STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

The following are financial aid programs available to students who are residents of the state of South Dakota. For more detailed information on state financial aid programs contact:

South Dakota Board of Regents
306 East Capitol Ave
Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501-2545
1-605-773-3455

www.sdbor.edu

South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship information

The South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship is a $5,000 scholarship awarded over four years to high school graduates from South Dakota who complete a challenging high school curriculum and maintain certain academic standards.

Eligibility Requirements

Be a resident of South Dakota at the time of high school graduation
Have an ACT composite score of 24 or higher. If using a SAT score, the sum of the verbal and mathematics scores on the SAT must be at least 1070.
Complete high school course requirements commonly known as the Regents Scholar curriculum with no final grade below a C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (grade of B).
Attend a university, college, or technical school accredited by the North Central Association (NCA) and the provides instruction from a campus located in South Dakota.
Enter into program within 5 years of high school graduation, or within 1 year of the student’s release from active duty military service (if that release is within 5 years of the date of the student’s high school graduation). Eligibility is lost if the student attends full time (12 or more credit hours per term on a semester basis) an institution of higher education located outside South Dakota.
May participate in South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship Program for the equivalent of four academic years or until attaining a baccalaureate, associate, or technical degree, whichever comes first.

The Richard Hagen-Minerva Harvey Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship Amount: $6,000 over 4 years for study at a South Dakota post-secondary institution

Program:

The Richard Hagen Minerva Memorial state scholarship program is for enrolled members of American Indian Tribes whose reservation is located in whole or part in the State of South Dakota. Once approved recipients will be authorized to receive up to 4 years of funding depending on year of attendance.
Funds are to be used for students attending a public or non-public accredited university, college or technical institute located in South Dakota.
Up to seven scholarships may be awarded each year.
Annual scholarship award amounts include a minimum of $1,000 for the first two years of attendance, a minimum of $1,500 for the third year of attendance, and a minimum of $2,500 for the fourth year of attendance.
Scholarship recipients must be enrolled the equivalent of at least fourteen (14) credit hours per semester and maintain a cumulative 2.5 grade point average during the course of the scholarship period.

Eligibility Requirements:

Graduation from an accredited South Dakota high school.
Apply within 5 years after high school graduation or within 1 year after release from active military duty (if that release is within 5 years of high school graduation);
Enrolled member of a tribe whose reservation is located in whole or part in South Dakota.
Must attend a public or non-public accredited university, college or technical institute located in South Dakota.

To apply, submit the following:

A completed Hagen-Harvey application form
Two letters of recommendation
An official high school transcript (following graduation)
An official current college/postsecondary study previously undertaken
Verification of tribal enrollment
An essay explaining why you deserve to receive a Hagen-Harvey Memorial Scholarship
Listing of high school and/or college involvement in organizations and activities
ACT scores

Submit application to:
South Dakota Board of Regents
306 East Capitol Avenue
Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501

Robert C. Byrd Scholarship Program

The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program is a federally-supported program that recognizes exceptionally able high school seniors who show promise of continued excellence in postsecondary education.

Eligibility

An applicant must be a South Dakota resident and a senior at an accredited public or private secondary school, must be qualified to graduate or receive a GED certificate, and must have applied or been accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an eligible in-state or out-of-state institution of higher education.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

Have a grade point average of at least 3.5 on an unweighted 4.0 scale, or the equivalent on a weighted scale, through the end of the term most recently completed; and
Have an ACT score of 30 or above.

Scholarships are awarded to approximately 15 eligible applicants with the highest ACT score and grade point average. Scholars will be selected from the four divisions of the South Dakota federal district court: western, northern, central and southern. Scholars must attend an eligible institution of higher education on a full-time basis in the academic year following high school graduation, or they may postpone their education up to one year if approved by the South Dakota Department of Education.

Size of Awards

Scholarships of $1,500, or a prorated amount thereof depending on funds available, shall be awarded. If funds are available, scholarships are renewable for the first four years of study at any institution eligible to participate in this program if the recipient continues to meet the eligibility criteria and maintains satisfactory progress, as determined by the institution of higher education.

