Choosing a College/Career Path

This search tool is a one-stop shop for prospective students and parents who want to search fields of study or find out additional information on any of the 11 institutions of the North Dakota University System.

This site also has information specific to military veterans and their family members studying at one of the ND University System schools.

Free educational and career guidance, planning, and resources to veterans and their dependents who are eligible for a VA education benefit. This is known as GI Bill Chapter 36.

Includes academic and adjustment counseling to help you address issues or barriers that get in the way of your success. Check your eligibility and apply: general eligibility is that you’ll be discharged from active duty within 6 months, or were separated not more than 1 year ago.

SVA's National Academic Advising Center provides personalized advising for transitioning service members, and guidance on maximizing their GI Bill benefits.

Through assessment tools like the Academic + Career Pathway Explorer (APEX), and the “What can I do with this major” resource, students can line up their career and education goals. Success coaches are available to discuss plans and options.

This is a self-paced, online, guided education and career planning tool. Information is grouped into modules according to your school grade level to help you plan methodically.

One tool for comparing this is the Transferology.com website. Before you apply or transfer to a college/university, see how your previous college-level and military training courses, AP or CLEP exams would be accepted for credit at over 400 institutions (including NDSU) across the country.

Create a free Transferology account, plug in the learning experiences you want to check, and see a ranked list of the schools that would accept the most credits for transfer, potentially saving you time and money.

This system is limited, so always check directly with your school(s) of interest for specific questions, especially if they (or the courses you’re searching for) don’t appear in this database.

If you need help tackling the process of applying for college, maximizing your military education benefits or other financial aid, or in deciding if a 2- or 4-year college is right for you, consider enrolling in this free, online course, designed specifically for military veterans deciding if and how they want to start (or return) to college.

The course is self-paced, but does have scheduled course group beginning dates. You'll need to complete Tier 1 before advancing to the other sections of the course. Normally, a person can complete the entire course in about 5 weeks by spending just 3 - 5 hours per week at it.

If you can't commit to the full course, you can just watch clips from the course library on topics related to the college search process. Hear from other veterans that have good advice for you as you begin your search!

A list of VA and non-VA sources that may help you choose a school that's a good fit for you.

Includes the GI Bill Comparison Tool to find schools that meet your needs.

Information on public colleges and universities within Minnesota, application instructions, and available programs of study.

Compare information on MN private schools to determine if one of these is the best option for you.

Use the College Finder tool to find out which schools have the programs and activities you're interested in.

Searchable directory of schools and programs offering online Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees. All schools listed on this website are accredited, with many being CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) accredited.

Online MSW programs are becoming an excellent option for current social workers, or those looking to advance to an LCSW, due to the flexibility of online degrees.

Launching in Fall 2025, earn an Associate in Applied Science degree or Certificate in Aviation Maintenance Technology with NDSCS-Fargo.

Complete FAA Examinations during this program, and be ready to start your career immediately! The aviation industry has more openings than qualified professionals to fill them—secure your future with this career-focused training. Graduates are entering a booming market with impressive starting wages.

Program features hands-on training at an airport hangar on modern equipment, and covers a variety of subjects, including welding, hydraulics, aerodynamics, aircraft drawings, physics, piston and turbine engines, aircraft systems, aircraft structure, electrical and many more.

The John Deere Tech program at NDSCS in Wahpeton, North Dakota blends advanced on-campus learning with supervised, hands-on work experience at sponsoring dealerships.

This focused program takes six semesters (approximately 24 months) to complete and prepares entry-level technicians for John Deere dealerships across North Dakota and the surrounding region. Graduates of the program earn an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.

The NDSCS program has consistently earned a Platinum (highest possible) rating as one of the best of John Deere's 25 training locations, and boasts a 100% job placement rate for 2023-24 graduates with average starting salaries of over $53K.

Contact NDSCS's program manager for more information or to apply.

The Pharmacy Technician program at NDSCS prepares students for a broad range of career options in settings from pharmacies to hospitals.

Complete a Pharmacy Technician certificate or get a full Associate's degree to start working in this high-demand and growing industry.

NDSCS-Fargo and Sanford Health EMS Education at Sanford Ambulance have teamed up to offer two-year degree and certificate options in the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Complete a certificate or get a full Associate's degree in Paramedic Technology, or earn the Emergency Medical Technician certificate. Excellent exam pass rate and job placement rates.

This tool features short video clips highlighting the different types of work done in various careers, the military specialties that are similar, and what kind of college degree, training, experience, skills and personality traits would be helpful for working in that field.

Includes a section showing salary ranges and the job opportunity outlook in your state of choice, and even links to some current job listings if you're ready to apply!

Professional welders are in demand, highly paid, and needed around the country and world-wide!

Learn skills that prepare you for multiple career path opportunities in the welding industry in a short amount of time through a combination of hands-on welding experience and classroom theory. Locations in Fargo and Bismarck. Approved for GI Bill and National Guard Tuition Assistance acceptance.

This partnership between Caterpillar Inc., Butler Machinery Company, NDSCS-Wahpeton, and Lake Area Technical Institute (Watertown, SD) produces entry-level service technicians for Caterpillar dealerships through a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory instruction, and paid internship with Butler Machinery. Graduates earn an Associate's in Applied Science degree (AAS), and employment may be offered.

ThinkBIG will be divided up into 9 terms. Terms will rotate between classroom instruction at either NDSCS in Wahpeton, ND or LATI in Watertown, SD and a Butler location. During these paid internships, students will earn over $18.22 per hour with a mandatory minimum of 1,280 internship hours.

Become a full stack software engineer in just 32 weeks. This program prepares you for well-paying, entry-level positions to meet the growing demand for software developers right here in ND!

The term "full stack" refers to a software developer's ability to understand, design, and work with software at all layers of the modern web "stack", including both front end (web browser) and back end (server/database) layers.

No software coding experience? No problem! The initial online foundations session teaches everything you need to know to prepare for the classroom portion of the course.

Applying to Emerging Digital Academy is free and always will be, and many options are available to cover the cost of tuition. Although not currently approved for veterans to use their GI Bill benefits, EDA does offer veteran tuition discounts and very flexible financing options. Industry-sponsored scholarships may also be available.

Certification and re-certification training for various types of crane operation, as well as signal person/rigger qualification.

Commercial Driver's License (CDL) classes available.

Some options are eligible for use of GI Bill benefits; contact them for details.

MSSA is a full-time, 17-week technical training program leading to in-demand careers in cloud development, cloud administration, cybersecurity operations, and related fields. Our proven training model incorporates live instruction, hands-on virtual labs, real-life application scenarios, and opportunities to obtain industry-recognized certifications to prepare our participants for rewarding tech jobs in any industry.

Available to military veterans and retirees, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve members, and military service members of US or UK MoD forces within six months of separation or retirement. There is no cost for this training for accepted military applicants! To be a good fit for MSSA, check your eligibility before applying.

Skill Cutz Barber College in Fargo, North Dakota offers a 1500-hour Master Barber Course that prepares students to take the state board exam and upon passing, receive their North Dakota barber license. Students learn through hands-on experience and classroom theory.

The course normally requires 10 months to complete, and is approved for use of GI Bill military education benefits, either through VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (if eligible), or as a non-college degree program. For those without remaining benefit eligibility, financing of tuition costs can be arranged. The course is open-enrollment, and students can start on any Tuesday throughout the year!