The first tribal college was founded by the Navajo Nation in 1968 in Arizona, and several others were established in the 1970s by other tribes. As of 1994, most tribal colleges have been authorized by Congress as land-grant colleges.
A “land grant” college receives benefits under the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. The 1862 Morrill Act funded educational institutions by granting federally controlled land to the states for them to sell to raise funds to establish and endow “land-grant” colleges. The mission of these institutions as set forth in the 1862 Act is to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture, science, military science and engineering.
The Morrill Act of 1890 granted cash instead of land. Most native American colleges received assistance under the 1890 Morrill Act in 1994, and are referred to as land grant colleges.
Tribal colleges are located on or near Indian reservations and provide access to post-secondary education, accredited degrees, and vocational training for both Indian and non-Indian students. Most are sponsored by one individual tribe, but a few are a collaboration of multiple tribes.
Presently, there are 32 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States, with one formal candidate for accreditation. Three are in Associate Status. These Tribal Colleges and Universities offer 358 total programs, including apprenticeships, diplomas, certificates, and degrees. These programs include 181 associate degree programs at 23 Tribal Colleges and Universities, 40 bachelor’s degree programs at 11 Tribal Colleges and Universities, and 5 master’s degree programs at 2 Tribal Colleges and Universities.
Located mainly in the Midwest and Southwest, Tribal Colleges and Universities service approximately 30,000 full- and part-time students. According to fall 2010 enrollment data, 8.7% of American Indian and Alaska Native college students were attending one of the 32 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities. American Indian and Alaska Native students composed 78% of the combined total enrollment of these institutions in 2010.
The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities is increasing yearly. According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in Tribal Colleges and Universities increased by 23% between 2001 and 2006.
Tribal Colleges and Universities are both integral and essential to their communities, creating environments that foster American Indian culture, languages, and traditions. They are often the only postsecondary institutions within some of our Nation’s poorest rural areas. Tribal Colleges and Universities serve a variety of people, from young adults to senior citizens.
They also serve as community resources for crucial social services and add hope to communities that suffer from high rates of poverty and unemployment. And overall, Tribal Colleges and Universities have developed programs where students are achieving.
The American Indian College Fund reports that 86% of tribal college and university students complete their chosen program of study, while fewer than 10% of American Indian and Alaska Native students who go directly from reservation high schools to mainstream colleges and universities finish their bachelor’s degree.
American Indian students have to pay tuition just like everyone else. However, many tribes do have scholarships available for their tribal members. American Indian students must apply for these scholarships and meet whatever criteria each tribe has set for their particular scholarship.
Moor's Charity School was founded in 1754 in Lebanon, Connecticut, by Puritan, Calvinist minister Eleazar Wheelock to provide education for Native Americans who desired to be missionaries to the native tribes.
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Wind River Tribal College Address: PO Box 1190, Fort Washakie, WY 82514 Phone: (307) 335-8243Website: www.windrivertc.org Location: Fort Washakie, Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation in central Wyoming.Established: 1997 Chartering Tribe: Northern ArapahoPresident: Marlin SpoonhunterLand Grant College: No Enrollment:…
