Tuition
NDCDE sets its course pricing for each biennium following the legislative session. The tuition schedule for 25-27 is as follows (click here to download a handout with this information):
| Standard* | NDSOS Discount** | Out of State (OS) | NDSU Dual Credit | ASU Dual Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid by ND homeschool families and ND private and public schools, unless eligible for an NDSOS discount**. | Must be a current member of North Dakota Small Organized Schools (NDSOS). Member districts with fewer than 3,500 students pay $229 per eligible course. Member districts with 3,500 students or more pay $244 per eligible course. Discounted pricing is intended to reduce access barriers. | Paid by out-of-state families and schools. | NDUS Rate | All courses are developed and taught by Arizona State University faculty. |
| Subsidizes CDE revenue. | Courses are taught by NDSU faculty, using NDSU’s curriculum with a focus on agriculture and engineering. NDCDE awards high school credit. | Courses are purchased through the NDCDE store, and NDCDE awards high school credit upon completion. | ||
| Standard rate across all K-12 classes, except AG, EmpowerU, & certifications. | Price break intended to reduce access barriers. | Standard OS rate across all K-12 classes, except AG, EmpowerU, and certifications. |
| EmpowerU | CertX Discounts | Military Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Courses are taught by an EmpowerU counselor; courses are purchased through the NDCDE store, and NDCDE awards high school credit upon completion. | North Dakota students are eligible to receive this discount on many of NDCDE CertX courses. | Through a legislative appropriation, any North Dakota student may take NDCDE Military Preparation Program courses for $20 each. Out-of-state students pay our standard out-of state rate. |
| Visit our store to find eligible courses: https://tinyurl.com/yc4ur6py |
*Almost all courses are priced using this schedule unless otherwise indicated in our store due to the unique nature of the course. For example, certain CTE courses leading to certification follow different pricing, as do specially discounted courses (cybersecurity) and dual credit courses.
**Current NDSOS member districts with fewer than 3,500 students receive the $229 rate; current member districts with 3,500 students or more receive the $244 rate. To learn more about NDSOS membership, visit: https://www.ndsos.k12.nd.us/
Long-Term Extensions & Retakes
NDCDE charges the original course cost for retakes and long-term extensions. For more information on them, please see our Course Length policy.
The district decides whether it will pay for a retake of a failed NDCDE course. Local policy governs payment for holds and extensions. NDCDE charges remain subject to NDCDE’s published fee and refund policies.
Course Materials
Except for some dual credit courses, NDCDE students do not need to purchase textbooks to take our courses. Some courses require students to purchase materials and supplies, and each course syllabus provides this information.
For district-paid courses, responsibility for supplies and materials is determined by district policy. DPI’s best-practice split is that families provide items ordinarily used at home, while districts provide items ordinarily supplied for in-person instruction.
Fees
NDCDE assesses fees for diplomas, course extensions, and transcripts (issued by Parchment). Information on these fees is available by clicking on the corresponding links.
Who is Responsible for Paying for NDCDE Courses?
This responsibility varies based on a student's current enrollment status and state of residence.
- North Dakota students enrolled in a public school: North Dakota public school students seeking district payment must submit the district-paid NDCDE course application. The district must approve and pay when the course is not offered locally; a scheduling conflict prevents local enrollment; the student previously failed the local course and no other teacher is available; or the course is needed for Graduation and/or Choice Ready requirements and on-time graduation. The district may approve other compelling requests and decides whether to pay for retakes of failed NDCDE courses. The district enrolls approved students. North Dakota school districts are not responsible for the course costs of Dual Credit courses. To learn more, see the ND DPI guidance.
NOTE: Students wishing to take an NDCDE course that is district paid, much complete the NDCDE Virtual Course Enrollment Application BEFORE enrolling.
If you have any questions about the District Appeal Process, refer to DPI's Virtual Education Options in North Dakota page. - Homeschooled students: Homeschooled students may self-pay or may take NDCDE courses through a school district. When taken through the school, the district may receive proportionate state payment up to the equivalent of one full state aid payment, and the student is subject to the district’s virtual-instruction rules.
- Out-of-state students: The student, parent, or the student's enrolled school may pay the cost of NDCDE courses. We encourage parents to consult their school to determine if it covers the cost of online courses through NDCDE. NDCDE charges out-of-state pricing to all non-North Dakota students regardless of who pays, except for military students covered by NDCC 15.1-07-37.
Methods of Payment
Billed invoices for schools and other approved accounts can be paid with check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Please make payments payable to the ND Center for Distance Education (NDCDE).
PLEASE NOTE
A $25 fee will be charged on any returned check. Never send cash. Individuals purchasing their own courses (e.g. parents, students) must pay for them with a credit card at the time of purchase.
Refunds
All refund requests must be pre-approved by NDCDE within 10 business days of the original course enrollment date. All courses dropped within 24 hours of the original enrollment date will receive a full refund. All courses dropped after 24 hours but within 10 business days of the original enrollment date will be refunded minus a $20 processing fee, with the exception of all courses that included materials shipped to the student. The course materials must be returned to NDCDE within 30 days of the date the course was dropped. If the course materials are not returned, the market cost will be billed and invoiced to the party responsible for payment. Upon receiving all course materials for the dropped courses, the NDCDE invoice will be voided, and the remaining amount will be refunded. If you wish to drop a course, please complete an Enrollment Drop Request form, found here on our website.
PLEASE NOTE
All courses dropped after the first 10 business days will receive no refund.
Shipping
Orders (online courses requiring textbooks and/or kits) are usually filled within three business days of receipt. All orders are shipped using USPS. Please include your street address and/or PO Box number on the enrollment form.