Dakota Corps Scholarship
South Dakota Board of Regents
Full tuition and fees for top South Dakota graduates who study for a critical-need occupation and then work in it in South Dakota.
- How much
- Full tuition and generally applicable fees (16 credits per semester at public-university rates)
- Who qualifies
- Graduate of an accredited SD high school; ACT 27+; start college within 1 year of high school; written agreement to work in an SD critical-need occupation.
- For high school seniors, students starting college
- For education, accounting/finance, engineering students
- US citizen or US national
- When to apply
- Opens later Annual; opens November 1, closes December 15.
- How to apply
- Apply on the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal between November 1 and December 15
- What you'll need
- state application + transcript + test scores
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (tdx.sdbor.edu), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Funded by private businesses, nonprofits and the Governor's Office; administered by the Board of Regents. Covers roughly the maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for 16 credits per semester at a public university (private nonprofit colleges cover the rest; technical and tribal colleges have their own caps). Initial eligibility: graduate from an accredited South Dakota high school with a 2.8+ GPA; ACT composite or super score of 27+ (or SAT equivalent); apply for a term starting within one year of high school graduation (or release from active duty); attend a participating South Dakota college in a program leading to a critical-need occupation; US citizen or national. Recipients are selected on GPA, test scores, activities, honors and community service; not all eligible applicants are chosen. Renewable up to the program length (max four years) with a 2.8 GPA, full-time status, satisfactory progress and acceptance into the program by junior year; no summer funding. 2026-27 critical-need occupations: K-12 and secondary teaching (incl. special education, math, foreign language, science, music, language arts, ESL/ELL, CTE), accountant/auditor and related finance roles, engineer (except mining, chemical, biomedical, computer hardware), information technology (SOC 15 occupations) and registered nurse.
More money from South Dakota
- South Dakota Opportunity ScholarshipUp to $7,500 over four years ($1,500 in years 1-3, $3,000 in year 4)
- South Dakota Need-Based Grant (Needs Based Scholarship)$500 to $2,000
- Jump Start Scholarship$1,500 (first year only, split between fall and spring)
- Reduced Tuition for Residents 65 and Older45% off tuition
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.