Scholarships
Free money
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As an incoming undergrad, you can apply for multiple scholarships to offset - or even completely fund - your education.
There are opportunities for every kind of student. You can find scholarships based on grades, athletic achievement, community service, your cultural background, and much more. The Dakota State University Foundation and other South Dakota-centric organizations sponsor the awards below.
But this list is just the beginning. Our financial aid experts can help you find many more.
Let’s make this happen.
DSU general scholarships can include but are not limited to: academic, athletic, music, and special scholarships for students who meet criteria established by our network of donors. The scholarship application opens September 1, the deadline to submit your application is March 1.
Full List of General Scholarships
Apply for a General Scholarship
*Please note, this application is for consideration of ALL General Academic Scholarships listed.
The DSU Champion Annual Scholarships were established in 2003 as a four-year guarantee of $4,000 ($1,500 per year). You don’t need to apply for Champion Scholarships—we award them automatically based on certain academic criteria upon admission. Since 2019 they have been divided into four levels.
The DSU Rising Annual Scholarships were established as a four year guarantee of $20,000 ($5,000 per year). You don’t need to apply for DSU Rising Scholarships—we award them automatically based on certain academic criteria upon admission.
The DSU Go Blue Dual Credit Scholarships were established in 2021 to assist motivated students who choose to take college credit courses while earning their high school diploma. You don’t need to apply for this scholarship, to be eligible you must earn a “C” or higher in all your dual credit courses, and enroll at Dakota State as a full-time, first-time freshman.
Received annually from the Hatterscheidt Foundation, these scholarships are awarded to residents of South Dakota who are in the upper 30% of their current year's high school graduating class and in need of financial assistance. DSU will provide application material to qualified candidates.
If “persistence” is your middle name, here’s the opportunity for you. Established in 2018, the Horatio Alger Denny Sanford Scholarship helps high school seniors who have persevered despite great obstacles. We’re looking for applicants who have critical financial need, and demonstrate determination and integrity while overcoming adversity.
The scholarship awards $10,000, dispersed throughout your college experience.
Eligibility
To qualify for the Horatio Alger Denny Sanford Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be committed to completing a bachelor’s degree at Dakota State University
- Be a current high school senior with plans to enroll at DSU in Fall 2021
- Demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or less family income required)
- Complete the 2021-2022 FAFSA
- Be involved in community service activities
- Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
- Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0
- Be a United States citizen
If you are graduating from a South Dakota high school, you can apply for the following scholarships:
South Dakota Opportunity ScholarshipDakota Corps Scholarship
Annis I. Fowler/Kaden Scholarship
The CyberCorps Scholarship Program awards high-achieving, driven students in security degree programs following their sophomore year at DSU. The program is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation with around 10 new students awarded per year.
But wait – there's more!
We've compiled a short list of scholarships offered by organizations that aren't associated with the Dakota State University Foundation.
Amount: up to $30,000
Deadline: July 15 each year
Criteria:
- Be a full-time degree seeking student
- Applicant must be able to demonstrate tribal affiliation through the submission of a Tribal Eligibility Certificate
- Applicant must be able to demonstrate financial need through the submission of a Financial Needs form and FAFSA
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: Monthly rolling deadline
Criteria:
- Be legal residents of the United States and the District of Columbia who are are least 16 years old at the time of entry
- Monthly $1,000 giveaway, designed to help students pay for their higher-education expenses
- Every month a new scholarship will be announced with a winner selected randomly from the entrants
Requirements :
- Must be a full time college student
- Must work at Classic Corner minimum of 20hrs/ wk during school year and minimum of 30hrs /wk during the summer
- Must score average or above on yearly merit reviews and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
Benefits :
After completion of full year the following amounts will be paid out to help w/ tuition. The amounts will be paid directly to the financial aid office and applied to your account.
- Year One : $500
- Year Two : $500
- Year Three : $500
- Year Four : $1000
Note: When applying please reference the tuition assistance program.
