Scholarships
Scholarship Amounts
Starting in Fall 2023, the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship provides up to $7,500 over four years to a qualifying student who attends an eligible higher education institution in South Dakota. Recipients may participate in the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship program for the equivalent of four academic years (eight consecutive fall and spring terms), or until attaining a baccalaureate degree. During each academic year, one-half of the annual scholarship award will be distributed at the beginning of the fall semester and the other half distributed at the beginning of the spring semester:
1st year of attendance | $1,500 |
|---|---|
2nd year of attendance | $1,500 |
3rd year of attendance | $1,500 |
4th year of attendance | $3,000 |
The state of South Dakota, institutions, businesses, individuals, and other organizations offer various scholarship opportunities for students as a way of supporting further education and training after high school. Students should research their opportunities and prepare accordingly for scholarships they would like to apply for or achieve. There are several resources available to students where they can locate scholarships and evaluate their interest, eligibility criteria, and application process.
Our Dakota Dreams
Supported by the South Dakota Department of Education and Board of Regents, helps South Dakota students plan for college and beyond. It includes resources for students and families, such as a South Dakota Scholarship Board with tools to search and filter scholarships.
SD My Life - Xello
SDMyLife uses the Xello program to help students plan their careers. With their Xello account, students can explore careers, complete assessments, set goals, and search for scholarships using the Scholarship Matching tool. They can save scholarships and track applications and awards.
South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship
South Dakota offers a scholarship for high school graduates attending an accredited university, college, or technical school in the state. The program provides up to $7,500 over four years for students who complete a challenging high school curriculum and meet academic standards.
Regents’ Scholar Diploma Information
The South Dakota Department of Education and the Board of Regents annually recognize seniors committed to academic excellence by issuing Regents’ Scholar diplomas. Recipients are accepted for automatic entrance to any of the 6 institutions of higher education in South Dakota. To be eligible, a student must have completed these courses at a 300 level or higher with no final grade below a C and a grade point no lower than a B.
4 credits of English.
1 credit of fine arts.
3 credits of social studies.
4 credits of algebra or higher mathematics.
4 credits of science, including 3 credits of approved lab science.
2 credits of a modern or classical language (including American Sign Language)
OR
2 units of Career & Technical Education
OR
A combination of 1 unit of Modern or Classical Language
AND
1 unit of Career and Technical Education. If taking 2 language courses, the 2 credits must be the same language.