Understanding SDSU Summer Tuition Costs

Attending a nationally recognized university like South Dakota State University (SDSU) is an excellent opportunity, and understanding the associated costs is crucial for effective financial planning. This article provides a comprehensive overview of SDSU's summer tuition costs, encompassing direct and indirect expenses, as well as various fees and potential waivers.

Direct Costs: Tuition, Fees, Housing, and Food

Direct costs are those billed directly by SDSU. These include tuition, general activity fees, housing, and food. The following estimates are based on the 2025-2026 rates.

Tuition

Tuition costs vary depending on residency status:

South Dakota Residents, South Dakota Advantage, and Child of Alumni: \$3,999 per semester (based on 15 credits, \$266.60 per credit hour)
Minnesota Resident: \$4,683.75 per semester (based on 15 credits, \$312.25 per credit hour). This rate applies to Minnesota residents who started in the spring 2024 term or in a prior term.
Non-Resident: \$5,805 per semester (based on 15 credits, \$387 per credit hour)

It's important to note that online courses are priced at \$365.05 per credit hour, inclusive of tuition and all general fees. These courses do not require payment of the general activity fee.

General Activity Fee

The General Activity Fee is a mandatory fee that supports various student activities, organizations, the University Student Union, the Miller Wellness Center, athletics, intramurals, and student health and counseling services. It also funds facilities like the University Student Union, Miller Wellness Center, and dining facilities. The fee for 2025-2026 is \$51.85 per credit. The allocation of this fee is determined through consultation with the Students’ Association and approved by the South Dakota Board of Regents.

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The General Activity Fee is broken down as follows:

Student Organizations: \$2.25
University Student Union: \$13.85
Miller Wellness Center: \$16.68
Intercollegiate Athletics: \$12.39
Transportation System: \$0.08
Dining: \$6.60

Housing

The average cost of a double-occupancy residence hall room during a standard academic calendar year is estimated at \$2,822 per semester. This cost includes internet access, but rates may vary based on the specific residence hall.

Food

The estimated food cost is \$2,502 per semester, based on SDSU's Premier All-Access meal plan, which provides the equivalent of 21 meals per week. Different meal plan options are available at varying rates.

Total Direct Costs

Based on these estimates, the total direct costs per semester are:

South Dakota Residents, South Dakota Advantage, and Child of Alumni: \$10,101
Minnesota Resident: \$10,534.75
Non-Resident: \$11,907

The total yearly direct costs are double the semester costs.

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Indirect Costs: Textbooks, Transportation, and Personal Expenses

Indirect costs are expenses not directly billed by SDSU and can vary significantly for each student. These include textbooks and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.

Textbooks and Supplies: \$810 per year
Transportation Expenses: \$1,846 per year
Personal Expenses: \$2,338 per year

The total estimated yearly indirect costs are \$4,994.

Additional Fees and Considerations

Besides tuition and other direct and indirect costs, students may encounter additional fees depending on their program of study, enrollment status, and specific circumstances.

Discipline Fees

Some majors require additional discipline fees to cover the costs of specialized equipment, facilities, and resources. These fees vary by department and course. For example:

