Dual Credit

Criteria 1: Students interested in Dual Credit through USD must be a South Dakota resident or attend a South Dakota high school.

Criteria 2: Students must be a high school Junior or Senior in high school.

Criteria 3: Students need to meet one of the following Eligibility standards:

Junior Eligibility (must meet one of the following):

• High School cumulative Unweighted GPA 2.50+
• Upper 1/3 of High School Graduating Class
• ACT Composite of 24+
• SAT Score of 1180+

Senior Eligibility (must meet one of the following):

• High School cumulative unweighted GPA 2.25+
• Upper 1/2 of High School Graduating Class
• ACT Composite of 21+
• SAT Score of 1080+

Juniors or Seniors can also qualify using one of the following criteria:

• ACT composite of 21+ AND successful completion of the following:
  • 4 years of English
  • 3 years of Advanced Math
  • 3 years of Lab Sciences
  • 3 years of Social Studies
  • 1 year of Fine Arts
• Smarter Balanced - 3+ on English Language Arts & Math 11th Grade Assessment
• PreACT Exam Score of 24+
• Accuplacer Next Gen QAS+ & Writing 263+

Additional course eligibility (ENGL/MATH) - See "Advising Tab"

Eligibility:

Students receiving education opportunities through alternative education are eligible to participate if the sponsoring parent has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South Dakota Department of Education (DoE). Students can qualify for the program by meeting any of the criteria located on the eligibility tab.

Step 1: Navigate to the South Dakota DoE website and complete the Alternative Instruction Notification form.

Alternative Instruction Notification

Once the Alternative Instruction Notification is complete, families will be taken back to the SD DoE’s home screen.

Step 2: Complete the MOU by clicking the box that says: Finish Dual Credit MOU. Sign and submit the MOU.
At this point, the MOU will be sent to the DoE. Once the DoE signs the MOU, families will receive a copy of the form. A copy will also be sent to the institution that was requested on the MOU.

Step 3: Students should complete the Dual Credit Application! Follow the application instructions detailed on the “Apply Now” tab

What Dual Credit Courses are Right for You?

Schedule an individual advising meeting with Claire Rizzio, USD's Dual Credit Advisor to find out what courses work best for you.

Meet With Claire

Search All Board of Regents Courses

Registration Self Service

Gateway Certificates

• Business
• Digital Technology
• Health Sciences
• STEM
• Teacher Education

Advising Resources

• USD Major/Minor
• General Education Requirements
• Foreign Language Placement Exam
• DegreeWorks Help

Dual Credit students must apply to the program each semester. The application can be found on the Board of Regents (BOR) website. The process for applying is different for new incoming dual credit students and those who have taken dual credit before.

Step 1: Navigate to the BOR Website

Step 2: New Dual Credit Student - Click “Apply: First-Time Dual Enrollment Student” button on the right side of the screen. Create a new account using the student’s email and a new password. Navigate to the student’s email inbox (check junk/spam). After confirming the student’s email, go back to the BOR website. Re-click “Apply: First-Time Dual Enrollment Student” button and log into the site with the new username and password.

Step 2: Continuing Dual Credit Student - Click “APPLY: Continuing Dual Enrollment Student” button on the right side of the screen. Log into the application system with your college email and password to begin the application.

Can’t remember your college email or password? Call your home University IT Department.

Step 3: Once logged into the online application, please review the dual credit policy and proceed to the bottom of the page. Enter the appropriate high school counselor/official information to begin the application. The next screen will ask for a passcode. If this is unknown, please contact the High School counselor/official who should be able to provide the passcode.

Step 4: After the application is complete, an email will be sent to the parents asking for their signature. Parents will need to create an account and sign the application. The form will then be sent to the High School counselor/official. They will need to attach the students’ High School transcripts and sign the form.

Step 5: USD will review the application for eligibility. If the student is eligible for dual credit, USD will send the request forward for registration.

Step 6: After registration takes place, refer to the "Registered! What's Next?" Tab.

Once you have received your confirmation email, please follow these steps to prepare for your courses. Your starting point depends on whether you are a new or returning student:

• First-Time Students: Pick Up your USD Account.
• Continuing Students: You should log into D2L using the 'Home Location" email and password provided during your first dual credit semester.

The Enrollment Checklist

Once your account is ready, complete the following actions in order:

1. Log in to the USD Portal: Use your credentials to access the Student Dashboard.
2. Purchase Your Textbooks: Ensure you have the required materials before classes begin.
3. Pay for Classes: Complete your tuition payment to finalize enrollment.

Learn More

Navigating Your Tools

To help you get comfortable with our digital platforms, click the resources below.

USD Portal Tutorial D2L Video Walkthrough Online Student Handbook

The add/drop process is designed for students who have already applied for dual credit and plan to either add new courses to their dual credit schedule or are needing to drop/withdraw from courses they are actively registered for.

If you have not applied for courses yet, please refer to the “Apply Now” tab.

Adding courses that will put you above 10 credit hours? Petition Here!

Upcoming Important Dates

Summer 2026

Fall 2026

Academic Calendar

For more information about how a drop/withdrawal will impact future dual credit, please see the "Continuing Eligibility" tab.

Dual Credit continued eligibility information can be found in Board of Regents Policy 2.2.1.6.C(1).

What is good academic standing?

Students who have taken dual credit and have a Board or Regent GPA over 2.0 are in good academic standing and can continue taking dual credit. Students who fall below a 2.0 Board of Regent College GPA will be placed on Academic Suspension from Dual Credit or Concurrent Credit for one Fall/Spring term. If students wish to continue taking dual credit despite being on Academic Suspension, they may petition using the Academic Suspension Waiver. The GPA issuing institute will make petition decisions for the Academic Suspension Waivers.

Dual Credit Academic Suspension Waiver

If students wish to continue taking dual credit but do not have an approved Academic Suspension Waiver, they may take Dual Credit or Concurrent Credit while paying “full dual credit tuition” ($156.96 per credit hour) during the suspended term.

What happens if students earn an "F" or "W" in a dual credit course?

Board of Regents (BOR) policy states that students who receive an “F” or “W” in a given dual credit term AND have under 2.5 BOR College GPA are no longer eligible to continue taking dual credit. Students in this situation are welcome to petition to continue taking dual credit despite the F/W using the Eligibility Exemption form. Petitions are reviewed on an individual basis by the institution who issued the F/W.

Eligibility Exemption Form

If the petition is approved, students can continue taking dual credit as normal. If the petition is denied, students can retake the F/W course at full dual credit tuition: $156.96 per credit