South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Board of Regents

In 2003, the South Dakota Legislature initiated the Regents Scholarship Program, aimed at providing affordable education to the state's top high school graduates. This program applies to any university, college, or technical school in South Dakota accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The following year, the scholarship was renamed the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship (SDOS) and was funded by the state's Education Enhancement Trust Fund, starting with the 2004 high school graduating classes.

Applying for the Scholarship and Submission Deadlines

High school graduates seeking to qualify for the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship program must fill out the application available on the Scholarship Portal. The application process involves logging into the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal.

Initial Qualification

Students are advised to complete the application by June 1st for the Fall term and November 1st for the Spring term. However, applications can be submitted until September 1st for the Fall term and January 15th for the Spring term.

Eligibility for Returning or Transfer Students

South Dakota students who initially attended an accredited institution outside the state and then returned to a South Dakota school within two years of their high school graduation (or two years after active military service) should complete this application. These students must meet the initial eligibility criteria for the Opportunity Scholarship, as well as maintain their GPA and credit-hour load while studying out of state. If they return to South Dakota and apply for the Opportunity Scholarship, they may receive a partial award.

Award Eligibility

There are two ways to qualify for the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship.

Option 1: Meet ACT, GPA, and Curriculum requirements.

Option 2: Meet ACT requirements only.

NOTE:  The eligibility criteria are set by the South Dakota Legislature. To qualify for the scholarship, these requirements must be met. The ACT Super Score must be officially reported and not manually calculated by the student, parent, high school, or campus.

Scholarship Amount

From Fall 2023, the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship will offer up to $7,500 over four years to eligible students attending a higher education institution in South Dakota. Recipients can participate in the program for four academic years (eight consecutive fall and spring terms) or until they earn a baccalaureate degree.

Participating Institutions

• Regental Universities
  • Black Hills State University
  • Dakota Wesleyan University
  • Northern State University
  • South Dakota Mines
  • South Dakota State University
  • University of South Dakota
• Technical Colleges
  • Lake Area Technical College
  • Mitchell Technical College
  • Southeast Technical College
  • Western Dakota Technical College
• Private Universities
  • Augustan University
  • Dakota State University
  • Mount Marty University
  • University of Sioux Falls