Scholarships

Coyote Commitment

At USD, you can benefit from the Coyote Commitment program. All first-time freshman students who apply for fall admission to USD are automatically considered for up to $3,500 per year. Coyote Commitment is available to recipients for up to four years as a full-time student and is based on GPA, standardized test scores and committee review. 

The Coyote Commitment may include a combination of funding from other scholarships or additional sources awarded to you. Although there is no deadline or separate application for this award, you should apply to South Dakota prior to April 1 for full consideration.

Child of Alumni Program / Legacy Scholarship

This program provides a limited number of $1,000 scholarships to be awarded to incoming freshman students who are South Dakota residents and whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) graduated from USD.

Learn More and Apply 

USD Valedictorian Scholarship

Valued at up to $500 (up to $250 per semester for the first two semesters), the USD Valedictorian Scholarship is presented to high school seniors who rank at the top of their graduating classes during the awarding period. Recipients must remain enrolled full-time on the Vermillion campus.

Dual Credit Scholarship

SD is proud to offer the South Dakota Dual Credit Scholarship to South Dakota students who successfully completed HSDC courses with USD. This scholarship is renewable for up to four years and is in addition to other awarded scholarship(s), such as USD’s Coyote Commitment Scholarship and the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship. Premier scholars (tuition and fees or higher) are excluded.

Criteria

• Earn a "C" or higher in all High School Dual Credit (HSDC) courses
  • Any HSDC course completed with a D, F or W will not be counted toward the credit total considered for the scholarship
• Enroll at USD as a first-time, full-time student

Award amounts will be based on how many credit hours the students have completed with USD.

• 1-6 USD credit hours, $600 total ($150 per year)
•  7-12 USD credit hours, $1,100 total ($275 per year)
•  13+ USD credit hours, $1,600 total ($400 per year)

The South Dakota Dual Credit Scholarship will be in addition to other awarded scholarship(s)* at USD. For example, USD’s Coyote Commitment Scholarship, the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship and other awards are available to those who meet established criteria.

*The South Dakota Dual Credit Scholarship will not be in addition to any premier scholarship awarded by USD.*

Coyote Career Kickstart Program

For incoming students who want to kick start their educational journey, with preference to Pell Grant recipients and those whose parents are not college graduates (first-generation). Mentorship, paid work experience and scholarship support are included. Full-time enrollment, a completed FAFSA, and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 are required. Application deadline is May 1.

Premier Scholarships (Greater or equal to tuition and fees)

Please use the online scholarship application to apply for the USD Honors Program and the following USD first-time freshman scholarships

George S. Mickelson Scholarship

Open to high school seniors with a 28 or higher ACT (1320 SAT), the scholarship covers tuition for a maximum of 15 credit hours per semester (up to 120 hours over four years), general fees, double occupancy room (funded by a Housing Scholarship) and standard board charges. Mickelson Scholarships recipients must be residents of South Dakota and maintain a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average. This scholarship is available for eight consecutive undergraduate semesters and students enrolled in select disciplines are subject to additional fees. Finalists for Mickelson Scholarships are invited to interview. Deadline December 1.

Presidential Alumni Scholarship

Open to high school seniors with a 27 or higher ACT (1280 SAT), the scholarship is valued at in-state tuition and fees over a four-year period (15 credit hours per semester up to 120 hours over four years). Students enrolled in select disciplines are subject to additional fees. Finalists for Presidential Alumni Scholarships are invited to interview. Deadline December 1.

Dorothy C. Schieffer Political Science Scholarship

Valued up to the cost of instate tuition, fees, books, room and board for four years of full-time study in political science, Schieffer Scholars must maintain a 3.7 cumulative grade point average. At least one international travel/study abroad experience or a working internship/service opportunity may be included.

H. Walter & E. Joyce Rembold Scholarship

This $40,000 ($10,000 per year) scholarship is awarded to incoming Scotland High School graduates who must maintain full-time enrollment with a 2.5 cumulative grade point average for renewal.

Nolop Institute Scholarship for Medical Biology

Renewable for four years, this award is valued at the price of in-state tuition, fees, room, board and books for up to four years of full-time study as a Medical Biology major. The recipient must have an interest in research, maintain a 3.5 grade point average, complete 30 credit hours per year, and plan to attend medical school.

Spearfish Area Scholarship

Valued at $48,000 ($12,000/year), this scholarship is awarded to a graduate of Spearfish High School (secondary preference to Belle Fourche). The recipient must be a full-time student, maintain a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate substantial financial need.

Walter A. & Lucy Yoshiko Buhler Scholarship (Business or Fine Arts)

Valued at the cost of in-state tuition and fees for up to 15 undergraduate credit hours per semester, the Buhler scholarship is awarded to exceptional students enrolled in the College of Fine Arts (even years) and the Beacom School of Business (odd years) and may be renewed with a minimum of a 3.5 grade point average, full-time enrollment, and continued pursuit of the business or fine arts degree.

