Each BankWest Scholarship has a $2,000 value and may be used to fund tuition at any accredited, post-secondary educational institution. The application process considers involvement in community activities, personal character, and academic integrity.
Eligibility:
- Must be a BankWest deposit account holder for a minimum of six months preceding the application deadline.
- Must be a United States citizen.
- Must be a high school senior or full-time undergraduate student currently attending an accredited post-high school educational institution.
- Must not have previously received a BankWest scholarship
Applicable Institutions:
All Accredited, Post-Secondary Educational Institutions
Questions:
Dinah Vasquez at 800-253-0362 or info@bankwest-sd.bank
The South Dakota Education Association (SDEA) awards scholarships to high school students who are planning on entering the teaching profession. The Association may annually award up to two $500 scholarships for each academic year with the possibility of a one-year renewal if the student meets continuing eligibility requirements.
Eligibility:
- Have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or be in the top half of his/her class as of January of the year of application.
- Be a student in a South Dakota public education institution.
- Be an active member in a South Dakota Educators Rising Chapter.
- Be accepted and/or enrolled in a South Dakota college or university with a School of Education.
- Participate in local and statewide Educators Rising activities.
* Special consideration will be given to students who have volunteered to assist with SDEA activities.
Applicable Institutions:
Any South Dakota public university with a School of Education
Questions:
Sandra Waltman at 605-224-9263 or sandra.waltman@sdea.org
The Folds of Honor Scholarship provides educational assistance to the families of those who have made extraordinary sacrifices for our country and communities. Administered by the nonprofit organization Folds of Honor, the scholarship helps offset the cost of education for eligible students pursuing K–12 private education, college degrees, technical or trade programs, and other approved postsecondary pathways. The program honors service and sacrifice by supporting educational opportunity.
Eligibility:
- Must be a spouse or dependent child of:
- A U.S. military service member who has been killed or permanently disabled while serving in the line of duty, or
- A first responder (including law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics) who has been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty.
Applicable Institutions:
All Accredited Colleges and Universities
Questions:
Folds Of Honor – South Dakota Chapter
Don Zwart at 605-321-7001 or donald.zwart060@gmail.com
The South Dakota Retailers Association scholarship program provides assistance to students studying for a career in retail and hospitality businesses, whether as an owner, manager, or employee. In 2025, their Scholarship Committee awarded funds to five students, in amounts ranging from $2,750 to $3,700.
Field of Study Requirements:
- Hospitality
- Business*
- Trades
*We consider a broad range of business programs eligible for the scholarship including agribusiness, auto mechanics, business administration, computer science, culinary arts, heating/ventilation, hotel/restaurant management, pharmacy, tourism industry management, and more.
Applicable Institutions:
All South Dakota Colleges and Universities
Eligibility:
- Applicant must desire a career in a retail or retail-related field, including hospitality and trade businesses.
- Applicant must enroll in a retail-related course of study at a qualifying, accredited technical school, college, university, or certified professional training institute in the fall of 2026. Enrollment in an online degree program from a qualifying school is acceptable.
- Examples of fields of study considered to be retail-related include (but are not limited to): Accounting, Agribusiness, Apparel Merchandising, Auto Mechanics, Automotive Technology, Business Administration, Business Management, Collision Repair, Computer Science, Commercial Baking, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Diesel Mechanics, Electrical Maintenance, Entrepreneurial Studies, Gemology, HVAC, Hotel/Restaurant Management, Landscape Design, Pharmacy, Photography, Printing Industries, Refrigeration, Sales/Marketing Management, and Tourism Industry Management. (NOTE: this list is not all-inclusive.)
- South Dakota Education – applicant must meet one of these three requirements
- Graduated from a South Dakota high school – OR –
- Have earned high school equivalency (such as a GED) in South Dakota – OR –
- Plan to attend post-secondary school in South Dakota
- Applicant must meet one of these four requirements:
- have completed at least 24 credits from a qualifying college or university by September 2026
- have completed 12 credits from a qualifying tech school or certified professional training institute by September of 2026
- have successfully completed ProStart Levels 1 and 2 (high school culinary arts program)
- non-traditional student who has full-time work experience after high school
- Students must enroll in 12 or more credit hours of classes at a qualifying post-secondary school or online degree program for the fall of 2026. (Internships do not qualify)
- Prior recipients are eligible
Questions:
Brooke Bohnenkamp at 605-224-5050 or bbohnenkamp@sdra.org
Each year, the Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota (IIASD) awards $20,000 in scholarships to students who recognize the positive impact that service has in their hometowns. Our members are deeply rooted in communities across South Dakota, and this scholarship reflects that same commitment to helping others. This program is designed to uplift the stories of individuals who make a meaningful difference — and the students who notice.
