Welcome Resources

Admitted Students

Placement Exams
Welcome Resources

Welcome to USD

Congratulations! Now that you're officially a Coyote, it's time to become familiar with the resources and opportunities available to you as a USD student.

Welcome to USD. Welcome home.

Registering for Classes

Registering for classes is an exciting step as you prepare for life at USD! Here’s the information you’ll want to know for Coyote Registration.

Explore USD’s undergraduate academic programs to find your major, and then click “View Curriculum” to see a four-year program guide. This will give you an idea of what classes you will take. You and your academic advisor will develop a plan of study that is right for you.

View Academic Programs

Placement exams assess what you have learned in a given subject area to determine what course level will be the right fit for you. English and math course placements are determined by evaluating your test scores and/or GPA or previously completed college coursework. Use the charts available on our website to identify your placement for these subjects. Depending on your course placement for English and math, your advisor may recommend challenging your placement by completing an ACCUPLACER exam. This option can be discussed during your advising appointment at Coyote Registration.

View Placement Information

During Coyote Registration, you’ll meet with an academic advisor to plan for your first semester as a Coyote and register for classes. Keep an eye on your email for more information, and reach out to your USD admissions counselor if you have any questions about your next steps. We also encourage you to visit our website for helpful resources as you prepare for your Coyote Registration event.

View Self-Service Resources

Finances

We’ve prepared resources to help you as you find and pay your bill.

We've created a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process of paying your bill. Visit our Billing & Payment webpage to access SDePay, learn about payment plans and explore the resources available to you.

Billing & Payment Resources

As you prepare to join us at USD, we encourage you to have conversations with your family about how you plan to pay for college. You can find helpful resources on our financial aid page. If you choose to add your parents/guardians or others as authorized payers, you can do so in SDePay. Visit our billing and payment webpage for step-by-step instructions and more information about billing options.

Billing & Payment Resources

If you have questions about your financial aid award or how you will pay for college, our Office of Financial Aid can help. Request an appointment with a financial aid representative so we can walk you through your financial aid award and address any questions you may have.

Request a Financial Aid Appointment

Finding Your Community

We can’t wait to welcome you into our USD community! Here are some ways you can meet fellow Coyotes and get involved.

USD is home to more than 180 student organizations. Many of these organizations are hosted at USD’s main campus in Vermillion, though there are also some events in Sioux Falls and online.

Visit the link below to explore ways to get involved.

Get Involved

Looking to connect with current students? Have questions for our faculty and staff?

Chat with us using Unibuddy! Visit the link below to get started.

Ask Students or Staff

There are a variety of services available on campus to connect you with resources and help you achieve your goals. Whether you are looking for community, mental health support, student health information or academic resources, we are here to help.

Student Resources & Wellness

Getting Ready for the Semester

The semester is right around the corner! Review these steps over the course of the summer to make sure you’re ready on the first day of classes.

Have you chosen your residence hall and signed up for a meal plan? You can cross both items off your list by completing the Housing Application. These are important steps for students who plan to live on campus in Vermillion. This only applies to students at USD's main campus in Vermillion.

Apply for Housing

We are excited for you to start your journey as a Coyote! For new students who will be at USD’s campus in Vermillion, Move-In Day is Friday, Aug. 18. Keep an eye on your email for instructions regarding signing up for a move-in time. If you are moving in early with a designated group on campus, reach out to that organization for more information.

After you’ve moved in, you can look forward to a full week of activities celebrating the start of your chapter at USD. A full Welcome Week schedule will be posted at a later date on the page below.

Learn More about Welcome Week

Your Coyote Card and Coyote Card Mobile ID are your most important pieces of identification at USD. You can use your student ID to pay for purchases, access your residence hall, use printing services and more. Make sure you order your Coyote Card in advance so you’re ready when the semester begins.

Request Your Coyote Card

Coyote One Stop is a website where you can ask questions and find resources about all things USD, wherever you are, anytime. To find the answers you need, you can either ask a question or search the knowledge base of existing Q&As.

Visit Coyote One Stop

Once you’ve registered for classes, you can purchase or rent your textbooks through USD’s online bookstore. You can choose to have your textbooks delivered to your home address or our Vermillion campus bookstore location.

Order Textbooks

If you intend to keep a vehicle at USD’s campus in Vermillion, you'll likely need to purchase a parking pass. Students who live on campus are encouraged to purchase a "B" parking pass. Commuters and students who live off campus are encouraged to purchase an "A" parking pass. Make sure to review the parking map and regulations as well. Students taking classes in Sioux Falls or online will not purchase parking passes.

Order a Parking Pass

Have you submitted your immunization records to USD? Due to state and South Dakota Board of Regents regulations, all students – regardless of their classification or status – must have medically signed proof of two (2) properly administered immunizations OR immune titers for Measles (Rubeola), Rubella and Mumps.

Submit Your Immunization Records

USD will need your final official high school transcript after you graduate. Final official college transcripts must be submitted for any college coursework completed at institutions outside of the South Dakota Board of Regents. If you have taken Advanced Placement (AP) courses, you must submit official AP scores through CollegeBoard.

Technology Services

We’ve got your technology needs covered. Check out our IT services and mobile apps below.

A personal computer is important to your academic and communication needs at college. USD makes this easy; through the university you can purchase a laptop with Office 365 pre-installed, a three-year warranty with onsite and accidental damage protection, free support offered by USD technicians and more. Some academic programs require specific laptops. Visit our website for tips for selecting and preparing your computer to take full advantage of the computing resources available to you at USD.

Purchase a Laptop from USD

USD offers two mobile apps — USDgo and USD Safe — to provide you with quick access to helpful resources, tools and information. Learn more about these apps and how you can use Grubhub on campus on our Mobile Apps page.

Download the USDgo App from iOS

Download the USDgo App from Google Play

Download the USD Safe App

Meet our team

You may have questions as you go through the college search and enrollment process. Our admissions counselors are here to help you every step of the way.