The Hatterscheidt Scholarship is a one-year, $2,500 award for South Dakota high school seniors attending South Dakota State University (SDSU), based on financial need and academic achievement.
Eligibility:
- Must be a South Dakota Resident; graduating from a SD high school or home school.
- Must show financial need and must apply for Federal Student Aid.
- Must have average minimum high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Home school student must have a minimum ACT score of 18 or SAT of 960.
- Must be admitted to South Dakota State University for fall semester following graduation.
- Must plan to be a full time, main campus student planning to take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
Applicable Institutions:
SDSU
Questions:
Lisa Schramm
605-688-4121
lisa.schramm@sdstate.edu
The Horatio Alger Denny Sanford Scholarship provides 25 awards at $10,000 each to be disbursed throughout a student’s collegiate career. Like all Horatio Alger Scholarships, the Horatio Alger Denny Sanford Scholarship assists high school students who have faced great obstacles in their young lives to overcome their adversities, attend a post-secondary institution and achieve success.
Eligibility:
- Must be enrolled full-time as a high school senior in the United States with plans to enter South Dakota State University no later than the fall semester following graduation.
- Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at South Dakota State University.
- Demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required).
- Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities.
- Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.
- Hold a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.
Applicable Institutions:
SDSU
Questions:
Lisa Schramm
605-688-4121
lisa.schramm@sdstate.edu
The Smithfield Foods Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship offered at South Dakota State University. The amount is determined by the SDSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, based on the unmet financial need demonstrated on the FAFSA form, up to $7500. This scholarship is renewable for a total of four years based on FAFSA calculations reviewed annually.
Eligibility:
- Students must be admitted to an undergraduate program at SDSU and be dependent children or grandchildren of current or retired employees of Smithfield Foods.
- Employees must have worked with the company a minimum of 18 months for their child or dependent grandchild to be eligible.
Applicable Institutions:
SDSU
Questions:
Lisa Schramm
605-688-4121
lisa.schramm@sdstate.edu
South Dakota Farmers Union annually gives recognition to young people who commit to a South Dakota college, university or technical institute, and whose parents are current members of Farmers Union.
Farmers Union starts investing in youth at age 5 and that investment is never ending as they progress through their education. We are excited for our youth as they transition into the next chapter and are thankful to continue our support for their future. Three $500 scholarships are awarded each year to deserving students.
Eligibility:
- Current member of South Dakota Farmers Union.
- Senior in high school planning to attend or a current freshman at a SD post-secondary institution.
- Completed application (paper or online submission) must be received by 8 a.m. on November 14, 2025.
- Any late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed
- Applicants can only win once, past winners are not eligible
Applicable Institutions:
All Schools
Questions:
Samantha Bowman
605-554-3022
SBowman@sdfu.org
The Agricultural Graduate School Scholarship, sponsored by Travelers Motor Club, is designed to help retain talent in South Dakota to support South Dakota’s agriculture industry.
Eligibility:
- It is open to students from South Dakota, pursuing a graduate degree in research, animal science, agriculture business or agriculture education at an accredited South Dakota school.
- Eligible graduate students include on-campus and distance education students who are pursuing any master’s or doctoral program, agriculture teacher certification program (CERT/FCSC) or graduate certificate program (GCERT).
Applicable Institutions:
Accredited South Dakota Schools
Questions:
Samantha Bowman
6055543022
SBowman@sdfu.org
The SD Farmers Union “Farming For The Future” media challenge offers a scholarship program for college and high school seniors interested in agriculture, aiming to bridge the gap between farm and fork. Participants will develop communication skills and advocate for South Dakota agriculture by sharing personal experiences or exploring agricultural topics through social media. Over seven weeks, students will network with industry professionals and engage in weekly challenges focused on specific agricultural products or issues, earning mini-scholarships and accumulating points towards larger scholarships. The top five participants will also have the opportunity to attend the South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention.
Eligibility:
Must be current college student or high school seniors who is interested in agriculture.
Applicable Institutions:
All Schools
Questions:
Samantha Bowman
605.554.3022
SBowman@sdfu.org
South Dakota Cattlewomen (SDCW) is dedicated to promoting the beef industry in South Dakota. SDCW will award two – $1,000 scholarships to a young person attending or planning to attend an institution of higher learning in the upcoming semester.
This scholarship can be used at any accredited university, 2 year or 4-year college or technical school.
POSTMARK DEADLINE is JULY 1, 2025. Please go to the linked URL for more detailed information on requirements.
Contact Information:
Brenda Dreyer at 605-290-8223 or bdreyer@midco.net
Row Zero is offering a $1,000 scholarship to one student each year pursuing an undergraduate course of study in a field focused on data and analytics. To apply, students must write an essay (500 word limit) or record a YouTube video (2 minute limit) about your career goals, passion for analytical thinking, and the role spreadsheets have played and will play in your career.
Field of Study Requirements:
Student must be pursuing an undergraduate course of study in a field focused on data analytics. Analytical programs include but are not limited to accounting, economics, engineering, business, math, statistics, finance, data analytics, data science, computer science, information systems, information science, or any other analytical field.
Applicable Institutions:
ANY technical college or university
Contact Information:
Mark Tressler at (715) 602-0686 or contact@rowzero.io
The Critical Teaching Needs Scholarship is a scholarship program funded by the state of South Dakota. It was established in 2013 by the SD Legislature. This scholarship was approved to encourage South Dakota’s high school graduates to:
- Obtain their post-secondary education in South Dakota,
- Remain in the state upon completion of their education, and
- Contribute to the state of South Dakota and its citizens by working in a critical need teaching occupation.
Field of Study Requirements:
All K-12 Teaching Positions
Initial Eligibility Requirements:
- Agree in writing to stay in South Dakota and work in a critical teaching need occupation for five years after graduating from a participating post-secondary institution
- Agree, through a promissory note, that failure to abide by the employment requirement above will result in the scholarship being converted into an interest-bearing loan
- Be fully admitted in an elementary or secondary education program at the institution that is preparing you to work in a critical need teaching area
- Attend a participating South Dakota post-secondary institution as an undergraduate enrolled in either your third or fourth year of a traditional four-year program
- Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
- Have a minimum cumulative 2.8 GPA on 4.0 scale, and an average of 2.8 GPA for all major coursework
Contact Information:
Contact us here: Request Form – Contact Us or email scholarships@sdbor.edu
The scholarship is for students who are current, or past, residents of South or North Dakota and who are already enrolled with a Forestry major or have been accepted into a college, university, or technical school and declared their intent to pursue a Forestry major.
Field of Study Requirements:
The broad field of Forestry, including Forest Resource Management, Urban Forestry, Agroforestry, Biology with Forestry Emphasis, etc.
Eligibility Requirements:
Minimum high school or college GPA: 2.5
Applicable Institutions:
ANY technical college or university
Questions:
Greg Josten at 605-390-8306 or gregjosten22@gmail.com