Art and Graphic Design: \$27.65 per credit (DSGN, ARTD, GDES courses)
Animal Sciences: \$65.70 per credit (AS courses)
Architecture: \$475.65 per credit (ARCH courses)
Aviation: \$42.85 per credit (AVIA courses)
Biology/Microbiology/Anatomy: \$44.45 per credit (BIOL, MICR courses)
Chemistry: \$54.10 per credit (CHEM courses)
Computer Science: \$74.10 per credit (CSC, CSS, INFO courses)
Counselor Education/Counselor Human Resources Development: \$26.80 per credit (CHRD courses)
Dairy Science/Food Science: \$83.95 per credit (DS, FS courses)
Dance: \$27.65 per credit (DANC courses)
Dietetics Internship: \$540 per credit (NUTR 695 and 794)
Business (undergraduate): \$30.90 per credit (ACCT, AGEC, BADM, BLAW, DSCI, ECON, ENTR, FIN, HRM, MGMT, MKTG courses)
Business (graduate): \$55.50 per credit (AGEC, BADM, BLAW, DSCI, ECON, FIN, HRM, MKTG courses)
Engineering: \$89.05 per credit (ABE, ABME, AST, CEE, CIM, CM, EE, EM, ET, GE, ME, MNET, SE courses)
Fine Arts: \$27.65 per credit (ART, ARTE, ARTH courses)
Health/Wellness: \$21.70 per credit (AT, EXS, HLTH, HNS, PE, RECR, WEL courses)
Hospitality Management: \$30.35 per credit (HMGT courses)
Interior Design/Landscape Design: \$30.25 per credit (ID, LA courses)
Mass Communications: \$20 per credit (ADV, MCOM, PUBR courses)
Mathematics/Statistics: \$44.45 per credit (MATH, STAT courses)
Medical Lab Sciences - On Campus: \$135.80 per credit (Professional portion of the MLS program)
Medical Lab Sciences - Off Campus: \$141.86 per credit (Professional portion of the MLS program)
MS Human Biology: \$227.60 per credit (MS: BIOL, BIOS, MICR courses)
Music: \$27.65 per credit (MUAP, MUEN, MUS courses)
Nursing/Allied Health (undergraduate): \$108.70 per credit (NURS, HSC courses)
Nursing/Allied Health (graduate): \$239 per credit (NURS, HSC courses)
Nutrition: \$30.25 per credit (NUTR, NFS courses)
Operations Management: \$84.80 per credit (OM courses)
Other Sciences: \$21.60 per credit (ABS, BIOS, BOT, EES, GEOG, HO, NRM, PS, WL courses)
Pharmacy: \$213.20 per credit (PHA undergraduate courses; Pharm.D. courses taken by students in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs)
Pharmacy: \$289.05 per credit (PHA courses taken by non-Pharm.D.)

Online and Off-Campus Centers Tuition Rates

SDSU also offers courses online and at off-campus centers. The tuition rates for these courses differ from the on-campus rates:

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Undergraduate: \$365.05 per credit hour
Undergraduate State Employees, Teacher Certification, Counselor: \$231.75 per credit hour
South Dakota National Guard State Tuition Assistance: \$0 per credit hour
Undergraduate Qualified Veteran: \$98.45 per credit hour
Active Duty Military Personnel: \$250 per credit hour
Graduate: \$484.10 per credit hour
Graduate State Employees, Teacher Certification, Counselor: \$309.10 per credit hour
Graduate Assistant: \$0 per credit hour
Technical Institute - Resident Undergraduate: \$303.15 per credit hour
Technical Institute Guard State Tuition Assistance: \$0 per credit hour
Technical Institute Qualified Veteran - Resident Undergraduate: \$36.55 per credit hour
Technical Institute - Nonresident Undergraduate: \$408.85 per credit hour
IDEA (Undergraduate): \$448 per credit hour
IDEA (Graduate): \$622 per credit hour
Externally-Supported: \$40 per credit hour
Dual-Credit Courses: \$156.97 per credit hour (for qualified public high school students)

Application Fee

Students applying as degree-seeking students are assessed an application fee for each university to which they apply. The fee amounts are:

\$21 for undergraduate applications
\$36 for general graduate school applications
\$93 for EngineeringCAS graduate school applications

Fee waivers are available for students who attended a regental institution in the three terms prior to the term of application and for military personnel who stopped out due to active duty.

Non-Resident Tuition and Fees

Out-of-state and foreign students are charged Non-Resident Tuition & Fees in addition to Basic Tuition & Fees. For Fall 2025, this rate is \$444 per unit of coursework. Effective Fall 2023, incoming out-of-state and international students will be required to pay an additional fee per semester until graduation. However, non-resident students in any SDSU doctoral program are exempt from this additional fee.

From Fall 2024 through Summer 2026, SDSU will waive the SDSU Out-of-State and International Student fee for graduate students employed by San Diego State University as Teaching Associates (Class Code 2353 or 2354).

