Students have until the end of the month (Nov. 30, 2025) to apply for admission to all 10 of South Dakota’s public higher-education institutions without having to pay an application fee.
The South Dakota Board of Regents and the South Dakota Board of Technical Education offer the annual Free Application Period to remove barriers to higher education and encourage more students to explore opportunities across the state’s public higher education system.
Regents Executive Director Nathan Lukkes (lucas) says by waiving application fees, they hope to make higher education more accessible to every student, along with highlighting the quality programs available in South Dakota.
The Free Application Period applies to (*no application fee year-round):
-
Black Hills State University
-
Dakota State University
-
Northern State University
-
South Dakota Mines
-
South Dakota State University
-
University of South Dakota
-
Lake Area Technical College
-
Mitchell Technical College*
-
Southeast Technical College*
-
Western Dakota Technical College*
Lukkes says in addition to the Free Application Period, students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. FAFSA (faf-sa) determines eligibility for federal financial aid programs, including grants, work-study opportunities and loans, and is used by many state and institutional scholarship programs. He says completing the FAFSA application as early as possible ensures that students have access to the broadest range of financial aid options available.
Discover more information about the Free Application Period, FAFSA and a variety of college-readiness resources at OurDakotaDreams.com.
Comments