Dakota Corps Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Board of Regents

Overview

The Dakota Corps Scholarship is a state-focused scholarship program that supports South Dakota high school graduates who pursue post-secondary education and agree to work in critical need occupations within the state. The program is intended to increase retention of graduates in South Dakota and to address workforce shortages in key fields. Awards are funded through a combination of private businesses, non-profit organizations, and the Governor's Office. Eligibility, award amounts, and participating institutions are managed by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board in coordination with the South Dakota Board of Regents.

Description: A targeted scholarship to encourage study, retention, and employment in South Dakota critical need occupations.

History: Established with funding from private business, non-profit corporations, and the Governor's Office to strengthen the state workforce.

• State-supported program focused on South Dakota workforce needs.
• Funded by public and private partners plus the Governor's Office.
• Administered in coordination with the SD Board of Regents and Dakota Corps Scholarship Board.

Application Timeline

The Dakota Corps Scholarship application is reviewed annually by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board and published on the South Dakota Board of Regents Scholarship Portal. Applications open on November 1 and the deadline falls in December each year. Students apply by logging in to the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal and completing the online application during the open window. Applicants are notified after the Board completes its selection process.

Application Timeline: Application opens November 1, closes in December, and is completed through the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal.

• Annual review and release by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board.
• Application period: opens November 1, deadline in December.
• Applications submitted via the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet academic, testing, enrollment, timing, and citizenship requirements to qualify. Required criteria include graduation from an accredited South Dakota high school (GPA 2.8 or greater) or equivalent supplemental information for home-schooled students, a 27 ACT composite (or SAT equivalent), and U.S. citizenship or national status. Applicants must apply for a school period beginning within one year of high school graduation or within one year of release from active duty, and they must plan to attend a participating South Dakota institution in a program that prepares them for a critical need occupation. Recipients must also agree in writing to work in South Dakota in a qualifying occupation for the required commitment period.

Eligibility: Academic minimums, test scores, timing for application, enrollment at a participating SD institution, and U.S. citizenship or national status.

• GPA requirement: 2.8 or higher on a 4.0 scale (home-schooled applicants may provide supplemental information).
• Test score requirement: 27 ACT composite or SAT equivalent.
• Apply within one year of high school graduation or one year of military release; attend a participating SD college.

Scholarship Award

The scholarship is structured so recipients generally do not pay tuition and generally-applicable fees for a standard full-time course load. For recipients at public four-year institutions, awards approximate the maximum tuition and fees for 16 undergraduate credit hours per semester. Private non-profit colleges receive the same award amount as the public four-year rate, with the institution covering any remaining tuition and fees for 16 credits. Technical and tribal college awards are determined individually, with technical college awards capped at the public 16-credit maximum and tribal college awards set at the maximum for a full-time undergraduate student at that tribal institution. Not all eligible applicants will receive an award; the number of recipients is limited and some colleges may limit participation.

Award Value: Awards cover tuition and generally-applicable fees up to published maximums, with amounts varying by institution type.

• Public four-year: approximately covers tuition/fees for 16 credits per semester.
• Private non-profit: awarded the public four-year amount; institution must cover remaining tuition/fees.
• Technical and tribal colleges: awarded on an individual basis, with technical awards capped at the public 16-credit maximum.

Recipient Commitment

Every recipient must sign a written obligation to work in a qualifying critical need occupation in South Dakota after completing their program of study. The required service period equals the number of years the scholarship was received plus one additional year (for example, four years of scholarship requires five years of work). Failure to fulfill the commitment converts the scholarship to a low-interest loan that must be repaid. The commitment is a central condition of the award and is enforced according to program rules.

Commitment: Work in a qualifying critical need occupation in South Dakota for scholarship years received plus one; noncompliance converts the award to a repayable loan.

• Service obligation = years of scholarship received + 1 year.
• Noncompletion converts the award to a low-interest loan.
• Obligation is required in writing before receiving the award.

Critical Need Occupations

The scholarship requires recipients to work in an approved critical need occupation in South Dakota for the duration of their service obligation. The program does not mandate a specific major, but it does verify that a student's chosen program of study will prepare them for one of the listed occupations. The Critical Need Occupations for the 2026–2027 cohort include a range of education, health, technical, and professional fields. Students should confirm that their intended major and institution align with a listed occupation before applying.

Critical Need Occupations: Approved occupations that satisfy the work obligation when practiced in South Dakota; majors must align with one of these occupations.

• Teaching — K-12; Teaching — Secondary; Special Education; Math; Foreign Language; Science; Language Arts; ESL/English; Language Learners (ELL); Vocal or Instrumental Music
• Career and Technical Education
• Accountant / Auditor; Engineer (all areas except mining, chemical, biomedical, and computer hardware); Information Technology; Registered Nurse
• Students must pursue a program that prepares them for one of these occupations to satisfy the obligation.