Payment of Awards

Payment of the award shall be made to each scholar during the academic year in which he or she graduates from secondary school. Payment will be made by a warrant, payable to the scholar and the institution the scholar plans to attend. The warrant must be signed by the scholar and an official at the institution.

If the scholar's eligible institution of higher education changes before enrollment, the scholar must return the warrant to the South Dakota Department of Education with verification of admittance from the eligible institution of higher education the scholar now plans to attend. The warrant shall be reissued and sent to the eligible institution.

Within 30 days after the beginning of each semester or quarter, the scholar's financial aid officer must verify that the scholar is enrolled on a full-time basis at the institution.

Scholarship Repayment

Scholars who do not pursue a course of study at an eligible institution of higher education in the two years following graduation must repay the scholarship to the South Dakota Department of Education by October 1 of that academic year.

For More Information

Visit the US Department of Education, Institutional Development and Undergraduate Programs website at
www.ed.gov/programs/iduesbyrd/index.html.

Dakota Corps Scholarship Program

The Dakota Corps Scholarship Program was created by Gov. Rounds to encourage South Dakota’s high school graduates and college students to:

Obtain their postsecondary education in South Dakota
Remain in the state upon completion of their education
Contribute to the state of South Dakota and its citizens by working in a critical need occupation
The Dakota Corps Scholarship Program is funded by private businesses, nonprofit corporations, the Governor's Office and the South Dakota Department of Labor.

Scholarship Award

The intent of the program is that the recipients do not pay anything towards tuition and generally applicable fees. The scholarships are in an amount approximately equal to:

The maximum tuition and generally-applicable fees for 16 undergraduate credit hours at an institution of higher education under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents for recipients attending a public four-year college, or
The same amount that is paid for a public four-year college if the student is attending a private nonprofit college. Remaining tuition and generally applicable fees must be covered by the participating nonprofit college through institutional scholarship or tuition waiver.
An amount determined on an individual basis for technical college recipients that will never exceed the maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for sixteen (16) undergraduate credit hours for a public college, or
The maximum tuition and generally-applicable fees for a full-time undergraduate student at a tribal college if the recipient is attending a tribal college.
Not all eligible applicants will be selected for a scholarship. From the total pool of applicants, a limited number of recipients will be selected. Also, some South Dakota colleges may limit the number of scholarship recipients they accept, or not participate at all.

Remaining tuition and generally-applicable fees must be covered by the participating college through institutional scholarship or tuition waiver.

Incoming Freshmen for the 2007-2008 Academic Year Must:

Have graduated from an accredited South Dakota high school with a Grade Point Average (GPA of) 2.8 or greater on a 4.0 scale. Home schooled students will be allowed to provide supplemental information if this requirement is not applicable.
Have a composite ACT score of 24 or greater (or the SAT equivalent).
Agree, in writing, to stay in South Dakota and work in a critical need occupation after graduation for as many years as the scholarship was received, plus one year.
Apply for the first Dakota Corps Scholarship for a school period that begins within one year of high school graduation, or within one year of release from active duty of an active component of the armed forces.
Attend a participating South Dakota college as an undergraduate student in a program that will prepare the student to work in a critical need occupation.
Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

Among those that qualify, recipients will be chosen based on GPA, test scores, activities, honors, community service, and a written essay. Not all eligible applicants will be selected for a scholarship. From the total pool of applicants, a limited number of recipients will be selected. Also, some South Dakota colleges may limit the number of scholarship recipients they accept, or not participate at all.

Commitment

Each recipient promises to enter a critical need occupation in South Dakota following completion of the program of study. The number of years a recipient must work in a critical need occupation to fulfill the entire obligation is equal to the sum of the number of years of scholarship received, plus one year. For example, a four-year scholarship recipient must work five years; a three-year scholarship recipient must work four years; a two-year scholarship recipient must work three years, etc.

If the recipient does not complete his/her commitment, the scholarship converts to a low interest loan which must be repaid.

Areas of Critical Need

The Department of Labor will designate shortage occupations from time to time. The current critical need occupations are:

Teaching K-12 music, special education, or foreign language in a public, private, or parochial school.
Teaching high school math or science in a public, private, or parochial school.
Working as a Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse, or in other allied health care fields.

