Build Dakota Scholarship: Your Path to a Debt-Free Technical Education

Are you a doer, fixer, or solver? Do you want a career that uses your hands as much as your mind? If you answered yes, it’s time to get your technical degree. And you can do it 100% free, with the Build Dakota Scholarship. Nursing, engineering, automotive or ag technology-there are hundreds of high-need jobs waiting for you. But first, you need the proper education. Build Dakota is a scholarship program created for skilled scholars entering high-demand programs at South Dakota technical colleges.

What is the Build Dakota Scholarship?

The Build Dakota Scholarship is designed to provide tuition, fees, books, and other required program expenses in eligible technical college programs, allowing students to earn their degree for free. An initial $25 million gift from local philanthropist T. Denny Sanford and a matching contribution from the South Dakota Future Fund combined to create the Build Dakota Scholarship program. It’s our goal to build a better future for you-and for South Dakota. We do that by giving students the opportunity to enter programs in our state’s high-need industries and finish school debt-free. If you receive a Build Dakota Scholarship, you’re one step closer to a successful future. And you’ll be able to get there faster and debt-free.

Benefits of the Build Dakota Scholarship

The Build Dakota Scholarship offers numerous benefits to aspiring technical scholars in South Dakota:

Debt-Free Education: The scholarship supports tuition, fees, books, and other required program expenses in the eligible technical college programs, allowing you to graduate without debt.
Access to High-Demand Programs: The scholarship focuses on programs in high-need industries in South Dakota, ensuring graduates have excellent job prospects.
Industry Partnerships: Businesses can sponsor a scholar, paying a portion of their tuition and program expenses. In return, the scholars commit to working in South Dakota and for that business for three-years after graduation.
Recruiting Tool: The scholarship program is also an invaluable recruiting tool.
Catalyst: The Build Dakota Scholarship was created to be a catalyst to help address this problem. By providing full scholarships and creating industry partnerships, Build Dakota can get more skilled scholars into the state’s workforce.
Economic Growth: Build Dakota Scholars receive a free education, businesses gain employees, and South Dakota grows.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Build Dakota Scholarship, applicants must meet certain requirements:

Citizenship: Must meet citizenship eligibility requirements according to the federal financial aid regulations.
FAFSA: Complete the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please note that individuals at all income levels are encouraged to apply.
Enrollment Status: The Build Dakota Scholarship is only for students not currently enrolled in a SD technical college and starting a NEW program at one of these schools. Beginning a new program is classified as starting in the first semester of a program. Exceptions apply for students currently taking dual credit or general education courses.
Previous Education: If you currently have a degree in a field that has not been designated as high-need, and you wish to get a degree in a high-need area, you may qualify for this scholarship.
Financial Aid Status: Applicants must not be in default on a federal student loan or owe a financial aid overpayment.
Program Acceptance: It is encouraged that you apply for and be accepted in one of the scholarship approved programs at a South Dakota technical college prior to applying.

Application Process

The application process for the Build Dakota Scholarship involves several steps:

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Application Period: The application is open from January 1 through March 31, 2026.
Technical College Application: Applications are managed directly through technical colleges. If you wish to apply at more than one school, you will need to create a separate application at each school. An industry partner is not required to apply.
FAFSA Completion: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Application Submission: Submit the application along with any additional information outlined on the application, which is optional, but adds to the value of your application. The application allows you to share your academic and work experiences.

It is encouraged that you apply for and be accepted in one of the scholarship approved programs at a South Dakota technical college prior to applying. Because the Build Dakota Scholarship is offering scholarships in a wide-range of industries, submitting additional information outlined on the application is optional, but adds to the value of your application.

Selection Process

Each technical college and/or industry partner is responsible for recipient selection in their eligible programs. As such, each school, or partner, has specific selection criteria based on the needs and availability of their programs and students.

GPA is considered in the selection process. Work experience and career preparation courses are important, too. The scholarship application has optional forms to allow applicants to demonstrate capabilities in addition to GPA.

If you are selected for a Build Dakota Scholarship, you will be notified by the technical college with further instructions on how to complete the acceptance process. The technical colleges may select and award recipients throughout the school year.

Scholarship Coverage

The Build Dakota Scholarship covers any expenses directly related to program requirements. This includes tuition, fees, books, equipment, technology and tools. These purchases must be required and approved by the technical college. If a student wishes to purchase additional or optional equipment, books, or tools, it is at his or her own expense.

