Early Entry - College in High School
Take courses at NDSU while you complete your high-school diploma. In early-entry courses you earn college credit for classes you take. Many courses apply to the general education requirements and/or specific degree requirements.
The online format of these courses opens up the benefits of early entry to students from anywhere, removing scheduling and travel barriers. You may also choose to take any of our 100 & 200-level face-to-face or traditional classroom courses if you are near campus or have time in your schedule to drive to campus.
Whatever your reason for taking these courses, we applaud your ambition and want to see you succeed. This program thrives on seeing students continually finding the joy in learning.
NDSU Early-Entry Eligibility
To be eligible for this program, you:
- Should be a junior or senior in high school. Some sophomores are also eligible.
- Should have earned a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
- Do not need to have a high-school diploma.
- Can be from any public, private, or home school whether or not you plan to attend NDSU for your full degree.
- Can be from any state or country.
If you are already taking advanced placement (AP), dual credit, PSEO or gifted and talented classes you are likely an excellent candidate for early entry. These are not the only indicators of success as an early-entry student since not all public and private schools have the same resources available to students. Students who attend homeschool and meet the GPA requirement are also welcome to take these courses. Early-entry courses can be taken in combination with all of your other high-school and college in high-school coursework.
Academic readiness is one of the most important factors in deciding if this program is for you. If you are unsure about your academic readiness, your high-school counselor or teachers can help you determine whether you are a good candidate to participate in a college in high school class. You may also contact Continued Learning with any questions about your readiness for taking these courses. We want to see you succeed in your college education, so we will only recommend taking early-entry courses if we feel you are adequately prepared to be successful.
Difference Between Early Entry, Dual-Credit, and Early Admission
The Early-Entry Program is different from early admission status. Early admission is primarily used for high-school students as conditional acceptance into a specific degree program. Early entry is also different from dual credit in that you do not earn high-school credit for these courses unless you seek permission from your high school or home school. Be sure to mark "Early Entry" on your admission application.
Ask your school about bringing NDSU Dual-Credit Classes to your school to supplement the courses already being offered by Valley City State and NDSCS.
Benefits of Early Entry:
You will find there are many benefits to taking an early-entry course, such as:
Growth in Areas of Interest
An opportunity to study a subject you are passionate about at a higher level.
Continued Challenge
Find increased levels of challenge in subject areas you excel.
Discounted Tuition
A substantial savings on your education. The more classes you take, the more you save!
A Head Start on General Education Courses
Get some high-demand general education courses out of the way before you get to campus.
Support From Your Existing Systems
Get used to higher education in a familiar environment with your existing support systems readily available to you.
Time To Focus
Freeing up time in your future college schedule allows you to focus on classes that demand more of your time (e.g. internships).
Efficient Schedule Planning
Planning your courses efficiently frees up extra space in your future college schedule for a double major, to graduate early, or stay on track to graduate on time.
Having Systems Set Up
Having all of your campus systems (e.g. email, Blackboard) set-up before you get to campus, allows you to focus on making friends and adjusting to campus life.
Making Connections
Getting to know some instructors and support staff before you get to campus gives you a friendly starting point when question arise.
Earning Dual Credit
With approval from your school administrators, you can earn dual credit for these courses.
Early-Entry Postcard
As an educator you may be looking for ways for your students to find new challenge and to help grow their passion in a particular subject. If your student is finding their course options are limited in a specific subject area, help them find an early-entry course that can keep them moving forward. Distribute this postcard to any student, parent, or school district who is interested in this program.
Affordable Tuition
Tuition for early-entry courses will be charged at the following rates. If you check your tuition balance you will notice initially that full tuition is charged. Approximately two weeks after enrollment a tuition waiver will be applied to your account which will bring your tuition cost to what is listed here.
Please wait a few weeks until your tuition reflects this dollar amount. If you do not see that tuition update, contact us at ndsu.otl@ndsu.edu.
Select the tab that best applies to your situation.
North Dakota
This tuition information applies to all eligible North Dakota residents and North Dakota military families. NDSU is committed to an affordable, accessible college experience. Early-entry students will receive our Early-Entry Waiver which brings the cost of tuition down to the following rate per credit.
$154.36 = Tuition
$5.50 = ConnectND Fee
$.04 = NDSA Fee
$159.90 = Total
Cost by Number of Credits
- 1 Credit = $159.90
- 2 Credits = $319.80
- 3 Credits = $479.70
- 4 Credits = $639.60
- 5 Credits = $799.50
- 6 Credits = $959.40
Minnesota, Contiguous, & Alumni Dependents
This tuition information is for all eligible students from Minnesota, Montana, and South Dakota as well as those who are dependents of an NDSU Alumni residing in any state. NDSU is committed to an affordable, accessible college experience. Early-entry students will receive our Early-Entry Waiver which brings the cost of tuition down to the following rate per credit.
