Scholarship / Financial Aid
Scholarships
Students are encouraged to check with their higher education institution of choice to see about school specific scholarship opportunities. Many two and four-year institutions offer unique scholarship opportunities to their students. Monthly scholarship opportunities are linked in the document below. Scholarships are listed by their due dates. New scholarships are listed frequently, so check back often. Questions about scholarships? See Carlene Barber, Ryan Munson, Kim Rogers or Nicole Thorson in the Riggs Counseling Office.
For a printable version of the scholarship list, click here.
MappingYourFuture_Scholarship_Tracking.xlsxScholarship Tracker Spreadsheet
FAFSAPrep2023-24.pdfSteps to Prepare for FAFSA
202425FinancialAidNight.pdfPowerPoint Presentation 9/7/23
college_costs.pdfCost of Attendance @ SD Colleges
ScholarshipFlyer.pdfSouth Dakota Scholarship Flyer
CCASD Admission Slides .pptxAdmission Information for SD Colleges
General Scholarship Search Sites
Remember, you should never pay for scholarships! Be aware of scams!
Remember, you should never pay for scholarships! Be aware of scams!
BigFuture: College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. After joining Student Search Service, check your email and mailbox regularly for updates about degree programs, campus life, financial aid, or invitations to apply for scholarships.
College Scholarships: College Scholarships is a free college scholarship search site created by parents of students who have been through the financial aid process and sought to streamline and improve it. It is easy to use and provides access to thousands of scholarships.
Dakota Dreams: Learn about South Dakota's "big five' scholarships, other state-managed scholarships and institutional scholarships offered by the state's public colleges and universities.
Dollars for Scholars: Scholarship America works directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to help students fulfill their college dreams. Just click "Student and Parent Login" to begin filling out your student profile doing so will help you discover scholarships from across the Scholarship America network that you may be eligible for.
FastWeb: FastWeb is a free online scholarship matching and college search site with access to a massive database of national scholarship opportunities, as well as career planning services and learning tools.
Mapping Your Future: Mapping Your Future encourages continued scholarship research in an effort to pay for college in the most cost effective way.
Scholarships.com: Scholarships.com is a free and independent scholarship search database with access to over 2.7 million scholarships worth over $19 billion.
SD Scholarship Bulletin Board: This scholarship bulletin board aims to provide students across South Dakota a platform to search numerous scholarship opportunities. In addition to scholarships managed by the state of South Dakota and its public universities and colleges, this bulletin board lists scholarships from outside organizations that are available to our South Dakota students.
Unigo: Unigo is a free college scholarship search and advice site with access to thousands of student reviews of colleges and universities across the country.
Financial Aid Information
Click on the FAFSA link (https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa) It is FREE to complete the FAFSA application. Questions about FAFSA? See Ryan Munson, Kim Rogers and Nicole Thorson in the Riggs Counseling Office.
Types of Financial Aid...
Federal Aid Programs—Based on financial need through FAFSA.
- Federal Pell Grants: Financial assistance awarded by the federal government based on need. The Student Aid Report (SAR) informs students of their Pell Grant eligibility. The grant may be used towards tuition, room and board, textbooks, or other educational costs and requires NO REPAYMENT.
- Federal Perkins Loans: Loans funded by the federal government and awarded by the institution. The loans feature low interest rates and are repayable over an extended period of time.
- Subsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loans: are awarded on the basis of financial need. Recipients will not be charged interest until they begin repayment.
- Unsubsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loans: are NOT awarded on the basis of need. Interest accumulates from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full.
- PLUS Loans (for parents): provide low interest loans to credit-approved parents of eligible undergraduate students. Repayment typically must begin 60 days after loan is fully disbursed.
Grants—Awards based on merit or merit plus need.
Loans—Funds loaned through a lending institution or college. Interest rates vary by program.
Military Programs—The military offers several options to help you pay for college.
Work Study Programs—Jobs that allow students to earn money towards their education while they are enrolled in school.
Need more information about the types of Federal Student Financial Aid available and how to apply for it? Then be sure to check out this site. (https://studentaid.gov/)
This South Dakota Board of Regents program is for income eligible students enrolled in accredited and participating South Dakota institutions. No specific application forms will be required to receive funds. However to be eligible, students will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and work with a financial aid director at one of the participating institutions in which they are enrolled. This scholarship program allows campus administrators to make awards to help lower educational costs for students. For more information about the program or for a list of participating institutions contact the financial aid department at a participating South Dakota institution.
This South Dakota workforce development initiative offers full-ride scholarships to students attending one of South Dakota’s four technical colleges in a high-need field. In return for the full-ride scholarship, scholars agree to work in that field, in South Dakota, for 3 years upon completion of the program. Build Dakota partners with South Dakota businesses, economic development groups and local community foundations to help them attract skilled talent and sponsor students. Last year Build Dakota offered full-ride scholarships to over 400 individuals and over 2800 individuals since the program began in 2015. The application window is January 1-March 31.
(https://www.builddakotascholarships.com/)
Learn about South Dakota's "big five' scholarships, other state-managed scholarships and institutional scholarships offered by the state's public colleges and universities.
2023- Program Handout (004).pdfnative_guide.pdfNative American Scholarship Sites
Other scholarship opportunities for Native American students are listed in the monthly scholarship calendar located at the top of the page.
Remember, you should never pay for scholarships! Be aware of scams!
AAIA is a national Indian organization concerned with helping Native American students find scholarship opportunities on both an undergraduate and graduate level.
Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund is dedicated to helping Native American students find scholarship money to attend both tribal and nontribal colleges and universities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
This scholarship site is designed for Native American students who plan to pursue educational pathways and careers in the science, technology, engineering and math fields (STEM).
American Indian Services (AIS) Scholarships
The AIS Scholarship program is to help undergraduate Native American students with financial support to attend college, maintain enrollment, and graduate. Scholarship Awards are based on up to one-half of tuition and need for the term the student is applying for and are allocated directly to the school for the student.
The mission of Catching the Dream, founded in 1986, is to help improve the quality of life in Indian communities through the higher education of Indian people. We provide scholarship funds for students who demonstrate academic achievement, clearly defined goals, leadership, the determination to succeed, and the desire to return to their communities and help others realize their dreams.
The Higher Education Program provides scholarship grants to enrolled Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Members. Visit the site to find out more.
Both merit-based and need-based, the Cobell Scholarship is open to any enrolled member of a US Federally-Recognized Tribe who plans to attend any accredited two or four year institution following high school graduation.
College Scholarships- SD Department of Tribal Relations
Compiled by the South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations, this list includes links to numerous scholarships available to American Indian students.
Comprehensive List of Scholarships for Native American Students
Compiled by a Licensed School Counselor in Minnesota, this pdf document lists numerous national scholarship opportunities available to Native American students for higher education.
Native Forward Scholars Fund is the largest scholarship provider to Native students in the U.S. We award approximately $15 million in scholarships annually and have awarded over $350 million since our inception.
NCAA Student Manual.pdfnaia_guide_college_bound_student.pdfStudent Athlete Sites
Are you a college bound student athlete? If so, this site from the NCAA will give you all the tools you need to get a jump start on your college athletic experience.
Considering a student athletic career at an NAIA college? Then be sure to check out this site for eligibility requirements.