South Dakota FB Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Farm Bureau

Introduction
South Dakota Farm Bureau supports agriculture across our state and wants to recognize young people who are committed to agriculture and life in rural communities. This scholarship is intended for students who plan to return to rural areas to live and work. Applicants may opt to be considered under either an agriculture-focused or community-focused category based on their major and experience.

Eligibility
- The applicant, or the applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s), must be a current South Dakota Farm Bureau member and have maintained membership for at least two years.
- Previous recipients are not eligible to receive this scholarship again.
- Applicants must be accepted to an accredited institution of higher education and intend to enroll as a full-time student for at least one academic year.
- Applicants must be at least 17 years old and either a high school graduate or a college freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. High school applicants must have a planned graduation date of Spring 2026.
- High school seniors must submit their most recent ACT or Accuplacer scores. All applicants must provide a current transcript showing their grade point average.
- Graduate students are ineligible.
- The scholarship amount will be applied to tuition only and payment will be made after the student’s first semester.

What will be evaluated
The selection committee will consider the following when choosing recipients:
- Work history, leadership roles, and participation in activities.
- Responses to the scholarship essay questions.
- Academic record, honors, and ACT or Accuplacer scores.
- Two current letters of recommendation (one academic and one personal). Each letter must be dated, signed, include the author’s phone number and email address, and emailed directly by the author to heather@sdfbf.org. Letters must be received by March 1, 2026.

Required application materials
Please include the following items with your application:
1. Official high school transcript plus ACT or Accuplacer scores (for high school applicants) or an official current college transcript (for college applicants).
2. A current resume outlining employment, school and community involvement, and leadership positions. (A sample resume is available at www.sdfbf.org.)
3. Completed answers to the three scholarship essay questions found on the application form.
4. Two dated, signed letters of recommendation (one academic and one personal). Instruct the letter writers to email their signed, dated letters directly to heather@sdfbf.org.
5. A copy of the Letter of Acceptance from the accredited school you plan to attend. Current college students should provide a letter from their institution confirming enrollment.

Submission notes
- Letters of recommendation must be emailed by the authors themselves to heather@sdfbf.org and must arrive by March 1, 2026.
- Do not use staples when assembling your submitted materials.

If you have questions about the application or submission process, contact South Dakota Farm Bureau for assistance.