The South Dakota Legislature authorized the Regents Scholarship Program in 2003 to allow South Dakota’s most academically accomplished high school graduates to receive an affordable education at any university, college, or technical school in South Dakota that is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2004, the Legislature renamed the scholarship the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship and authorized funding from the state of South Dakota’s Education Enhancement Trust Fund, beginning with high school graduating classes in 2004. 

 

Participating Institutions

 

Augustana College

Black Hills State University

Colorado Technical University

Dakota State University

Dakota Wesleyan University

Kilian Community College

Lake Area Technical Institute

Mount Marty College

Mitchell Technical Institute

National American University

Northern State University

Presentation College

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

South Dakota State University

Southeast Technical Institute

University of South Dakota

University of Sioux Falls

Western Dakota Technical Institute

 

 

Scholarship Amounts

 

     The South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship provides $5,000 over four years to a qualifying student who attends an eligible higher education institution in South Dakota.  Recipients may participate in the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship Program for the equivalent of four academic years (eight consecutive fall and spring terms), or until attaining a baccalaureate degree. During each academic year, one-half of the annual scholarship award will be distributed at the beginning of the fall semester and the other half distributed at the beginning of the spring semester:

 

$1,000 – 1st year of attendance

$1,000 – 2nd year of attendance

$1,000 – 3rd year of attendance

$2,000 – 4th year of attendance