White Earth Tribal and Community College Address: 102 3rd St. NE, PO Box 478, Mahnomen, MN 56557 Phone: (218) 935-0417Website: www.wetcc.org Location: Mahnomen, MinnesotaEstablished: 1997 Chartering Tribe: White Earth Reservation Tribal Counci, representing White Earth Band of the Minnesota ChippewaPresident: Terry JanisLand Grant College: Yes…
United Tribes Technical College Address: 3315 University Dr., Bismarck, ND 58504 Phone: (701) 255-3285Website: www.uttc.edu Location: Bismarck, North DakotaEstablished: 1969Chartering Tribe: United Tribes of North Dakota Development Corporation, an association of North Dakota’s native tribes. President: Leander (Russ) McDonaldLand Grant College:…
Turtle Mountain Community College Address: 10145 BIA Road 7, PO Box 340, Belcourt, ND 58316 Phone: (701) 477-7862Website: www.tm.edu Location: Ten miles from the Canadian border in the Turtle Mountains of North Dakota, just north of the unincorporated city of…
Tohono O’odham Community College Address: PO Box 3129, Sells, AZ 85634 Phone: (520) 383-8401Website: www.tocc.edu Location: Sells, ArizonaEstablished: 1998 Chartering Tribe: Tohono O’odham NationPresident: James Vander HoovenLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 223 (Fall 2010) – Full-time: 21, Part-time: 202 Associate…
Stone Child College Address: 8294 Upper Box Elder Road, Box Elder, MT 59521 Phone: (406) 395-4875Website: www.stonechild.edu Location: On the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in north central Montana.Established: 1984Chartering Tribe: Chippewa CreePresident: Nate St. PierreLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 381 (Fall…
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Address: 9169 Coors Blvd. NW, PO Box 10146, Albuquerque, NM 87120 Phone: (505) 346-2348Toll Free: 1-800-586-7474Website: www.sipi.edu Location: Albuquerque, New MexicoEstablished: 1971 Chartering Tribe: None, Federally charteredPresident: Sherry AllisonLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 531 (Fall 2010)…
Sitting Bull College ( formerly Standing Rock Community College) Address: 9299 Highway 24, Fort Yates, ND 58538 Phone: (701) 854-8000Website: www.sittingbull.edu Location(s): campuses in Fort Yates, ND and McLaughlin, SDEstablished: 1973 Chartering Tribe(s): Standing Rock Sioux TribePresident: Laurel VermillionLand Grant College:…
Sisseton Wahpeton College Address: Agency Village Box 689, Sisseton, SD 57262 Phone: (605) 698-3966Website: www.swc.tc Location: Sisseton, South DakotaEstablished: 1979 Chartering Tribe: Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux TribePresident: Harvey DuMarceLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 247 (Fall 2010) – Full-time: 186, Part-time: 61 Associate…
Sinte Gleska University Address: 101 Antelope Lake Circle, PO Box 105, Mission, SD 57555Phone: (605) 856-8100Website: www.sintegleska.eduLocation: On the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in south-central South Dakota.Established: 1971 Chartering Tribe: Rosebud Sioux TribePresident: Lionel BordeauxLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 857 (Fall…
Salish Kootenai College Address: PO Box 70, Pablo, MT 59855 Phone: (406) 275-4800Website: www.skc.edu Location(s): Main campus on the Flathead Reservation, plus three satellite locations in Washington at Colville, Spokane, and Wellpinit.Established: 1977Chartering Tribe: Confederated Salish and Kootenai TribesPresident: Robert DePoe IIILand…
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Address: 2274 Enterprise Dr., Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 Phone: (989) 775-4123Website: www.sagchip.edu Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on the Isabella Indian Reservation.Established: 1998 Chartering Tribe: Saginaw Chippewa TribePresident: Carla SinewayLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 163 (fall 2010)…
