Northland Community and Technical College, founded in 1949, is a college in Minnesota. Initially situated along the Thief River Falls, it is a 2-year community and technical college with over 80 courses on offer. Over the years, the college has expanded its roots and now has 4 campuses, situated across the state. 

The college is renowned for its affordable and quality education. In fact, the Northland Community and Technical College cost is about a third of what is charged by its peers. And that is not all. Northland Community and Technical College online classes provide students enrolled within the college with a quality education from the comfort of their homes. 

Apart from education, the college is also renowned for its athletics set up. The Northland Community and Technical College Athletics Department is known far and wide for its athletics program. They are some of the best programs available within the state of Minnesota. 

With all of this being said, let us now take a deeper look into everything there is to this college. So without further ado, let us get started.

Campus locations of Northland Community and Technical College–

As of today, Northland Community and Technical College has the following campuses –

  1. East Grand Forks Campus
  2. Thief River Falls Campus
  3. Aerospace Campus
  4. Roseau Satellite Site

Suffice it to say, the college has been rapidly expanding over the years and this expansion is only possible because of the increased demand for their courses offered. The great thing about the courses being offered by the college is that all of them are more focused on preparing the students for the workforce. 

So, when they do end up leaving college after 2 years and complete their degrees, they have a complete idea of what to expect. With easy to market skills and an array of different qualifications, the students are set to grow in the job market. With this being said, let us now take a look at the courses on offer. 

Courses offered –

As touched upon earlier, the college offers more than 80 courses to its students. However, since it is not feasible to list all of them, here is a spark notes version of it –

  1. Accounting
  2. Administrative Assistant
  3. Animal Science
  4. Architectural Technology
  5. Automotive Service Technology
  6. Auto Body Collision Technology
  7. Aviation Maintenance Technology
  8. Business
  9. Carpentry
  10. Computer Network Technology
  11. Construction Electricity
  12. Construction Plumbing
  13. Criminal Justice
  14. Customer Service
  15. Dietetic Technician
  16. Early Childhood and Education
  17. Economics
  18. Electronics Engineering
  19. Farm Operations and Management
  20. Firefighter – Paramedic
  21. Fire Technology
  22. General Agriculture
  23. Health Sciences
  24. History
  25. HVAC
  26. Imagery Analysis
  27. Liberal Arts
  28. Manufacturing
  29. Manufacturing Online
  30. Medical Administrative
  31. Medical Coding
  32. Nursing
  33. Occupational Therapy Assistant
  34. Paramedic
  35. Pharmacy Technology
  36. Phlebotomy
  37. Physical Therapist Assistant
  38. Precision Agriculture
  39. Radiologic Technology
  40. Respiratory Therapist
  41. Sales, Marketing and Management
  42. Sociology
  43. Supervisory Leadership
  44. Surgical Technology
  45. Welding Technology

The aforementioned list encompasses all the programs being offered by the college. All of these courses have their own courses on offer. However, for the most part, this is the broad stroke coverage of all the courses on offer at the college. You can apply for these courses during the –

  1. Fall semester
  2. Spring semester
  3. Summer semester

Athletics

Apart from academics, the college lays a solid emphasis on athletics as well. As a result, the Northland Athletics Department has an open-door policy for all athletes from all over the world. 

As it stands today, it currently offers places in the following sports –

  1. Men’s
  1. Basketball
  2. Baseball
  3. Clay target
  4. Wrestling
  5. Women’s –
  1. Basketball
  2. Clay target
  3. Softball
  4. Wrestling

The whole athletic side of things is currently covered under the Northland Pioneer Athletics program. The program employs some of the best coaching staff available and has inculcated a long-standing tradition of winning.

The whole program is so dominant that it is recognized as one of the best athletic programs out there. And apart from athletics, the staff also actively encourages the students to take part in campus organizations and community outreach programs. As a result, they are able to impart the students with a holistic education both on and off the field. 

Online Courses in Northland Community and Technical College

The people at Northland Community and Technological College understand that not everyone has the time or the means to attend a traditional college. In order to provide those people with quality education and easy access to it, the college has rolled out its online learning program.

Online classes currently encompass the following courses –

  1. Aerospace
  2. Business and Entrepreneurship
  3. Health and Human Services
  4. Liberal Arts and Transfers
  5. Manufacturing

As this whole side of schooling is still developing, these are the courses on offer for now. All of these courses have a number of programs within them that one can enroll in. There are plans to add to the current curriculum whoever this is it for now

As far as education goes, it is on par with its more-traditional counterparts. Any education received through online means will be as useful as the traditional means. 