If the remedial or preparatory courses are required prior to the start of a Build Dakota eligible program, they are covered by the scholarship, but the need for these courses must be determined and recommended by the technical college.

Student Responsibilities and Commitment

Recipients of the Build Dakota Scholarship are expected to fulfill certain responsibilities:

Program Completion: Complete the program on time.
Full-Time Enrollment: Students are considered full-time if they take sufficient classes to graduate in the allotted time. Entering a program with credits that apply toward graduation will not prevent you from receiving a Build Dakota Scholarship.
Academic Performance: Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5. Technical colleges may offer one probationary or self-pay semester, but this is not guaranteed.
Three-Year Employment Obligation: In return for the full-ride scholarship, our recipients agree to work in South Dakota, in the field paid for by Build Dakota, for 36-months following program completion. Scholars must work in the exact field of the Build Dakota sponsored degree.
Student Agreement: Prior to accepting funds, each scholar is required to sign a student agreement.

The Build Dakota administrative staff or technical college will provide informational sessions at each technical college to Build Dakota scholars prior to graduation to make sure graduates understand how to comply with the employment requirements.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failure to meet the requirements of the Build Dakota Scholarship can result in serious consequences:

Scholarship Conversion to Debt: If a student does not complete the terms of his or her student agreement, it will be converted to an interest-bearing debt and the funds allocated for that student will be used to provide a scholarship to a new scholar. The requirements of the employment obligation are outlined in the student agreement. If the scholar does not complete the terms of the agreement, the scholarship will convert to an interest-bearing debt.
Repayment of Expenses: If you quit school during the first month of enrollment, any of your tools, books, or other materials can be resold as new, you will not be required to repay those expenses.
Appeal Process: All scholars have the right to request an appeal by the technical colleges. Requests must be submitted within the 10 days following the date the scholar was notified of the decision to convert the scholarship to a debt.

Participating Technical Colleges

South Dakota is home to four top technical colleges that provide an inexpensive, faster, more flexible path to your future. Each offers hands-on learning that makes a difference in the world.

Southeast Tech: Offers more than 70 pathways to today’s most innovative fields.
Mitchell Tech: Students learn and perform in settings that mirror real-world workplaces.
Lake Area Tech: Offers small, interactive classes, new technology and cutting-edge programs to prepare students for the current workforce demands.
Western Dakota Tech: The only technical college in the western South Dakota region, offers programs in some of the fastest-growing fields and industries.

Industry Partnerships

Because Build Dakota was created in response to a workforce need in South Dakota, businesses are working closely with the scholarship program to offer as many scholarships as possible and train skilled professionals for high demand careers.

Some employers pay for a portion of the scholarship expenses and the Build Dakota Scholarship pays the balance. This extends the employers’ training dollars and they gain skilled employees. Securing an industry partner is not a requirement for applying and you will be given the option within the application to have it release to potential partners.

Additional Information

Scholarship Availability: The scholarship program supports approximately 600 scholarships per year. Based on applicant submissions from previous years, approximately one-half of the applicants will receive an award.
Remedial Coursework: If the remedial or preparatory courses are required prior to the start of a Build Dakota eligible program, they are covered by the scholarship, but the need for these courses must be determined and recommended by the technical college.
Transferability: You cannot transfer your Build Dakota Scholarship to another technical college or university.
Program Changes: What happens if I decide to change programs after I start school?
Test-Out Fees: Will Build Dakota pay for test-out fees? This is determined by your technical college.
Repeating Classes: If I fail a class and need to retake it, will Build Dakota pay for the repeated class? No.
Program Completion Time: How long do I have to complete my program and still remain eligible for the scholarship? Program completion dates will be indicated in Scholarship Acceptance Agreements. If Build Dakota Scholars experience truly extenuating life circumstances that result in their education taking longer than anticipated, they must contact the technical college. These situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis and ongoing communication is highly encouraged.
Self-Employment: Can I be self-employed?
Job Placement Assistance: Build Dakota Scholarship programs have been specifically chosen to fill high-need areas in South Dakota and open positions usually exceed the number of applicants. The technical colleges have very high placement rates so most scholars will be employed prior to graduation. The Department of Labor offices are also remarkable resources for helping job seekers secure employment.

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