 

Departmental and Geographic Scholarships*

Students who complete the online scholarship application are afforded first consideration for premier awards and these listed below. In addition, USD awards numerous other scholarships through the application process.

Allen H. Neuharth Scholarship for Excellence in Journalism Scholarship

Valued at $24,000 ($6000/year), this award is for students in media or journalism who plan to be active in the USD student newspaper, The Volante. Finalists for the Neuharth are invited to interview.

Anne Sorensen Crowley-Lennox Scholarship

This $10,000 ($2500/year) scholarship is awarded to incoming Lennox High School graduates who must maintain full-time enrollment and a 2.5 cumulative grade point average for renewal.

Beacom Family Business Scholarship

For Beacom School of Business students who are graduates of South Dakota high schools. Amounts vary.

Charles & Ellengray Gutzman Kennedy Scholarship

Awarded to one incoming first-time student each year who is a resident of Kossuth County (IA), this $10,000 ($2500/year )scholarship is renewable.

Elma and Delores Haver scholarship

This four-year renewable scholarship is awarded to an incoming Irene-Wakonda High School graduate (secondary preference to Gayville-Volin) with a minimum of a 23 ACT and demonstrated financial need.

Glenn E. & Barbara R. Ullyot Lakota Scholarship

Valued at $20,000 ($5000 per year), the Ullyot Lakota Scholarship is awarded to American Indian students who are members of federally recognized tribes based on academic merit. Recipients must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and be enrolled full-time. Finalists are invited to interview.

Karen E. & Dale L. Hofwolt Education Scholarship

Valued at $40,000 ($10,000/year) this scholarship is for a first-year student who has a specific interest in an education degree with preference to graduates from Lyman County (SD) with second preference to any student from South Dakota who plan to teach in state.

Rawlins Scholarship

Valued at $10,000 ($2500/year), the scholarships are awarded to the highest-ranking graduates from select South Dakota high schools with preference to scholarship applicants. Recipients must maintain a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and complete 30 hours per year.

Robert "Bid" and Jonette "Joni" Miller Education Scholarship

Valued at $20,000 ($5000/year), this elementary education scholarship is for a student who aspire to remain in South Dakota to teach. Full-time enrollment and a 2.5 cumulative grade point average is required for renewal.

South Dakota Boys and Girls State Officer Scholarship

Students elected to a state or national position during the SD American Legion program (American Legion Auxiliary) will receive $1000 for their freshman year.

TikTok Scholarship

This $10,000 ($2500/year) scholarship is awarded yearly to ten students majoring in medical or health sciences related fields. Half of the recipients should be enrolled members of federally recognized Indian tribes or part of other populations historically underrepresented in these fields of study.

Prospective transfer students may apply for our transfer scholarships. Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society members, in particular, are strongly encouraged to apply.

South Dakota Graduate Transfer Scholar’s Program

You can now transfer to the state’s flagship university with financial support if you were offered a scholarship to attend USD in the past. You can take advantage of your original scholarship agreement and choose from the 200 undergraduate programs and 79 graduate programs USD offers.

As a four-year scholarship (eight consecutive semesters), the Graduate Transfer Scholar’s Program provides students with ongoing support throughout the remainder of their undergraduate careers and, if they choose, onto an advanced graduate degree program.

Recipients must complete at least 24 credit hours per academic year, and in most circumstances, they must keep an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least 2.7 or graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better, based on a 4.0 scale, on all coursework.

Eligible students will need to complete an initial consultation with Undergraduate Admissions and/or Graduate Admissions to form a plan for completion of an undergraduate degree and enrollment in a USD graduate program.  The intent to pursue graduate enrollment will be used to assess final eligibility for scholarship funding through this program.

University of South Dakota Scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa and Transfer Students

Scholarships may be awarded to eligible transfer students with a minimum 3.0 GPA or transfer students from two-year colleges who have earned membership into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and intend to pursue their first baccalaureate degree at the University of South Dakota. Students are eligible to apply when they initially transfer to the University of South Dakota. The scholarship provides up to $2,000 (up to $1,000 per year) award renewable for two years. Recipients must remain enrolled full-time on the Vermillion campus.

If you are a first-time user, you will need to create an account before applying for the Transfer Student Scholarship.

Deadline April 15. 

Apply for the Transfer Student Scholarship

Awarded to a select group of high-achieving academic scholar applicants with professional school aspirations, early admission grants conditional or provisional acceptance to either the Knudson School of Law or the Sanford School of Medicine. Completion of the USD Academic Scholarship Application, a cumulative 3.5 undergraduate GPA, and participation in the USD Honors Program is required.

• USD Knudson School of Law Honor Scholar Program - Recipients of the award earn provisional acceptance into the USD Knudson School of Law.
• Sanford School of Medicine Alumni Student Scholars Program - Awarded to five South Dakota high school seniors with a 28 or higher ACT (1320 SAT) and an interest in rural medicine. Finalists are invited to interview, and recipients earn conditional acceptance into the Sanford School of Medicine.