diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/factories.py b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/factories.py
index b2f4d95776..107631b17b 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/factories.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/factories.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from student.models import (User, UserProfile, Registration,
                             CourseEnrollmentAllowed, CourseEnrollment,
                             PendingEmailChange, UserStanding,
                             )
+from course_modes.models import CourseMode
 from django.contrib.auth.models import Group
 from datetime import datetime
 from factory import DjangoModelFactory, SubFactory, PostGenerationMethodCall, post_generation, Sequence
@@ -36,6 +37,16 @@ class UserProfileFactory(DjangoModelFactory):
     goals = u'World domination'
 
 
+class CourseModeFactory(DjangoModelFactory):
+    FACTORY_FOR = CourseMode
+
+    course_id = None
+    mode_display_name = u'Honor Code',
+    mode_slug = 'honor'
+    min_price = 0
+    suggested_prices = ''
+    currency = 'usd'
+
 class RegistrationFactory(DjangoModelFactory):
     FACTORY_FOR = Registration
 
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/tests.py b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/tests.py
index c35ad66427..b53df0bfd8 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/tests.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/tests.py
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import logging
 import json
 import re
 import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+import pytz
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.test import TestCase
@@ -28,8 +30,8 @@ from textwrap import dedent
 
 from student.models import unique_id_for_user, CourseEnrollment
 from student.views import (process_survey_link, _cert_info, password_reset, password_reset_confirm_wrapper,
-                           change_enrollment)
-from student.tests.factories import UserFactory
+                           change_enrollment, complete_course_mode_info)
+from student.tests.factories import UserFactory, CourseModeFactory
 from student.tests.test_email import mock_render_to_string
 
 import shoppingcart
@@ -216,6 +218,45 @@ class CourseEndingTest(TestCase):
                           })
 
 
+@override_settings(MODULESTORE=TEST_DATA_MIXED_MODULESTORE)
+class DashboardTest(TestCase):
+    """
+    Tests for dashboard utility functions
+    """
+    # arbitrary constant
+    COURSE_SLUG = "100"
+    COURSE_NAME = "test_course"
+    COURSE_ORG = "EDX"
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.course = CourseFactory.create(org=self.COURSE_ORG, display_name=self.COURSE_NAME, number=self.COURSE_SLUG)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(self.course)
+        self.user = UserFactory.create(username="jack", email="jack@fake.edx.org")
+        CourseModeFactory.create(
+            course_id=self.course.id,
+            mode_slug='honor',
+            mode_display_name='Honor Code',
+        )
+
+    def test_course_mode_info(self):
+        verified_mode = CourseModeFactory.create(
+            course_id=self.course.id,
+            mode_slug='verified',
+            mode_display_name='Verified',
+            expiration_date=datetime.now(pytz.UTC) + timedelta(days=1)
+        )
+        enrollment = CourseEnrollment.enroll(self.user, self.course.id)
+        course_mode_info = complete_course_mode_info(self.course.id, enrollment)
+        self.assertTrue(course_mode_info['show_upsell'])
+        self.assertEquals(course_mode_info['days_for_upsell'], 1)
+
+        verified_mode.expiration_date = datetime.now(pytz.UTC) + timedelta(days=-1)
+        verified_mode.save()
+        course_mode_info = complete_course_mode_info(self.course.id, enrollment)
+        self.assertFalse(course_mode_info['show_upsell'])
+        self.assertIsNone(course_mode_info['days_for_upsell'])
+
+
 class EnrollInCourseTest(TestCase):
     """Tests enrolling and unenrolling in courses."""
 
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
index 3172026209..4ebbcff592 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
@@ -267,6 +267,29 @@ def register_user(request, extra_context=None):
     return render_to_response('register.html', context)
 
