SD Retailers Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Retailers Association

Introduction
The South Dakota Retailers Association (SDRA) offers scholarships to students preparing for careers in retail and related hospitality or trade fields—whether as owners, managers, or employees. In 2025, the Scholarship Committee awarded grants to five students, with award amounts ranging from $2,750 to $3,700. Since the program began in 1992, SDRA has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships.

How to Apply
A digital application can be downloaded by clicking the blue button at the top of this page. Paper applications are usually available from the financial aid offices at most South Dakota universities and technical colleges, and SDRA will mail a hard copy on request—contact us via the link below.

After you submit an application, you will receive an email confirmation when SDRA has received it. If you send your application by email and do not receive confirmation within three business days, please get in touch using the online contact link.

Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must meet all of the following core requirements:

- Career intention: Demonstrate a desire to pursue a career in retail or a retail-related area, including hospitality and trade businesses.
- Enrollment for Fall 2026: Be enrolled (or planning to enroll) in a retail-related program at an accredited technical school, college, university, or certified professional training institute for the fall of 2026. Enrollment in an online degree program offered by a qualifying institution is acceptable.
- South Dakota connection: Meet one of these three criteria:
- Graduated from a South Dakota high school; OR
- Earned a high school equivalency (for example, a GED) in South Dakota; OR
- Intend to attend post-secondary school located in South Dakota.
- Academic or experiential threshold: Meet at least one of the following by September 2026:
- Completed a minimum of 24 credits at a qualifying college or university; OR
- Completed at least 12 credits at a qualifying technical school or certified professional training institute; OR
- Successfully finished ProStart Levels 1 and 2 (high school culinary arts program); OR
- Be a non-traditional student with full-time work experience since high school.
- Minimum course load for Fall 2026: Enroll in at least 12 credit hours at a qualifying post-secondary institution or in a qualifying online degree program for the fall of 2026. (Note: internships do not meet this requirement.)
- Previous recipients: Applicants who have received SDRA scholarships in the past are eligible to apply again.

Fields of Study Considered Related to Retail
The program considers many vocational and academic programs as retail-related, including but not limited to:
Accounting; Agribusiness; Apparel Merchandising; Automotive Technology/Mechanics; Business Administration; Business Management; Collision Repair; Computer Science; Commercial Baking; Cosmetology; Culinary Arts; Diesel Mechanics; Electrical Maintenance; Entrepreneurial Studies; Gemology; HVAC; Hotel/Restaurant Management; Landscape Design; Pharmacy; Photography; Printing Industries; Refrigeration; Sales/Marketing Management; and Tourism Industry Management.

If you have questions about eligibility or need an application mailed to you, please contact SDRA via the online link below.