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Freshman Admission Requirements

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Admission Requirements

To be considered for freshman admission to the University of South Dakota, you need to meet the criteria listed below under general requirements and high school coursework requirements.

Additional information about our admission policies and procedures can be found in our Academic Catalog or the South Dakota Board of Regents' admissions requirements document.
General Requirements

Students need to meet one of the requirements listed below.
  • Earn a grade point average of at least 2.6 (4.0 scale) in all high school courses
    OR
  • Rank in the upper 50% of your high school graduating class
    OR
  • Achieve an ACT composite score of 21 or above (SAT 1070)
    OR
  • Achieve a 3 or higher on the English Language Arts and Mathematics Smarter Balanced Assessments
High School Coursework Requirements

Students should complete the following listed core classes with a "C" average or better.

  • 4 years of English
    OR ACT English sub-test score of 21 or above OR AP English score of 3 or above

  • 3 years of Advanced Mathematics
    OR ACT Math sub-test score of 23 or above OR AP Calculus score of 3 or above

  • 3 years of Laboratory Science
    OR ACT Science Reasoning sub-test score of 20 or above OR AP Science score of 3 or above

  • 3 years of Social Science
    OR ACT Social Studies/Reading sub-test score of 20 or above OR AP Social Studies score of 3 or above

  • 1 year Fine Arts for students graduating from South Dakota high schools
    OR AP Fine Arts score of 3 or above
Home-Schooled or Non-Accredited High School Students

If you are a home-schooled student or a non-accredited high school student, you can be admitted to USD using one of the following criteria:
  • Meet the minimum academic course requirements, listed above in the High School Coursework Requirements, with a "C" average or higher. This must be demonstrated by a certified home school or non-accredited high school transcript approved by USD.
    OR
  • Obtain an ACT composite score of 21 or higher, or a SAT Math and Reading/Writing subscore total of 1070 or higher

Home-schooled or non-accredited high school graduates must submit an official transcript (in a semester format) for review from either an accredited regional authority or home school provider in conjunction with state requirements.

Application Procedure

To complete your application for admission, submit the following materials to the Office of Admissions:

Application
US $20 Application Fee
Official High School Transcripts
  • Official high school transcript sent directly to USD or uploaded to the Common App.
  • To be eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid, the regulations require that institutions admit, as regularly enrolled students, persons who have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent (GED).
Test Scores
  • Official ACT or SAT scores sent to USD directly from the testing agency
    (USD's ACT test code is 3928. USD's SAT test code is 6881)

Mailing Address

Please submit your application online or have your materials sent to the following address:

    Office of Undergraduate Admissions
    University of South Dakota
    414 East Clark Street
    Vermillion, SD 57069-2390

    Telephone: 1-877-COYOTES Fax: 605-677-6323

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