Dakota Corps Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Board of Regents

The Dakota Corps Scholarship is a remarkable initiative, generously funded by private businesses, non-profit corporations, and the Governor's Office. This program was conceived with the aim of motivating South Dakota's high school graduates to pursue their post-secondary education within the state. Furthermore, it encourages them to remain in South Dakota after completing their education and contribute to the state and its citizens by working in a critical need occupation.

The application process for the Dakota Corps Scholarship is overseen by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board. Each year, the board reviews the application, which is then made available on the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal for students to complete. The application period typically begins at the end of October and concludes on December 15.

To be eligible for this award, applicants must meet several criteria. They must be a graduate from an accredited South Dakota high school with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.8 or greater on a 4.0 scale. Home-schooled students can provide supplemental information if this requirement is not applicable. Applicants must also have a composite ACT score of 27 or greater (or the SAT equivalent).

Additionally, applicants must agree, in writing, to stay in South Dakota and work in a critical need occupation after graduation for as many years as the scholarship was received, plus one year. They must apply for the Dakota Corps Scholarship for a school period that begins within one year of high school graduation, or within one year of release from active duty of an active component of the armed forces.

Applicants must plan to attend a participating South Dakota college as an undergraduate student in a program that will prepare them to work in a critical need occupation. Finally, they must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

The Dakota Corps Scholarship is designed so that recipients do not pay anything towards tuition and generally applicable fees. The scholarships are approximately equal to the maximum tuition and generally-applicable fees for 16 undergraduate credit hours (per fall and spring semester) at an institution of higher education under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents for recipients attending a public four-year college.

Please note that not all eligible applicants will be selected for a scholarship. From the total pool of applicants, a limited number of recipients will be selected. Some South Dakota colleges may limit the number of scholarship recipients they accept, or not participate at all. All applicants will be notified following the Board's decision.

Each recipient of the Dakota Corps Scholarship makes a commitment, in writing, to enter a critical need occupation in South Dakota following completion of the program of study. The number of years a recipient must work in a critical need occupation to fulfill the entire obligation is equal to the sum of the number of years of scholarship received, plus one year. If the recipient does not complete his/her commitment, the scholarship converts to a low-interest loan which must be repaid.

Critical need occupations include teaching (K-12, secondary, special education, math, foreign language, science, vocal or instrumental music, language arts, English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL), career and technical education), accountant/auditor, engineer (all areas EXCEPT: mining, chemical, biomedical, and computer hardware), information technology, and registered nurse.