Bank of North Dakota Opens Scholarship Contest
The Smart with My Money contest offers two $1,500 college scholarships to North Dakota students who complete free planning courses.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Scholarships
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The Bank of North Dakota has opened the Smart with My Money scholarship contest, awarding two $1,500 scholarships to North Dakota high school juniors and seniors and college students. Scholarships are funded through contributions to College SAVE 529 Plan accounts.
Why it matters
The contest encourages North Dakota students to begin college planning early by rewarding completion of free financial courses. Entries are earned per completed course, giving students a direct incentive to engage with the material.
Each of the two $1,500 scholarships is deposited into a College SAVE 529 Plan account, and each completed eligible course earns one drawing entry. All entries must be submitted by Nov. 30, 2026, and the total pool of participants was not disclosed.
The players
Bank of North Dakota
The Bank of North Dakota is the state-owned public bank of North Dakota, the only state-owned bank in the United States.
The details
Students register for a free account at SmartWithMyMoney.nd.gov and complete college planning courses selected for their age group. Completing one, two, or all three eligible courses earns one entry per course in the drawing.
Timeline
Nov. 1, 2026: Students can register and begin courses for contest entries.
Nov. 30, 2026: Deadline for all contest entries to be submitted.
Roadmap
The contest routes its awards through the College SAVE 529 Plan, a state-sponsored tax-advantaged savings vehicle for education. Using the plan as the prize mechanism ties the scholarship directly to long-term college savings rather than a one-time cash payment.
North Dakota students in high school or college can earn entries toward two $1,500 scholarships by completing free online planning courses. Each completed course adds one drawing entry, so students who finish all three eligible courses improve their odds before the Nov. 30, 2026 deadline.
The takeaway
Students who start college planning early and complete every eligible course maximize their chances in the drawing. Registration is free and entries are due by Nov. 30, 2026.
What happens next
All contest entries must be submitted by Nov. 30, 2026, the contest's stated deadline.
Further reading
Explore more on Scholarships for North Dakota students planning for college costs.
More information
Register and review the rules at the Smart with My Money scholarship contest page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Jamestown Sun.
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