Red Lake Nation College Address: 23750 Hwy 1 East, PO Box 576, Red Lake, MN 56671 Phone: (218) 679-2860Website: www.redlakenc.org Location: In the heart of the Anishinaabe nation on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Red Lake, Minnesota.Established: 1987 Chartering…
Oglala Lakota College Address: PO Box 490, Kyle, SD 57752 Phone: (605) 455-6000Website: www.olc.edu Locations: Instructional centers in each of the nine districts across Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. There are additional instructional centers in Rapid City and on…
Northwest Indian College Address: 2522 Kwina Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226 Phone: (360) 676-2772Toll Free: 1-866-676-2772Website: www.nwic.edu Location(s): On the Lummi Indian Reservation in Washington State, 20 miles from the Canadian border.Established: 1983 Chartering Tribe: Lummi NationPresident: Justin GuilloryLand Grant College:…
Nebraska Indian Community College Address: 1111 Highway 75, PO Box 428, Macy, NE 68039 Phone: (402) 494-2311Website: www.thenicc.edu Locations: In Nebraska on the Omaha Reservation at Macy, on the Santee Sioux Reservation at Santee, and in South Sioux City.Established: 1973 Chartering…
Navajo Technical University (formerly Crownpoint Institute of Technology) Address: PO Box 849, Crownpoint, NM 87313 Phone: (505) 786-4100Website: www.navajotech.edu Location(s): Crownpoint, New MexicoEstablished: 1979 Chartering Tribe(s): Navajo NationPresident: Elmer GuyLand Grant College: Yes Bachelor’s degree programs Information Technology Associate degree…
Little Priest Tribal College Address: 601 East College Drive, PO Box 270, Winnebago, NE 68071 Phone: (402) 878-2380Website: www.littlepriest.edu Location: Winnebago, NebraskaEstablished: 1996 Chartering Tribe: Winnebago Tribe of NebraskaPresident: Johnny D. JonesLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 114 (Fall 2010) – Full-time:…
Little Big Horn College Address: PO Box 370, 8645 South Weaver Drive, Crow Agency, MT 59022 Phone: (406) 638-3100Website: www.lbhc.edu Location: Crow Indian Reservation in south central Montana.Established: 1980 Chartering Tribe: Crow Tribe of MontanaPresident: David Yarlott, Jr.Land Grant College:…
Leech Lake Tribal College Address: 6945 Little Wolf Lake Road NW, Cass Lake, MN 56633 Phone: (218) 335-4200Website: www.lltc.edu Location: On the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in north central Minnesota, three miles northwest of the town of Cass Lake.Established: 1990…
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College Address: 13466 West Trepania Rd., Hayward, WI 54843 Phone: (715) 634-4790 Toll Free: 1-888-526-6221Website: www.lco.edu Locations: Main campus in Hayward and four outreach sites at Odanah, Bayfield, Hertel, and Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin.Established: 1982…
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College Address: 111 Beartown Rd., P.O. Box 519, Baraga, MI 49908 Phone: (906) 353-4640Website: www.kbocc.edu Location: Baraga, MichiganEstablished: 1975 Chartering Tribe(s): Keweenaw Bay Indian CommunityPresident: Debra J. ParrishLand Grant College: No Enrollment: 89 (Fall 2014) Associate…
Institute of American Indian Arts Address: 83 Avan Nu Po Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87508 Phone: (505) 424-2300Website: www.iaia.edu Location: Santa Fe, New MexicoEstablished: 1962 Chartering Tribe: None, Executive Order of President John F. KennedyPresident: Robert MartinLand Grant College: Yes…
Ilisagvik College Address: 100 Stevenson St., P.O. Box 749, Barrow, AK 99723 Phone: (907) 852-3333Toll Free: 1-800-478-7337Website: www.ilisagvik.edu Location: Barrow, AlaskaEstablished: 1996 Chartering Tribes: North Slope Borough (Inupiat)President: Pearl BrowerLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 243 (Fall 2014) Associate degree programs…
