North Dakota fears revenue losses as Minnesota offers free college tuition

North Dakota higher education officials are concerned about losing students and revenue in 2024 when Minnesota makes public college and university tuition free for residents.
The North Star Promise program in Minnesota is expected to attract around 15,000 to 20,000 Minnesota students per year, potentially resulting in an $8.4 million loss in tuition and fees for North Dakota in the first year alone.
Approximately 1,400 Minnesota students currently attending North Dakota colleges and universities may be eligible for the new program.
The program's impact is significant for North Dakota institutions, as Minnesota students make up a large portion of the student body at North Dakota State University and other schools.
North Dakota officials are considering their own program in response, but face challenges in the Republican-supermajority Legislature.