Northern State University
International Undergraduate Admissions










Fast Facts
- School Size
Small
- Tuition
$5,000—$10,000 Semester
- Affiliation
Public
- Type of School
University/Intensive English Program
- Student Body Gender
Co-ed
- Religious Affiliation
No Affiliation
- Scholarships for International Students
Yes
- Conditional Admission Available
Yes
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Top Programs
Arts and Design, Business, Education
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Setting
Small/College town
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Accreditation and Certification
HLC
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Type of Housing
Apartment, Dormitory
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Test Scores
IELTS: Band 5.5+, TOEFL: 61+, ELS: Level 113, SAT Eng: 450+, ACT Eng: 19+, PTE Academic: 30+
- Social Media
Northern State University (NSU), founded in 1901, has been recognized nationally as one of the best and most affordable institutions by U.S. News and World Report rankings for seven consecutive years. NSU is a public university that is located in Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA. At NSU, students receive personalized attention owing to its small class sizes.
Take a virtual guided tour of Northern State University, ranked in the Top 3 Best Public Institutions in the Midwest and among the Top 10 Most Affordable in the United States!
NSU boasts one of the most beautiful campuses in the Midwest. Historic buildings blend with modern facilities, all centered around a park-like campus green. The campus is within walking distance of downtown Aberdeen, so students can easily explore the community of about 30,000 people. Aberdeen is growing, but still manages to keep a safe, small-community atmosphere.
NSU currently offers 41 undergraduate bachelor's degree programs, 8 associate degree programs, and 19 certificate programs and nine master's degree programs. Recently, 98 percent of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students received financial aid.
Here are a few reasons why students should consider study at NSU.
- Northern State University's WolfPACT Scholarship is the largest guaranteed scholarship in the Midwest region of the United States.
- Tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, health insurance and personal expenses come to approximately $20,000 per academic year, ranking Northern in the Top 10 Most Affordable Institutions by the U.S. News and World Report.
- NSU ranks among top 3 Best Public Institutions in the Midwest
- NSU has roughly a 90 percent graduate job placement rate Northern and prepares students for life after college.
- English language pathways are available to international students who do not meet Northern’s minimum IELTS or TOEFL test score for admission.
- Northern offers pre-professional undergraduate programs in engineering, journalism, dentistry, medicine, optometry, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and veterinary medicine.
- Northern has 95 outstanding faculty members and a student-faculty ratio of roughly 17 to 1 where students and professors get to know each other.
- Northern's international students come from all over the world. NSU students have a variety of study abroad opportunities in Australia, Chile, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Korea and elsewhere.
- NSU Wolves Athletics has a proud tradition of excellence, competing in NCAA Division II in eight men’s and eight women’s intercollegiate programs.
- Students have the opportunity to join more than 70 clubs and organizations on campus or start their own.
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is the largest academic unit on campus, with about one-third of Northern students majoring in programs through the college. We prepare students for the global workplace and for further study in post-baccalaureate and professional programs. As a CAS student, you’ll have the freedom to explore all of your intellectual curiosities. Whether you’ve decided on a major or are still exploring your options, we offer dozens of programs from which you can choose.
School of Business
Northern State University’s School of Business introduces students to the world of management, marketing and finance, with a special emphasis on the global aspects of business. The School of Business offers traditional majors, such as accounting, administrative systems/MIS, banking and financial services, business administration, economics, finance, international business, management, marketing and professional accountancy. Business students benefit from small class sizes and the opportunity to study with PhD-degreed faculty, a dedicated academic advisor, accounting and business clubs, internship programs with on-campus job interviews with major companies, and job placement opportunities.
School of Education
For more than a century, the School of Education at Northern State University has built a reputation for preparing exemplary teachers. In fact, more teachers in South Dakota trained at Northern State University than any other institution. With various undergraduate and graduate programs, the School of Education prepares students for careers in diverse areas of education – from traditional classroom teaching to school counseling to e-learning.
School of Fine Arts
Northern State University has a rich tradition in fine arts education. The NSU School of Fine Arts is the largest in South Dakota, consisting of two departments: Art, and Music & Theatre. The Northern State University School of Fine Arts is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music and the National Association for Schools of Art and Design. Students of the Art Program at Northern State University will find ample space and modern equipment to explore art education, design, art history, advertising design, computer aided design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, printmaking and fiber arts.
International Undergraduate Admissions
International Undergraduate Admissions
Northern State University
1200 S. Jay St., Box 1103
Aberdeen SD 57401
P: 605.626.7601
- Accounting
- Acting & Performing Arts
- Art
- Arts and Design
- Arts and Humanities
- Biology
- Biomedical Laboratory Science
- Business
- Business Administration
- Business Analytics
- Business Information Systems
- Chemistry
- Child Development
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Creative Writing
- Criminal Justice
- Digital Recording Arts
- Economics
- Education
- English Literature
- Environmental Studies and Sustainability
- Finance
- Forensic Science
- General Management
- Geography
- Health and Wellness
- History
- Human Biology
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Human Resource Management
- Humanities-Prelaw
- Information Technology
- International Relations
- Internships
- Liberal Arts
- Literature in English
- Marketing
- Marketing and Communications
- Mathematics
- Media and Information Studies
- Medical/Dental
- Music
- Music Composition
- Natural Science
- Online Teaching and Learning
- Philosophy
- Physical Therapy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Predental
- Premedical
- Prenursing
- Psychology
- Public Relations
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Special Education
- Sports
- STEM
- Studio Art
- Teaching English Language
- Theatre
- Youth Development
- Accounting
- Business
- Child Development
- Education
- Finance
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Leadership
- Music
- Online Teaching and Learning
- Psychology
- Special Education
- Special Needs/Learning Disabilities
- Sports
- Sports Administration
- Sports Management
- Teaching English Language
- TESOL and Teacher Training
- Youth Development
- Arts and Design
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biology
- Biomedical Laboratory Science
- Business
- Business Administration
- Business Information Systems
- Criminal Justice
- General English Programs
- Geographic Information Science
- Arts and Humanities
- Arts/Music Camps & Programs
- Education
- English Language (ESL)
- Geographic Information Science
- Health and Wellness
- History
- Music
- Online Teaching and Learning
- Social Work
- STEM
- Teaching English Language
- University Transfer
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- TESOL and Teacher Training