Types of Undergraduate Scholarships
SDSU offers a variety of academic scholarships. Awards are based on academic achievement, participation in activities and leadership.
Apply for scholarships
First-time freshman scholarships are awarded through the Admissions Office. The application for students enrolling for the first time in the Spring 2023 is available below. The scholarship application for students enrolling in the Summer or Fall 2023 will be available October 1, 2022. Priority is given to applications received on or before December 1, 2022.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION — START TERM Spring 2023
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION — START TERM FALL 2023 & Spring 2024
Write and attach your personal statement.
Take time to craft a strong personal statement that doesn’t solely highlight or reiterate the activities, awards and recognitions that you have already included on your scholarship application.
Examples of what you can write about:
- How is SDSU the right college fit for you?
- What are your academic and career goals you hope to achieve at SDSU?
- How will your experiences and abilities that you’ve gained while in high school have a positive impact as an SDSU student and as part of our campus community?
- Do you have noteworthy experiences or recognitions while in high school that you want us to know about?
Also, consider writing about this additional question – sharing only what you are comfortable:
- Do you have special circumstances or personal hardships that you would like us to consider through our scholarship process?
Attach a letter of recommendation.
A recommendation letter is not required for you to submit your scholarship application but it is encouraged. Ask someone who knows you well to write a letter of recommendation for you. That person can be a teacher, school counselor, principal or other knowledgeable school official who can address your academic ability and potential for success.
You can upload your letter of recommendation within your self-service account. If the person writing your letter prefers to submit it directly to the Admissions Office, they can do so via email to SDSU.Admissions@sdstate.edu or by mail: Office of Admissions, South Dakota State University, Box 511, Brookings, SD 57007.