Accreditation of Northland Community and Technical College

Since the college offers only the first two years of education for a 4-year program and has a whole slew of different programs, the accreditation required is different for all of them. So, here is a quick rundown of all the accredited programs currently being run by the college –

  1. Architectural Technology – Accredited by the Minnesota Department of Administration Building Codes and Standards Division
  2. Automotive Service Technology – Accredited by National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
  3. Aviation Maintenance Technology – Accredited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  4. Construction Electricity – Accredited by Minnesota State Board of Electricity (The student will be credited with one year of journeyman’s license)
  5. Criminal Justice – Accredited by the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training board
  6. Dietetic Technician – Accredited by the Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
  7. Nursing (Associate) – Accredited by the Minnesota Board of Nursing and Commission for Education in Nursing
  8. Nursing (Practical) – Accredited by the Minnesota Board of Nursing and National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA)
  9. Occupational Therapy Assistant – Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
  10. Paramedic – Accredited by MN EMS Regulatory Board
    Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in cooperation with the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions
  11. Pharmacy Technology – Accredited by American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists
  12. Physical Therapist Assistant – Accredited by Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association
  13. Radiologic Technology – Accredited by Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
  14. Respiratory Therapist – Accredited by Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
  15. Surgical Technology – Accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in cooperation with the
    Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting

So as you can see, all the courses on offer at Northland Community and Technical College are properly accredited. And if for some reason you are still not satisfied, then you can find more details about the same on their website. 

Cost of Education 

Now that we have touched upon the courses being offered and their accreditation, let us now take a look at the cost of education at the college. As it stands, the cost of education stands as follows –

  1. Minnesota Residents – 170 USD per credit
  2. North Dakota Residents – 170 USD per credit
  3. South Dakota Residents – 170 USD per credit
  4. Wisconsin Residents – 170 USD per credit
  5. All other states – 170 USD per credit
  6. Manitoba Residents – 170 USD per credit
  7. Canada Residents – 170 USD per credit
  8. International Students – 170 USD per credit
  9. Distance Education Classes – 199 USD per credit

Keep in mind that since there are a number of courses on offer, for a few courses, the tuition rates will be course specific. As it stands, the tuition rates per course for those courses are as follows –

  1. Aviation Maintenance Technology – 204 USD per credit
  2. Commercial Vehicle Operations – 298 USD per credit
  3. Geospatial Intelligence Analysis – 205 USD per credit
  4. Imagery Analysis – 205 USD per credit
  5. Precision Agriculture Equipment Technician – 202 USD per credit
  6. Unmanned Aerial System Maintenance – 309 USD per credit
  7. EMT Basic – 205 USD per credit
  8. Firefighter Paramedic – 205 USD per credit
  9. Fire Technology – 205 USD per credit
  10. Nursing – 205 USD per credit
  11. Nursing Assistant – 205 USD per credit
  12. Occupational Therapy Assistant – 205 USD per credit
  13. Paramedic – 205 USD per credit
  14. Pharmacy Technology – 205 USD per credit
  15. Phlebotomy – 205 USD per credit
  16. Physical Therapist Assistant – 205 USD per credit
  17. Practical Nursing – 205 USD per credit
  18. Radiologic Technology – 205 USD per credit
  19. Respiratory Therapist – 205 USD per credit
  20. Surgical Technology – 205 USD per credit

With that out of the way, a few courses will also have course specific differential tuition rates. As it stands right now, it looks something like this –

  1. CMAE 2212 – 192.61 USD per credit
  2. CRJU 2209 and 2219 – 293.15 USD per credit
  3. NURS 0003 – 70 USD per credit
  4. SURT 2212 – 253.52 USD per credit

So here is a complete breakdown of all the tuition fees involved. Please keep in mind that the fee is subject to change. So if you are someone who is looking to apply, we would strongly recommend that you go and check the updated list on the school website. 

With the tuition fee now out of the way, let us now take a look at the other miscellaneous fees that will be charged by the college –

  1. Application fee – Free
  2. Student life fee – 6.60 USD per credit and a maximum of 112.50 USD per semester
  3. State Student Association fee – 0.35 USD per credit
  4. Technology fee – 10.60 USD per credit
  5. Parking fee – 3.00 USD per credit
  6. Senior Citizen fee – 20.00 USD per credit
  7. Payment Plan fee – 30.00 USD per semester
  8. Late fee – 50.00 USD
  9. FACTS Payment Plan Enrolment fee – 25.00 USD per semester

Now, a lot of these may be sounding ambiguous to you. In order to further shed light upon them, here is a quick explanation for all of the fees being charged.

  1. Student Life fee –

This fee will go towards funding student activities, clubs, organizations, and athletics amongst other things. 

  1. State Student Association Fee –

This fee is being charged as per the guidelines of the Minnesota State Colleges Student Association. This fee will be used to fund activities of the association

  1. Technology Fee –

This fee is being charged in order to further enhance, repair, and acquire technology for academic and student activities. 

  1. Parking Fee –

This fee is charged to aid the construction of new parking lots and for the maintenance and improvements in the older ones. 

  1. Senior Citizen Fee –

This is charged only from people who have turned 60 during their tuition. 