Graduate Business Professional Program Fee

Graduate students enrolled in the Fowler College of Business are charged Professional Program Fees at a rate of \$303 per unit of coursework for Fall 2025. There is no Installment Plan option for this fee.

Student Involvement and Representation Fee (SIRF)

SIRF is an optional \$2 fee that supports the California State Student Association (CSSA).

Tuition Installment Plan

Non-resident tuition must be paid in full prior to the first day of instruction. Alternatively, students may enroll in the Installment Payment Plan for Non-Resident Tuition & Fees prior to the first day of instruction.

Late Fees and Payment Policies

Late payments will incur late charges. Payments are accepted for the exact amount of fees, and overpayments of \$10.00 or less are refunded only upon request. If a payment is returned by the bank, the student's registration may be canceled, and they will be billed a \$55.00 fee (a \$35.00 dishonored payment charge and a \$20.00 late fee).

Student Account Services does not accept credit cards for in-person payment of Basic Tuition and Fees, except as applicable under the terms of the Installment Plan. Visa and MasterCard debit cards may be used for payment of student fees. Credit cards (American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover Card) are accepted for other payments, such as housing, parking, health services, continuing education, installment payments, and miscellaneous over-the-counter payments.

Refund Policy

Students who cancel registration or drop all courses prior to the first day of instruction for the term are eligible for a full refund of tuition and mandatory fees, less an administrative charge. Students who withdraw during the term or drop all courses prior to the campus-designated drop period will receive a refund based on the portion of the term during which they were enrolled.

Fee Waivers and Exemptions

Several fee waiver programs are available for eligible students:

Veterans and Dependents: Eligible veterans and their dependents may have tuition and fees paid or waived under specific programs.
Foster Youth: Current or former foster youth who meet certain criteria may be eligible for fee waivers.
Alan Pattee Scholarships: Surviving spouses or children of deceased California residents who were employed by a public agency and were killed or died as a result of an industrial injury may qualify for a fee waiver.
Exonerated Individuals: Individuals who have been exonerated of a crime may be eligible for a fee waiver.
Senior Citizens: California residents 60 years of age or older may participate in a fee waiver program that waives the admission application fee and regular registration fees.
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who meet low-income requirements may be eligible for a waiver of campus parking fees.

Changes to Fees

The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. However, fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. The CSU reserves the right to increase or modify any listed fees, even after fees are initially charged or initial fee payments are made. All listed fees, other than mandatory system-wide fees, are subject to change without notice until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun.

Opportunities for Reduced Tuition

There are several programs and situations in which students may be eligible for reduced tuition rates:

South Dakota Advantage Program: Residents of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming who are new first-time students, new transfer students from outside the South Dakota Board of Regents system, or South Dakota Board of Regents system transfer students and SDSU readmits who have not been enrolled for a period of 12 months or more, will pay an equivalent rate to in-state tuition through the South Dakota Advantage tuition program.
Child of Alumni: Nonresident students qualify for a rate equivalent to in-state tuition if a parent or legal guardian graduated from South Dakota State University.
Minnesota Reciprocity: Minnesota residents who started in the spring 2024 term or in a prior term receive a special tuition rate.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Students from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming may be eligible for reduced tuition through the WUE program.
State Employee, ROTC, Teacher Certification, Counselor: Individuals in these categories may be eligible for reduced tuition rates.
Over 65: Senior citizens may be eligible for reduced tuition rates.
South Dakota National Guard State Tuition Assistance: Members of the South Dakota National Guard may be eligible for free in-state tuition after federal tuition benefits are applied.
Active Duty Military Personnel: Active duty military personnel may be eligible for reduced tuition rates.
Department of Defense Civilians: Department of Defense civilians may be eligible for resident tuition rates.
Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP): Master’s, graduate certificate, and Ph.D. students who are residents of Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education member states may enroll in high-quality programs at public institutions outside of their home state and pay resident tuition.

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