South Dakota Scholarship Resources

South Dakota MyLife (SDMyLife) – The SDMyLife website offers students (and parents) opportunities to learn about career discovery opportunities, postsecondary schools, and available scholarship programs that are available in South Dakota.

MHCH Foundation Rural Health Care Early Scholarship Program – RHCESP is a partnership between the University of South Dakota School of Health Sciences, the Matson Halverson Christiansen Hamilton (MHCH) Foundation, and selected rural high schools in South Dakota. The program hopes to address healthcare workforce shortages in rural areas by providing top achieving rural high school students with the opportunity to explore health science careers while completing both high school and college credits.

Build Dakota Scholarship – The Build Dakota Scholarship provides students entering South Dakota technical schools an opportunity to graduate with no student debt and a degree in a field of high demand.

• Healthcare Programs eligible for Build Dakota Scholarship 
  • Lake Area Technical Institute Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN)
    • Med/Fire Rescue
    • Medical Lab Technician
    • Paramedic
  • Mitchell Technical Institute Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN)
    • Medical Lab Technician
  • Southeast Technical Institute Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
    • Surgical Technology
  • Western Dakota Technical Institute Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN)
    • Medical Lab Technician
    • Paramedic
    • Surgical Technology

USD Sanford School of Medicine Alumni Student Scholars Program (ASSP). Each year, the USD School of Medicine identifies four (4) outstanding South Dakota high school seniors with a well-developed interest in practicing primary care medicine in South Dakota. Selected students receive academic scholarships and a conditional acceptance to the School of Medicine with a waiver of the MCAT requirement.

Our Dakota Dreams – Our Dakota Dreams is your virtual guide to pursuing education after high school in South Dakota — your one-stop shop. From students to parents to transfer students, there are resources and information available to get you on the right path.

Freedom Scholarship South Dakota – The South Dakota Freedom Scholarship is South Dakota’s first public / private partnership for a need-based scholarship, made possible by the generosity of First PREMIER Bank / PREMIER Bankcard, the State of South Dakota under the leadership of Governor Kristi Noem, Avera Health and Sanford Health.

Dakota Corp Scholarship – The Dakota Corps Scholarship Program was created by Gov. Rounds to encourage South Dakota’s high school graduates to:

• Obtain their postsecondary education in South Dakota
• Remain in the state upon completion of their education
• Contribute to the state of South Dakota and its citizens by working in a critical need occupation