It'll take time for the economy to affect higher education in North Dakota.

The three insitutions in Bismarck have started to see some repercusions, but not to the extent of the rest of the country.

"North Dakota and a good part of South Dakota have not felt the impact of the rest of the country," United Tribes Technical College President David Gipp said.

Generally, investments were unscathed and no cuts were made to federal and state funding. This lets institutions proceed as they were before the financial crisis.

By the end of next year, the effects of the financial crisis could reach to North Dakota, Gipp said. The changes could be felt by students in the form of tuition increases and the availability of financial aid.

For United Tribes, the next year could see a change with the Obama administration funding the college as it does other tribal colleges. Gipp said he is hopeful that the next administration will fund a new law that provides federal funding for United Tribes Technical College and Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, N.M.

Rising national unemployment could have little effect on enrollment at the tribal college. The students already come from reservation areas with 15 percent to 20 percent unemployment. It is possible they could see more American Indians who live off reservation in urban areas. They've already seen an increase in students from non-reservation areas.

Students at UTTC are finding scholarship and grant money harder to come by. There is less education money available to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal governments to pay for American Indian students' education. The decline in resources comes at a time when tribes have a larger population of people under 25 years old.

"Out of necessity, our students have to work," Gipp said.

UTTC offers federal work study and institutional work study for students. Students also can pay for tuition, fees and housing with scholarships, grants or education loans.

United Tribes does not participate in the federal loan program, although it is considering participation in the future. The college has not participated in the federal loan program because of concerns about saddling students with debt that could be difficult to repay. Only one tribal college out of of 37 in the country offers student loans.

Students at Bismarck State College and the University of Mary also have seen fewer lenders available for education loans. It does not concern administrators at those institutions because many loans are made through the Bank of North Dakota or other regionally-known banks.

"Local banks are doing a good job," said Dave Hanson, University of Mary associate director of financial assistance. Private and alternative lenders have tightened lending standards, which has affected students.

He expects more students to take private loans than they have in the past because of changes in their parents' situation. More students filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, this semester compared to past semesters.

Every student at the University of Mary receives some form of financial aid, either as a scholarship or grant. The Stafford Loan limits were increased. The number of private loans is down from last year. Students also can take out unsubsidized loans, which accrues interest from the time a student takes out the loan compared to a subsidized loan that starts accruing interest after a student leaves school.

Bismarck State College, by its nature, fares better in worsening economic times than prosperous economic times. More people go back to college at a community college when there are fewer economic opportunities, BSC vice president Dave Clark said. Enrollment this fall was up 5 percent.

BSC is required to use the Bank of North Dakota for investments and it has not been hit by the financial crisis like the rest of the country.

"We might not have the top notch returns," Clark said. "In this case, that is a good thing."

Generally speaking, more conservative investments have lower rates of return than more aggressive investments.

At United Tribes, tuition could increase in the future, as well as student fees, which have stayed the same for 15 years, Gipp said.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)