Haskell Indian Nations University Address: 155 Indian Ave., PO Box 5030, Lawrence, KS 66046-4800 Phone: (785) 749-8404Website: www.haskell.edu Location: Lawrence, KansasEstablished: 1884 Chartering Tribe: None, Bureau of Indian EducationPresident: Venida ChenaultLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 831 (Fall 2014) Bachelor’s degree programs…
Fort Peck Community College Address: PO Box 398, Poplar, MT 59255 Phone: (406) 768-6300Website: www.fpcc.edu Locations: Northeastern Montana on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The main campus is in Poplar with a satellite in Wolf Point.Established: 1978 Chartering Tribes: Fort Peck…
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (formerly Fort Berthold Community College) Address: 220 8th Avenue North, PO Box 490, New Town, ND 58763 Phone: (701) 627-4738Website: www.fortbertholdcc.edu Locations: New Town, North Dakota, with branches in Mandaree and White ShieldEstablished: 1973 Chartering Tribe(s):…
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Address: 2101 14th St., Cloquet, MN 55720 Phone: (218) 879-0800Toll Free: 1-800-657-3712Website: www.fdltcc.edu Locations: Cloquet, MN, with an additional satellite campus in Red Lake, MNEstablished: 1987 Chartering Tribe: Fond du Lac Band of…
Diné College (formerly Navajo Community College) Address: P.O. Box 126, Tsaile, AZ 86556 Email: info@dinecollege.edu Phone: (928) 724-6600Toll Free: 1-877-988-3463Website: www.dinecollege.edu Locations: Main campus in Tsaile, Arizona, plus seven community-based campuses throughout Arizona and New Mexico.Established: 1968 Chartering Tribe: Navajo…
Comanche Nation College Address: 1608 SW 9th St., Lawton, OK 73501 Phone: (580) 591-0203Website: www.cnc.cc.ok.us Location: Lawton, OklahomaEstablished: 2002 Chartering Tribe: Comanche NationPresident: Robbie Wahnee, Ph.D.Land Grant College: No Enrollment: 76 (Fall 2015) Associate degree programs American Indian Studies Humanities…
College of the Muscogee Nation Address: 1200 Highway Loop 56, P.O. Box 917, Okmulgee, OK 74447 Phone: (918) 549-2800Website: www.mvsktc.org Location: Okmulgee, OklahomaEstablished: 2004 Chartering Tribe: Muscogee NationPresident: Robert BibleLand Grant College: No Enrollment: 189 (Fall 2014) Associate degree programs…
College of Menominee Nation Address: N172 Hwy. 47/55, P.O. Box 1179, Keshena, WI 54135 Phone: (715) 799-5600 or 1-800-567-2344Website: www.menominee.edu Locations: Keshena and Green Bay, WIEstablished: 1993 Chartering Tribe: MenomineePresident: Verna FowlerLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 560 (Fall 201) Bachelor’s…
Chief Dull Knife College Address: P.O. Box 98, Lame Deer, MT 59043 Phone: (406) 477-6215Website: www.cdkc.edu Location: In the community of Lame Deer, on the 445,000-acre Northern Cheyenne Reservation in southeastern Montana.Established: 1975 Chartering Tribe: Northern CheyennePresident: Richard LittlebearLand Grant…
Cankdeska Cikana Community College Address: P.O. Box 269, Fort Totten, ND 58335 Email: info@littlehoop.edu Phone: (701) 766-4415 Toll Free: 1-888-783-1463Website: www.littlehoop.edu Location: Fort Totten, NDEstablished: 1974 Chartering Tribe(s): Spirit Lake Dakota NationPresident: Cynthia LindquistLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: 185 (Fall…
Blackfeet Community College Address: P.O. Box 819, Browning, MT 59417 Phone:(406) 338-7755Website: www.bfcc.edu Location: Browning, MontanaEstablished: 1974 Chartering Tribe: BlackfeetPresident: Billie Jo KippLand Grant College: Yes Enrollment: (Fall 2014) 475 Associate degree programs Addiction Studies Behavioral Health Business Administration Community…
Bay Mills Community College Address: 12214 West Lakeshore Drive, Brimley, MI 49715 Phone: (906) 248-3354Website: www.bmcc.eduLocations: On the southeastern shore of Lake Superior, within the Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Due to the rural setting, BMCC…
Ainiiih Nakoda College was established in 1984 at Harlem, Montana. Located on the Fort Belknap reservation in north-central Montana, where towns are few and far between, the distant reservation communities of Browning to the west and Poplar to the east are the closest towns.