  1. Payment Plan Fee –

This fee is charged only from students who haven’t been able to clear their dues by the 25th business day of the month. Any student who fails to do so will be mandatorily placed in the Payment Plan Program until they are able to come up with a payment plan of their own. 

Miscellaneous costs for distance students will include a 6.60 USD per credit for the Student Life fee only. Apart from that, they will be exempted from Parking fees, etc. The rest of the applicable fees will be applied if the student meets the criteria. 

Northland Scholarships 

Through the Northland Foundation, the college offers scholarships for the fall and spring semesters. There are a number of scholarships on offer through the foundation. Some of the are course specific while others are generally open for everyone. A lot of these scholarships on offer are dependent on student performance and circumstances. 

So if you are someone who is looking to apply for the college and the scholarship, be sure to check your eligibility on the Northland Foundation website. 

Advantages of the Northland

As it stands, Northland Community and Technical College has a whole host of advantages over its peers. For starters, the cost of education is about a third of the cost of education elsewhere. 

Plus, with the easy transfer policy, you won’t be having any trouble in transferring to a state university or college upon completing your two years in Northland. This is all possible because Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are a combined body. So, the curriculum and courses are very easy to transfer. 

On top of this, the 2 years spent in Northland will count towards your 4-year program. So, not only will you be working towards your degree, but you will also be learning a whole new skill set which will hold you in good stead later down the line. 

The cherry on top of all of this is that the college is partnered with a couple of state universities. So, to further streamline the whole transfer process, it currently offers dual admission programs to help facilitate this process. 

So all in all, the college provides affordable and quality education to anyone willing to apply. And since the administration has laid extra emphasis on creating a vibrant and diverse campus, the learning experience for the students is impeccable. All in all, for value for money, this is the place to be. 

How to apply –

The login process is pretty straightforward if you are reapplying. Since you have already submitted the required documents and have gone through the admission process before. However, in case you are a new student, these are the steps that you will have to follow in case you wish to apply for the college –

  1. Fill and submit the online application

You can apply online from anywhere in the world. Make sure that all the details that you have submitted are correct. Once you have done that, you will be prompted to fill in some more additional information. Fill and submit all of them before the deadline and get ready to wait. 

  1. Mail

Once you have done the aforementioned and your application gets accepted, you will get a letter with your student ID number. Use that student ID number to start your admission process from the college website.

In case you are denied admission, go through the admission procedure guidelines on the college website in case you want to appeal the decision. 

  1. Submit your high school transcripts or GED

Make sure to send a transcript of your high school certificate to the college. In case your school needs a consent form, be sure to fill it in time for the transcript to reach the college before the deadline. 

  1. Schedule an Accuplacer assessment (if applicable) and fill the immunization form (if applicable)
  2. In case you fall under the ambit of or require financial aid, be sure to fill up the requisite forms with FAFSA. 
  3. Once you are done with all of this, congratulate yourself for you are now a student of the college. 

In case you are an international student, you will need to be a graduate of an accredited secondary school. The rest of the admission process is similar for the most part. Just keep in mind that all the documents submitted with the college are in English. In case they are not, do make it a point to get them translated beforehand. 

Failure to do so might lead to the application being rejected. On top of this, English proficiency is also mandatory. Since most if not all of the classes will be with native English speakers, it makes sense that the student is well versed with the language. In order to ensure this, the markers from the following tests can be used –

  1. TOEFL – 500 or higher for paper, 173 or higher for computer and 61 or higher for internet
  2. IELTS – Band score of 5.5 or higher
  3. Clearance certificate for level 109 from an ELS language center

Other documents required from international students are as follows –

  1. Copy of passport
  2. Certificate of finances
  3. Certificate of finances (Health programs)
  4. Certificate of finances (Aviation Maintenance Technology)
  5. Certificate of finances (GINT)
  6. Bank documents of the student and sponsor (in case applicable)
  7. Health Insurance Certificate

Apart from all of this, international students are also required to pay the SEVIS (I-901) fee. The fee is mandatory for all the students who are looking for the status of an F-1, F-3, M-1, or M-3 nonimmigrant student or a J-1 nonimmigrant exchange visitor. 

This fee is charged by the college to ensure compliance by the students, sponsors, and exchange program schools towards the system requirements. It also helps finance the administration and maintenance of the SEVIS system. 

With all of this now out of the way, let us now quickly wrap it all up. All in all, the college has a long standing tradition of academic and athletic excellence. And it is because of this continued tradition of excellence, they now have 3 more campuses. Despite this expansion, the cost of education has remained affordable and accessible to the students. 

In fact, it is so affordable that it comes up to about a third of the cost of education when it comes to its peers. When combined with this affordability and accessibility, the whole dynamic of the college is simply unmatched. And you can even enroll yourself in a distance course!So, if you are someone who is looking to get into Northland Community and Technical College, then you should do it without a second thought. And in case you need any further assistance as to how to do it, feel free to contact us!