Dakota Corps Scholarship - New Student Information!

Please read through this entire document to find out more information about the scholarship and the funding amount.  Then, to accept or decline your scholarship offer, you will need to log into the SD Board of Regents Scholarship Portal.  You can find the scholarship portal by following the below link or scanning the QR code at the top of the page.   Scholarships must be accepted by April 30 or your scholarship will be forfeited so an award communication can be made to an alternate. 
https://sdbor.scholarships.ngwebsolutions.com/

By accepting the Dakota Corps Scholarship, you agree that you will study a program that will set you up to work in one of the Critical Need Occupations following your graduation.

 

Critical Need Occupations

Teaching – K-12 Special Education Foreign Language Vocal or Instrumental Music English as a Second Language (ELS)  English Language Learners (ELL)	Teaching – Secondary Math Science Language Arts Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Accountant / Auditor Engineer (all areas EXCEPT: mining, chemical, biomedical, and computer hardware) Information Technology Registered Nurse

Students may also meet their employment requirement by working in a field added to the critical need occupation list after they were awarded the scholarship. 

 

Programs of Study

The Dakota Corps Scholarship does not set limitations to the major or program that you plan to study but does note that it must be a program that would set students up to work in one of the above Critical Need Occupations.  Students must be accepted into that necessary program of study (i.e. School of Nursing, Business School, etc.) by their junior year to continue to receive funding.

If you are attending a school that does not have the critical need degree that you plan to pursue, you may attend that school for the first two years. However, by the start of your junior year, you must transfer to a college that offers the degree and be accepted into the specific program.

 

Participating Institutions​​​​​​​

• Augustana University
• Black Hills State University
• Dakota State University
• Dakota Wesleyan University
• Lake Area Technical Institute
• Mitchell Technical Institute
• Mount Marty College
• Northern State University
• South Dakota Schools of Mines and Technology
• South Dakota State University
• Southeast Technical College
• University of Sioux Falls
• University of South Dakota
• Western Dakota Technical Institute

Following graduation, students are permitted to pursue a graduate or further degree, during which time, the employment obligation will be deferred provided that enrollment is maintained at 50% or greater.

 

Amount of Scholarship

It is the intent that you receive the full tuition and generally applicable fees. The scholarship amount provided by the Dakota Corps Scholarship Program will be approximately equal to:

• The maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for sixteen (16) undergraduate credit hours each semester at an institution of higher education under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents.
• The maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for a full-time student at a public technical college
• The maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for a full-time undergraduate student at a tribal college, or the same amount that is paid for a public four-year college if you are attending a private nonprofit college – remaining tuition and generally applicable fees must be covered by the participating college.

*Generally applicable fees are those fees that are assessed to the general student population, and include such fees as the university support fees, facility fees, and student activity fees. Generally applicable fees do not include equipment purchase or use fees, discipline-specific fees, or room and board.

Scholarships will not be extended to summer session tuition or fees for students in traditional four-year programs.  The scholarship amount does not vary based on the number of credits a student takes each semester but is based on the above calculations.

 

Scholarship Renewability

To maintain eligibility and renew the Dakota Corps Scholarship students must:

• Complete an Acceptance and Promissory Note Annually
• Maintain a 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Be considered a full-time student as defined by the college.
• Make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree.
• Be certified as accepted into the specific program by the start of your junior year (if in a four year program).

The Dakota Corps Scholarship is renewable for up to the number of years required to complete your program, as defined by the college (i.e., one year, two years, or four years), not to exceed four years, provided that you meet all of the eligibility requirements listed above.

The SD Board of Regents will confirm with your college that you have met the eligibility requirements listed above. We will then send you an Acceptance and Promissory note that MUST be completed in order to renew the scholarship prior to each year.

 

Employment Requirement

The number of years that you must work in South Dakota to fulfill the entire obligation is equal to the sum of the number of years of scholarship received plus one year. For example, a three-year scholarship recipient must work for four years.

If you fail to fulfill the employment requirements, the scholarship will convert into an interest-bearing loan. A sum equal to the scholarship assistance received plus interest and other charges and fees will become due and payable as provided in the Acceptance and Promissory Note.

 

Cancellation

You may cancel the scholarship, without any costs, by returning all proceeds that were issued on your behalf, provided that the proceeds are returned prior to the end of the academic year in which they were received.