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Wyoming Wind River Tribal College *** P.O. Box 8300 Ethete, WY 82520 Ph. 307.335.8243 Fax: 307.335.8148Website: www.wrtribalcollege.com *** Signifies Associate StatusContinue to Wyoming Tribal College Index →
Oklahoma Tribal Colleges: College of the Muscogee Nation *** PO Box 917 Okmulgee, OK 74447Ph. 918-758-1480Fax: 918-549-2880Website: www.mvsktc.org Comanche Nation College *** 1608 SW 9th Street Lawton, OK 73501Ph 580.591,0203Fax: 580.353.7075Website: www.cnc.cc.ok.us *** Signifies Associate StatusContinue to Oklahoma Tribal College…
Wisconsin Tribal Colleges: College of Menominee Nation * P. O. Box 1179 Keshena, WI 54135Ph. 715-799-5600Fax: 715-799-1308Website: www.menominee.edu Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College * 13466 West Trepania Rd Hayward, WI 54843Ph. 715-634 4790Fax: 715-634-5049Website: www.lco.edu *Signifies accreditation by the…
Washington Tribal Colleges: Northwest Indian College ** 2522 Kwina Road Bellingham, WA 98226 Ph.360-676-2772 Fax: 360-738-0136Website: www.nwic.edu Salish Kootenai College (satellite locations in Washington at Colville, Spokane, and Wellpinit) Address: PO Box 70, Pablo, MT 59855 Phone: (406) 275-4800Website: www.skc.edu **Signifies…
South Dakota Tribal Colleges: Oglala Lakota College * 490 Piya Wiconi Road Kyle, SD 57752Ph. 605-455-6022Fax: 605-455-6023Website: www.olc.edu Sinte Gleska University * P. O. Box 409 Rosebud, SD 57570Ph. 605-856-5880Fax: 605-856-5401Website: www.sintegleska.edu Sisseton Wahpeton College * P. O. Box 689…
North Dakota Tribal Colleges: Cankdeska Cikana Community College * (Formerly Little Hoop Community College) P. O. Box 269 Fort Totten, ND 58335Ph. 701-766-4415Fax: 701-766-4077Website: www.littlehoop.edu/ Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (Formerly Fort Berthold Community College)* 220 Eighth Avenue North P. O. Box…
New Mexico Tribal Colleges: Navajo Technical University * (Formerly Crown Point Institute of Technology) P. O. Box 849 Crownpoint, NM 87313Ph. 505-786-4100 Fax: 505-786-5644Website: www.navajotech.edu Institute of American Indian Arts * 83 Avan Nu Po Road Santa Fe, NM 87505Ph. 505-424-2300Fax:…
Nebraska Tribal Colleges: Nebraska Indian Community College * College Hill P. O. Box 428 Macy, NE 68039Ph. 402-837-5078Fax: 402-837-4183Website: www.thenicc.edu Little Priest Tribal College * P. O. Box 270 Winnebago, NE 68071Ph. 402-878-2380Fax: 402-878-2355Website: www.lptc.bia.edu/ *Signifies accreditation by the Higher…
Montana Tribal Colleges: Blackfeet Community College ** P. O. Box 819 Browning, MT 59417Ph. 406-338-7755Fax: 406-338-3272Website: www.bfcc.org Chief Dull Knife College ** P. O. Box 98 Lame Deer, MT 59043Ph.406-477-6215Fax: 406-477-6219Website: www.cdkc.edu/ Aaniiih Nakoda College ** (Formerly Fort Belknap College)…
Minnesota Tribal Colleges: Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College * 2101 14th Street Cloquet, MN 55720-2964 Ph. 218-879-0800 Fax: 218-879-0814 Website: www.fdltcc.edu Leech Lake Tribal College * Rt. 3, Box 100 Cass Lake, MN 56633 Ph. 218-335-4200 Fax: 218-335-4215…
Michigan Tribal Colleges: Bay Mills Community College * 12214 West Lakeshore Drive Brimley, MI 49715 Ph. 906-248-3354 Fax: 906-248-3351 Website: www.bmcc.edu Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College* 111 Beartown Rd, PO Box 519 Baraga, Michigan 49908 Ph. 906.353.4600 Fax: 906.353.8107 Website:…
Kansas Tribal College: Haskell Indian Nations University * 155 Indian Avenue P. O. Box 5030 Lawrence, KS 66046-4800 Ph. 785-749-8479 Fax: 785-749-8411 Website: www.haskell.eduContinue to Kansas Tribal College Index →