locations to chose from such as Pizza Express, Hoagie Hutt, Marketplace Grille, International Cuisine , and Taco Bell located in the basement of Memorial Union. There are also several coffee shops located around campus should your student need an extra boost. To learn more about all the dining options available to your student, please visit the following website:

http://www.ndsu.edu/dining_services/

If your son or daughter has a vehicle on campus, they will need to purchase a parking permit. For more information about parking permits and Parking lot locations, please visit the Facilities Management website:

http://www.ndsu.edu/parking/

If your son or daughter does not have a vehicle on campus or if they wish to save on gas money, they may use the Metropolitan Area Transit (MAT) bus free of charge with their student ID card. The MAT bus system serves the cities of Fargo and Moorhead with limited service to West Fargo and Dilworth. Bus schedules can be found in the bus shelters, the NDSU Memorial Union or online:

www.matbus.com

Student Health Services at NDSU is located in the Wallman Wellness Center and provides student health and education services for enrolled students. To find detailed information about health services available at NDSU, please visit the Wallman Wellness Center Website:                       http://wellness.ndsu.nodak.edu/

The following link includes a campus directory and up-to-date printable campus map.

http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/main/directory/bldg_list.php