Dakota Corps Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Board of Regents

The Dakota Corps Scholarship is a scholarship program funded by private businesses, non-profit corporations and the Governors Office.  It was established to encourage South Dakota's high school graduates to:

1. Obtain their post-secondary education in South Dakota
2. Remain in the state upon completion of their education and
3. Contribute to the state of South Dakota and its citizens by working in a critical need occupation.

Scholarship Application and Deadline

The Dakota Corps Scholarship application is reviewed annually by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board. Following their review, the application is released on the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal for students to complete.  The opening date is typically the end of October with a deadline of December 15.

Eligibility for Award

• 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 will be allowed to provide supplemental information if this requirement is not applicable.
• Have a composite ACT score of 27 or greater (or the SAT equivalent).
• 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.  
• 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.  
• Attend a participating South Dakota college as an undergraduate student in a program that will prepare the student to work in a critical need occupation.
• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

Scholarship Award

The intent of the program is that the recipients do not pay anything towards tuition and generally applicable fees. The scholarships are in an amount 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, or
• The same amount that is paid for a public four-year college if the student is attending a private nonprofit college. Remaining tuition and generally applicable fees for 16 credits must be covered by the participating nonprofit college through institutional scholarship or tuition waiver.
• An amount determined on an individual basis for technical college recipients that will never exceed the maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for sixteen (16) undergraduate credit hours per semester for a public college.​
• The maximum tuition and generally-applicable fees for a full-time undergraduate student at a tribal college if the recipient is attending a tribal college.

Note: Not all eligible applicants will be selected for a scholarship. From the total pool of applicants, a limited number of recipients will be selected. Also, 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​.

The Dakota Corps Commitment

Each recipient promises, 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.  For example, a four-year scholarship recipient must work five years; a three-year scholarship recipient must work four years; a two-year scholarship recipient must work three years, etc.

If the recipient does not complete his/her commitment, the scholarship converts to a low-interest loan which must be repaid.

Critical Need Occupations

• Teaching -- K-12
• Teaching -- 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
• Registered Nurse