Dakota Corps Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Board of Regents

Overview

The Dakota Corps Scholarship is a South Dakota program funded by private businesses, non-profit corporations, and the Governor's Office to support residents pursuing post-secondary education in the state. It was established to encourage high school graduates to complete their education in South Dakota, remain in the state after graduation, and work in occupations identified as critical needs. Recipients are expected to enter the workforce in South Dakota in a qualifying role for a period tied to the duration of the scholarship. The program supports attendance at participating public, private non-profit, technical, and tribal colleges within the state.

Description: A merit-based scholarship program aimed at preparing and retaining graduates in South Dakota by funding tuition and fees for eligible students who agree to serve in critical need occupations.

History of the Award: The scholarship is funded through a combination of private business contributions, non-profit support, and state executive backing to address workforce shortages in critical areas across South Dakota.

• Supports South Dakota residents pursuing in-state post-secondary education.
• Links financial support to a post-graduation work commitment in critical need fields.
• Funded by private, non-profit, and state partners.

Application & Deadline

Applications are reviewed annually by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board and released through the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal after the board's review. The application window opens November 1 and closes in December each year. Students must access and complete the application through the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal to be considered. Notifications of award decisions are provided following the board's selection process.

Application Timeline: The portal opens November 1, with a December deadline; selections and notifications follow the board's annual review.

• Annual application cycle with fixed opening and closing dates.
• Applications are submitted via the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal.
• Award notifications follow the Dakota Corps Scholarship Board review.

Eligibility

Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens or nationals who graduated from an accredited South Dakota high school (or provide supplemental information if home-schooled) and meet academic and testing standards. Applicants must plan to enroll at a participating South Dakota institution in a program that leads to work in a critical need occupation and must apply for a school period beginning within one year of high school graduation or release from active military duty. Recipients also must agree in writing to remain and work in South Dakota in a qualifying occupation for the required commitment period. Meeting eligibility does not guarantee selection; recipients are chosen from a limited pool of applicants.

Eligibility: Requirements include a minimum 2.8 GPA (4.0 scale) or supplemental documentation for home-schooled applicants, a 27 ACT (or SAT equivalent), enrollment at a participating in-state institution, a written commitment to work in a critical need occupation in South Dakota, and U.S. citizenship or national status.

• Minimum 2.8 GPA (exceptions with supplemental info for home-schooled students).
• Minimum 27 ACT composite (or SAT equivalent).
• Must enroll in a participating South Dakota institution and agree to the in-state work commitment.

Scholarship Award

The scholarship is intended to fully cover tuition and generally applicable fees for eligible recipients, up to defined maximum amounts based on the type of institution attended. For public four-year institutions, the award approximates maximum tuition and fees for 16 undergraduate credit hours per semester; private non-profit colleges receive the equivalent dollar amount and must cover any remaining tuition through institutional aid. Technical and tribal college awards are determined on an individual basis but do not exceed the public four-year maximum. Not all eligible applicants will be selected; participating colleges may limit or decline recipient participation.

Award Value: Awards are approximately equal to maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for 16 undergraduate credits per semester at public four-year institutions, with corresponding provisions for private non-profit, technical, and tribal colleges.

• Public four-year: amount equal to max tuition and fees for 16 credits/semester.
• Private non-profit: receives equivalent amount; remaining tuition covered by the college.
• Technical and tribal colleges: award amounts set individually, not to exceed public four-year maximums.

Note: A limited number of recipients are selected from the applicant pool; not all eligible applicants will receive an award, and some colleges may limit participation.

Commitment

Recipients must sign a written agreement to work in a designated critical need occupation in South Dakota for a period equal to the number of years the scholarship was received plus one additional year. For example, a four-year scholarship requires five years of in-state employment in a qualifying role; a three-year scholarship requires four years, and so on. Failure to complete this commitment converts the scholarship to a low-interest loan that must be repaid. The commitment ensures the program's goal of addressing workforce shortages in priority fields within the state.

Commitment: Work in South Dakota in a qualifying critical need occupation for scholarship years received plus one year; noncompliance triggers loan repayment.

• Obligation equals scholarship years received plus one year of service.
• Noncompliance converts the scholarship to a low-interest loan.
• Ensures recipients contribute to state workforce needs.

Critical Need Occupations

The scholarship supports students who will work in occupations identified as critical needs for the state. Recipients must agree to work in one of the approved critical need occupations in South Dakota for each year of funding plus one additional year. The program evaluates majors to ensure they lead to qualifying occupations but does not mandate a specific major title, since major names and campus offerings vary. The following list reflects the Critical Need Occupations for the 2026–2027 cohort.

Critical Need Occupations: Approved occupations include a range of K–12 teaching specialties, technical and health professions, and select business and engineering roles.

• 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

• Majors need not have a specific title but must prepare students for a qualifying occupation.
• Students must commit to work in one of these fields for the required service period.
• The list is cohort-specific and subject to periodic updates.