The only higher educational institution in East Grand Forks is Northland Community & Technical College or Northland for short, which also has a campus 50 miles northeast in Thief River Falls. The history of Northland Community & Technical College's East Grand Forks campus dates back to December 1971, when the local school district was designated for an Area Vocational Technical Institute (AVTI). The first classes of the East Grand Forks AVTI were offered in January 1973 in rented facilities. The present facility opened in April 1975. Northland - EGF grew with expansion and partnerships.