We’re not evaluating GPAs or résumés. We’re looking for students who recognize and value the people around them who make South Dakota communities stronger.
Eligibility:
- Any South Dakota student (high school senior, current college student, or nontraditional student)
- Who will be attending a South Dakota college, university, or technical school this fall
- And who submits their essay through a participating IIASD member office
Applicable Institutions:
Any South Dakota college, university, or technical school
Questions:
Blake Severyn
Area Federal Credit Union (Area FCU) understands the importance of higher education. In order to encourage its pursuit, they are offering five (5) $1,000 scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic school year to Area FCU members attending a two- or four-year post-secondary accredited college or university or a technical/vocational school.
Eligibility:
- Applicants and/or Guardian must be a member of Area Federal Credit Union (Prior to 2026).
- Your account must be in good standing.
- Students must be in good standing with the school in which they are enrolled or have recently graduated from and have a GPA greater than 2.5.
- Students must be planning to attend:
- An accredited college or university or technical/vocational school in the fall upon high school graduation.
- Be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university or technical/vocational school.
Applicable Institutions:
Any two- or four-year post-secondary accredited college or university or a technical/vocational school
Questions:
Allison Maunu
605-725-0661
amaunu@areafcu.org
If you consider higher education the first step toward your aspirations, POET wants to help you get there. POET Never Satisfied Scholarships are open to students enrolled in any accredited two- or four-year post-secondary school, regardless of GPA, and open to Agriculture, Finance, Accounting, Communications, Engineering, Computer Science, Human Resources, or related degree programs or minors.
The POET Never Satisfied Scholarship Program awards up to $75k in total scholarships to students who are Never Satisfied with “good enough” and share POET’s mission to create a brighter future. Both 4-and-2-year accredited universities are eligible to apply. Recipients attending a 4-year university will receive a $5,000 scholarship and those attending a technical university will receive a $2,500 scholarship. Never Satisfied Scholars also receive hands-on networking and learning opportunities with members of the POET team.
We’re looking for individuals whose drive and ambition help them to see the world differently — who take the task of creating change into their own hands. Sound like you? Apply today!
Eligibility:
- Open to high school seniors and current college students (graduate students included)
- Majoring in Agriculture, Finance, Accounting, Communications, Engineering, Computer Science, Human Resources, or related degree programs or minors.
Field of Study Requirements:
Agriculture
Finance
Accounting
Communications
Engineering
Computer Science
Human Resources
Or related degree programs or minors
Applicable Institutions:
Any accredited two- or four-year college
The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) manages more than 350 scholarships, connecting students with the generosity of our donors. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria and deadline.
To apply, students should visit SDCommunityFoundation.org/Scholarships.
On the SDCF Scholarships tab, they should create a username and password on the For Students link. They will then complete a common application, which identifies the scholarships available for their high school. The system automatically matches students to potential scholarships, and students can review these matches to confirm their eligibility before applying.
Eligibility:
Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria and deadline.
Applicable Institutions:
Each scholarship may be applied to various of institutions, including colleges, universities, or technical colleges.
Questions:
Kelly Nelson at 605-224-1025 or
knelson@sdcommunityfoundation.org
The Ardell Bjugstad Scholarship Program is for Native American students provides support for freshman Native American students who are pursuing studies in agribusiness, agricultural production, agricultural sciences, or a natural resources degree at any postsecondary institution.
Eligibility:
- Enrolled member of a federally recognized Indian tribe whose reservation is located in South Dakota or North Dakota
- Resident of South Dakota or North Dakota
- Demonstrated academic achievement
- High school senior planning to earn a degree in agriculture or natural resources or a related field
Applicable Institutions:
- Any SOUTH DAKOTA technical college or university
Questions:
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