$167.34 = Tuition
$5.50 = ConnectND Fee
$.04 = NDSA Fee
$172.88 = Total
Cost by Number of Credits
- 1 Credit = $172.88
- 2 Credits = $345.76
- 3 Credits = $518.64
- 4 Credits = $691.52
- 5 Credits = $864.44
- 6 Credits = $1,037.28
US Non-Resident, WUE, MSEP
This tuition information is for eligible students who live in the United States. and are a resident of any other state (not listed in other categories) and/or participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP). NDSU is committed to an affordable, accessible college experience. Early-entry students will receive our Early-Entry Waiver which brings the cost of tuition down to the following rate per credit.
$179.69 = Tuition
$5.50 = ConnectND Fee
$.04 = NDSA Fee
$185.23 = Total
Cost by Number of Credits
- 1 Credit = $185.23
- 2 Credits = $370.46
- 3 Credits = $555.69
- 4 Credits = $740.92
- 5 Credits = $926.15
- 6 Credits = $1,111.38
International
This tuition information is for eligible students who are residents of all other countries, which are considered international students. NDSU is committed to an affordable, accessible college experience. Early-entry students will receive our Early-Entry Waiver which brings the cost of tuition down to the following rate per credit.
$179.69 = Tuition
$5.50 = ConnectND Fee
$.04 = NDSA Fee
$185.23 = Total
Cost by Number of Credits
- 1 Credit = $185.23
- 2 Credits = $370.46
- 3 Credits = $555.69
- 4 Credits = $740.92
- 5 Credits = $926.15
- 6 Credits = $1,111.38
Online Courses by Semester
Most courses are available every year during the semesters they are listed unless otherwise noted. For example, a course listed under the fall semester category would be available every fall semester. Though some classes are offered every other fall semester.
If you are looking for an on-campus early-entry course, you may view a list of all available early-entry courses. In this list the courses labeled 100- and 200-level are eligible for early entry.
The list below is not exhaustive. If you have a question about additional classes, contact ndsu.otl@ndsu.edu.
Early-Entry Courses By Area of Interest
General Education Category List
This list describes what each general education category denotation means. Learn more about general education requirements.
A ………………………….....…………………Humanities and Fine Art
B ……………………….......……….Social and Behavioral Sciences
C ……………………………………………….……………Communication
D ……………………………….…………………………Cultural Diversity
G ………………………………...………….....……Global Perspectives
R ……………………………......…..………….Quantitative Reasoning
S ………………………………..........………Science and Technology
W…………………………....…………..............................……Wellness
L........................................................................Digital Literacy
Student Stories
How To Apply and Register For Courses
We first suggest you speak with your high-school counselor and your parents or guardian to ensure they are aware of your intent to take an early-entry course. Then you should fill out the FREE NDSU Application for Admission. After you have set up your campus services, you will be able to register for your classes using the Campus Connection Software during the open registration timeframe.
Be sure to get your application in early and register for courses as soon as open registration is available for the best selection of classes.
Application Process
Application forms are due approximately one month prior to the start of the semester in which you want to take classes. This allows time for processing of your application. Follow these steps for the early-entry application process at NDSU.
- Go to the NDSU admission application page for early-entry students (dual-credit students use this same form).
- Click “Sign Up” or sign in if you already have an account.
- Complete the FREE application for admission. —Be sure to select "early entry/dual credit" as your admit type.
- You will receive verification of your acceptance to NDSU as an early-entry student.
Notes:
- If you miss taking a class one semester (not including summer) you will need to contact OTL to have your application reactivated.
- When you graduate high school and choose to become a degree seeking student, you must fill out the FREE admission application again. Doing so qualifies you for federal student aid as well as any scholarships available at NDSU.
Course Registration
Before registering for a course you will meet with an early-entry advisor. Your advisor will discuss course options for your intended major or area of study to help you make the best use of your course selections. After your course selection(s) is made, your advisor will register you for that course. You will not need to do anything other than to be sure to meet with your advisor.
For questions regarding the application process, contact:
Office of Admission
1-800-488-NDSU
ndsu.admission@ndsu.edu
For all other early-entry questions, contact:
Office of Teaching and Learning
701-231-7015
ndsu.otl@ndsu.edu