For More information contact:
Shannon Kauffman
Owner/ Partner
Classic Corner
(605) 256-0338
Email
Amount: $1000
Deadline: April 30th, 2021
Criteria:
- Be a First Bank & Trust Checking and/or a Savings account holder
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Be a high school senior or full-time undergraduate student
- Have not Previously received a Frist Bank & Trust Scholarship
- Employees and members of the Board of Directors of First Bank & Trust, its affiliates, and the immediate families, and persons living in the households of each of these individuals whether related or not, are not eligible.
For more information and application visit https://www.bankeasy.com/about-us/our-communities/scholarships
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 31st, 2021
Criteria:
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Be a high school senior or full-time undergraduate student
- Have not Previously received a Frist Bank & Trust Scholarship
- Employees and members of the Board of Directors of First Bank & Trust, its affiliates, and the immediate families, and persons living in the households of each of these individuals whether related or not, are not eligible.
Amount: $1000
Deadline: March 15,2021
Criteria:
- Student's parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must reside within one of the Golden West telephone service areas and subscribe to a Golden West phone or internet service
- Must be a high school senior
- Must take the SAT or ACT at an examination center of their choice no later than December 31 of their senior year
- Scholarship awards only applied to post-secondary institutions
- The recipient of the award must begin attending a post-secondary institution and taking 12 or more classroom credits the fall semester immediately following graduation from high school.
For more information and application visit: https://www.goldenwest.com/about/community-involvement/scholarships/
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: Open
Criteria:
- Descendant of a Vietnam Veteran
- Must be attending a college, university, or technical school in South Dakota
- student needs to provide proof of their relationship to the South Dakota Vietnam Veteran
- A copy of the Veterans military record
- Letters from two references outside of the family
- Submit a transcript for Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years plus a list of Senior subjects and a summary of community service activities in your school, church, community, and family
- An essay of 200 words or less on “What impact the Vietnam War has had on American History”
Application: To Apply Contact:
Mary Chilton
Chapter NSDAR
520 S First Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Telephone: 605-271-2595
Email
Amount: $1500
Deadline: May 14, 2021
Criteria:
- Pioneer EDA’s Scholarship Program is available to all potential employees and employees (students) of equipment dealerships in Minnesota, North Dakota, or South Dakota
- The student must be enrolled and accepted in a higher education curriculum approved by the dealer as training applicable to the dealership’s needs, and must be enrolled full-time in the approved course of study.
- The dealer must be willing to provide scholarship funds in the amount of $500 and must be a current member of the Pioneer Equipment Dealers Association (Pioneer EDA). Furthermore, each Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota retail location of a multi-store, “common ownership” dealer group must be a current member of Pioneer EDA.
- During the school year the student must maintain an average cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
For more information and application visit: https://www.pioneereda.com/workforce-development/
Amount: $500
Deadline:
Criteria:
- Must be a resident of Lake County
- Must have completed at least 1 semester of college
- Must be currently enrolled as a full time student in at least 12 credit hours
Application: Send a resume including name, age, and name and residence of parents, extracurricular activities, goals, and work experience, names and addresses of 2 references, and a college transcript to:
Connie Daniel
23853 461st Ave.
Wentworth, S.D., 57075
Amount: $5000
Deadline: September 1, 2021
- First Generation American
- First Generation College
- Non-Traditional Student aged 25 years old or older
- Maintain GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Pursuing a degree as a full-time* student
Amount:
$4,000 Alan M. Graff Scholarship
$3,000 David S. Birkeland Scholarship
3,000 Herman Lerdal Scholarship
$3,000 Joyce Hazeltine Scholarship
$1,500 Deb Gates Scholarship
Deadline: March 26, 2021
Criteria:
- Must Currently Be a Junior entering your Senior year during the 2021-2022 School year
- Be a finance or business major
Amount: $2000
Deadline: March 15, 2021
Criteria:
- Be a First Bank & Trust Checking and/or a Savings account holder
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Be a South Dakota Resident
- You must be entering your junior or senior year of post-secondary school during the 2021-2022 school year
- Employees and members of the Board of Directors of First Bank & Trust, its affiliates, and the immediate families, and persons living in the households of each of these individuals whether related or not, are not eligible.