 
+def complete_course_mode_info(course_id, enrollment):
+    """
+    We would like to compute some more information from the given course modes
+    and the user's current enrollment
+
+    Returns the given information:
+        - whether to show the course upsell information
+        - numbers of days until they can't upsell anymore
+    """
+    modes = CourseMode.modes_for_course_dict(course_id)
+    mode_info = {'show_upsell': False, 'days_for_upsell': None}
+    # we want to know if the user is already verified and if verified is an
+    # option
+    if 'verified' in modes and enrollment.mode != 'verified':
+        mode_info['show_upsell'] = True
+        # if there is an expiration date, find out how long from now it is
+        if modes['verified'].expiration_date:
+            today = datetime.datetime.now(UTC).date()
+            mode_info['days_for_upsell'] = (modes['verified'].expiration_date - today).days
+
+    return mode_info
+
+
 @login_required
 @ensure_csrf_cookie
 def dashboard(request):
@@ -300,7 +323,7 @@ def dashboard(request):
     show_courseware_links_for = frozenset(course.id for course, _enrollment in courses
                                           if has_access(request.user, course, 'load'))
 
-    course_modes = {course.id: CourseMode.modes_for_course_dict(course.id) for course, _enrollment in courses}
+    course_modes = {course.id: complete_course_mode_info(course.id, enrollment) for course, enrollment in courses}
     cert_statuses = {course.id: cert_info(request.user, course) for course, _enrollment in courses}
 
     # only show email settings for Mongo course and when bulk email is turned on
diff --git a/lms/templates/dashboard.html b/lms/templates/dashboard.html
index 1bcdd4582f..6b9981ced5 100644
--- a/lms/templates/dashboard.html
+++ b/lms/templates/dashboard.html
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@
             <% show_courseware_link = (course.id in show_courseware_links_for) %>
             <% cert_status = cert_statuses.get(course.id) %>
             <% show_email_settings = (course.id in show_email_settings_for) %>
-            <% course_modes = all_course_modes.get(course.id) %>
-            <%include file='dashboard/dashboard_course_listing.html' args="course=course, enrollment=enrollment, show_courseware_link=show_courseware_link, cert_status=cert_status, show_email_settings=show_email_settings, course_modes=course_modes" />
+            <% course_mode_info = all_course_modes.get(course.id) %>
+            <%include file='dashboard/dashboard_course_listing.html' args="course=course, enrollment=enrollment, show_courseware_link=show_courseware_link, cert_status=cert_status, show_email_settings=show_email_settings, course_mode_info=course_mode_info" />
       % endfor
 
       </ul>
diff --git a/lms/templates/dashboard/dashboard_course_listing.html b/lms/templates/dashboard/dashboard_course_listing.html
index f375ee88b1..c8a527391e 100644
--- a/lms/templates/dashboard/dashboard_course_listing.html
+++ b/lms/templates/dashboard/dashboard_course_listing.html
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-<%page args="course, enrollment, show_courseware_link, cert_status, show_email_settings, course_modes" />
+<%page args="course, enrollment, show_courseware_link, cert_status, show_email_settings, course_mode_info" />
 
 <%! from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _ %>
 <%!
   from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
-  from datetime import date
   from courseware.courses import course_image_url, get_course_about_section
   import waffle
 %>
@@ -109,12 +108,11 @@
 
       % endif
 
-      %if enrollment.mode != 'verified' and 'verified' in course_modes:
+      %if course_mode_info['show_upsell']:
         <div class="message message-upsell has-actions is-shown">
-            <!-- <img class="deco-graphic" src="${static.url('images/vcert-ribbon-s.png')}" alt="ID Verified Ribbon/Badge" /> -->
             <div class="message-copy">
               <h4 class="title">${_("Challenge Yourself!")}</h4>
-              <p class="copy">${_("Register for the {a_start} verified certificate {a_end} track").format(a_start='<a href="/verified-certificate">', a_end="</a>")}</p>
+              <p class="copy">${_("Register for the {a_start} verified certificate {a_end} track").format(a_start='<a href="{}">'.format(marketing_link('WHAT_IS_VERIFIED_CERT')), a_end="</a>")}</p>
             </div>
 
             <ul class="message-actions">
@@ -123,10 +121,9 @@
                   <span class="wrapper-copy">
                     <span class="copy">${_("Upgrade to Verified Track")}</span>
 
-                    %if course_modes['verified'].expiration_date:
-                      <% days_left = (course_modes['verified'].expiration_date - date.today()).days %>
+                    %if course_mode_info['days_for_upsell']:
                       <span class="copy-sub">
-                        ${_('{days} days left!').format(days=days_left)}
+                        ${_('{days} days left!').format(days=course_mode_info['days_for_upsell'])}
                       </span>
                     %endif
                   </span>