Let us know if you want to accept the funds included in your aid offer. Please notify us by accessing your aid offer in your Financial Aid Self Service Portal with the instructions below:
- Go to your Financial Aid Self Service Portal
- View the upper right side of the page and ensure you see South Dakota State and the 2024-2025 Award Year
- Select View Questions in the red box under “Responses Required” and answer the questions (you can omit this step if you previously answered these questions).
- Select the AwardOffer tab
- Use the Take Action dropdown box to accept and decline individual awards
- Select Submit at the bottom of the page
The information in this section will help you determine if the funds in your aid offer are renewable and if there are continuing eligibility requirements you must meet. You may also click on the fund name in your Financial Aid Self Service portal aid offer to view additional information specific to each offered fund.
Federal Title IV Financial Aid
Students must complete the FAFSA each year to continue receiving Federal Title IV Financial Aid. The FAFSA for the 2025-2026 school year should be available on October 1, 2024.
To qualify for any Federal Title IV Financial Aid, students must meet SDSU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards.
Continuing eligibility for most federal awards is dependent on annual FAFSA results. Please review the following for renewability information about Title IV funds:
Direct Loans
Direct Loan eligibility is determined by grade level and unmet cost. Students with financial need may receive a portion of their eligibility as Direct Subsidized Loan. Please visit Federal Student Aid for additional information about loan limits, interest rates, and origination fees.
Pell Grant
Continuing eligibility for Pell Grants is based on your annual FAFSA results. Please visit Federal Student Aid for additional information about Pell Grant eligibility.
FSEOG
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are awarded to students who are eligible to receive a Pell Grant and who have the most financial need and lowest Student Aid Index (SAI) from FAFSA. To be considered for the FSEOG grant, students must submit their FAFSAs on or before the March 1 FAFSA priority date.
Federal Work-Study
Students who receive and use a Federal Work-Study offer during their first year, will be prioritized for Work-Study offers in subsequent years as long as they continue utilizing Work-Study funds each year. Students will need to continue to have unmet financial need.
Work-Study funds are limited. Consequently, students should submit their FAFSAs on or before the March 1 priority date.
SDEAF Grant
To continue qualifying for the South Dakota Educational Access Foundation Grant, students must submit a FAFSA and demonstrate significant financial need. Generally, these grants are offered to students who:
- Are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant
- Did not receive an FSEOG
- Have a low Student Aid Index
- Are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
- Submitted the FAFSA on or before the March 1 FAFSA priority date.
South Dakota Freedom Scholarship
The South Dakota Freedom Scholarship is a need-based scholarship for South Dakota residents. The scholarship is renewable for up to 5 years for students who:
- Continue to demonstrate a high level of financial need as indicated by the annual FAFSA results
- Are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
- Are on track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree within 5 years of starting at a school that awards the South Dakota Freedom Scholarship.
Renewal amounts are usually $3000. Due to funding limitations, students should submit their FAFSAs on or before SDSU’s March 1 priority date to ensure they are considered for renewal of this scholarship.
SDSU Scholarships
Information about SDSU scholarship renewability is provided below.
Jackrabbit Guarantee
Students who qualify for the SDSU Jackrabbit Guarantee Program and who meet continuing eligibility requirements are eligible to receive SDSU scholarships in the amount of the guarantee for up to 4 consecutive years. The specific scholarships used to fulfill the guarantee may vary from year-to-year.
During the admissions process students who qualify for the Jackrabbit Guarantee Program receive a letter from the SDSU Admissions Office with the amount of their scholarship guarantee and the continuing eligibility requirements. For students who qualify as first-time students for the 2024-2025 academic year, the requirements include completing 24 SDSU academic credits and maintaining a 2.5 cumulative grade point average.
Students who are eligible for the Jackrabbit Guarantee at the higher Distinguished Scholars level must complete 24 SDSU academic credits and maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average to remain eligible for the higher-level awards.
SDSU Wokini Scholarship
Student who receive the SDSU Wokini Scholarship are eligible to receive the scholarship for $5000 for 5 years as long as the students meet continuing eligibility requirements which include completing 24 academic credits each year and maintaining a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.
Athletic Scholarships
Scholarships awarded for participation and athletics may be renewable. Students should refer to their Athletic Aid Offer for information regarding renewability.
Performing Arts Scholarships
Students who are awarded talent or performing arts scholarships should refer to the documentation received when they were notified of the scholarship for information about the fund’s renewability.
The following performing arts scholarships are for first-year students only and are not renewable:
- Margaret and Leonard Balsinger Memorial Scholarship in Music
- Theatre Campanile Scholarship
- Music Campanile Scholarship
First-Year Only Awards
SDSU has some scholarships that are designated for incoming first-year students. Students who receive these scholarships are not eligible to renew these in subsequent years. These scholarships include:
- Jackrabbit Journey Scholarship
- South Dakota Boys and Girls State Officer Scholarship
Other SDSU Scholarships
Students may receive other one-time SDSU scholarships outside of the admission process. Scholarships awarded outside of the admissions process are not renewable.
South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship
The South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship is renewable for up to 4 years for students who meet the requirements. Please visit the South Dakota Board of Regents website for information about the continuing eligibility requirements.
South Dakota Needs Based Grant
The South Dakota Need Based Grant is allocated to incoming first-year students and is not renewable after the first year.
If you received Work-Study on your aid offer and plan to use it, you will need to accept it by September 1. Starting in early August, students who have accepted Work-Study will receive a Work-Study Verification email. Students should present a copy of this email to potential Work-Study employers.
Students are responsible for finding their own Work-Study employment. Most on-campus positions are Work-Study eligible. Some off-campus jobs with nonprofit and governmental entities will also qualify. To search for jobs, visit the Office of Career Development's Handshake job-search platform. Many Work-Study jobs are also posted on bulletin boards around campus.
Students who use Work-Study earn the funds through eligible employment paid to students as a paycheck. The amount listed on your aid offer will not be applied to your student bill.
If you did not receive a Work-Study offer and are interested, please contact the Financial Aid Office after September 1 to check your eligibility for any unused funds.
Please see our Work-Study page for more Information.
New Direct Loan borrowers must complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN). Students with no prior federal student loans must also complete Entrance Counseling before their loan funds can be disbursed.
The MPN will detail all of the terms and conditions of the federal loans. Entrance Loan Counseling is a simulated activity designed to help students understand their rights and responsibilities associated with the loan. You can also find additional information on federal loans at the links below. If you are looking for information on alternative loans, visit Alternative and Private Loans or contact your alternative loan servicer.
- Understanding Loan Types
- Annual Loan Limits
- Loan Consolidation
- Repayment
- Federal Student Loan Repayment Simulator
Updating Housing Status
Your aid offer includes estimated costs for your living expenses based on whether you are living on-campus, off-campus or with a parent. Please review your living status on your financial aid self service to ensure it reflects where you will be living when you begin your attendance at SDSU. To view your status log into your Financial Aid Self Service Portal and follow the instructions below:
- Once in the portal, view the upper right side of the page and ensure you see South Dakota State and select the 2024-2025 Award Year
- Select the Offer tab
- Under the Cost of Attendance section you can view your living expenses status in the blue box
Requesting a Cost of Attendance Increase
The components you see on your Financial Aid Offer that make up your Cost of Attendance are based on estimated amounts. If your actual costs are above the estimated costs on your aid offer, you can request an increase to your Cost of Attendance by completing our Cost of Attendance Increase Request form.
Increasing your Cost of Attendance will not necessarily increase or change your aid offer. However, it will increase the maximum amount you are allowed to receive and may allow you to borrow additional private or Federal Parent PLUS loans.