United States Senate Youth Program Scholarship

ntroduction:

The Unites States Senate Youth Scholarship Program is a nationwide youth program that brings high school students to Washington, D.C., for a brief on-site introduction to the functions of the federal government and, in particular, the United States Senate.

The Program:

The 2008 United States Senate Youth Program will be held in Washington , D.C. March 1 – March 8, 2008.
Each high school principal may submit two nominations on forms supplied by the Department of Education (DOE). Nominations must be faxed or postmarked no later than October 2, 2007. When DOE receives a nomination, a copy of the Qualifying Examination is sent to the person identified on the form to administer the exam. The test shall be administered under the usual conditions that prevail under testing situations. The test must be returned to the DOE and postmarked no later than November 2, 2007.
DOE will select two delegates to represent South Dakota in the Program. Selections will be based on the results of a Qualifying Examination and on demonstrated qualities of leadership. Each state agency must submit the names of their two delegates to the foundation on or before December 1, 2007. A representative of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation will confirm each student's appointment as a delegate with the respective high school principal. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation will notify delegates by sending a letter to their home address.
The program is funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. The foundation will pay all expenses for the Washington week including transportation, hotel, and meals. The foundation will arrange transportation to and from Washington , D.C. It will be a local responsibility to transport each delegate to and from the nearest commercial airport, bus terminal, or railroad station. No tours or side trips will be permitted by individual delegate’s enroute to or from Washington , D.C.
Each delegate shall currently be serving in an elected capacity in any one of the following student government offices:
- Student body president, vice-president, secretary or treasurer
- Class president, vice-president, secretary or treasurer
- Student council representative
- Student representative elected or selected (selected by a panel, commission or board) to district, regional or state-level civic or educational organization.
Each delegate must be either a junior or senior student and has not previously been a delegate to the Program.
Each student must be a permanent resident of the United States and currently enrolled in a public or private secondary school located in the state in which either one of his or her parents or guardians legally resides.
A $5,000.00 scholarship award is made available to each delegate, subject to requirements and conditions as established by the foundation. A scholarship for each alternate will also be available.
Each delegate will be a guest of the United States Senate throughout the program and will be required to conduct himself or herself in such a manner as to reasonably assure that neither the United States Senate nor the Senate Youth Program will be discredited as a result of the conduct of such delegate.

The United States Senate Youth Scholarship Program Website can be found at: https://www.hearstfdn.org/ussyp/.

Scott Mecham Better Business Bureau Student of Integrity Awards

The annual Scott Mecham Better Business Bureau (BBB) Student of Integrity Awards program is sponsored by the Foundation of the Better Business Bureau. $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to three students who reside in the geographic area served by the BBB. These scholarships were established to honor the memory of Mr. Mecham who served as the BBB president from 1991 until January 2006, when he died unexpectedly.

All high schools located in the BBB’s service area Nebraska, South Dakota and southwest Iowa are invited to identify students of integrity from the class of 2007 or 2008. The Student of Integrity Award scholarship is not based on ethnicity or grade point average. This award will recognize students that personify the values, leadership and integrity exemplified by Scott Mecham.

For more information please go to www.bbbsouthdakota.org or contact BBB Communications Director.

Masonic-Range Science Scholarship

The Society for Range Management (SRM) Masonic-Range Science Scholarship offers financial assistance and recognition to a high school senior, college freshman or college sophomore planning to major in/presently majoring in range science and/or closely related field. The recipient of the scholarship must be planning to attend or be currently in attendance at a college or university with a range science program.

Applicants must be sponsored by a member of the Society for Range Management (SRM), the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), or the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). The scholarship is awarded by the Masonic-Range Science Scholarship Committee (MasCom), which is a subcommittee of the SRM Student Activities Committee. The MasCom will select and announce the recipient(s) at the SRM Annual Meeting held in February each year.

Applications for the 2008 Scholarship are now being accepted.

Applications are due December 31, 2007.

Further information may be obtained through: Society for Range Management
10030 W 27th Ave
Wheat Ridge CO 80215-6601
Phone: 303-986-3309
Fax: 303-986-3892
Email: [email protected]

State Financial Aid Information

Find state financial aid information for the specific state that you live in. Find contact information for your local federal aid office, and get details about specific federal aid programs in your area.