Ä¢¹½´«Ã½

Requirements

This scholarship will be available for the upcoming school year. To qualify, students must meet the following requirements:

• Maintain South Dakota residency for at least one year prior to scholarship application
• Attend an
• Demonstrate financial need through the completion of your FAFSA
• Pursue a bachelor’s degree
• Maintain a 2.0 college GPA
• Graduate with a bachelor’s degree in five years or less
• Commit in writing to living and working in South Dakota for at least three years after graduation
• Acknowledge that any failure to meet these requirements will result in the scholarship being converted to a 4% fixed-interest loan

The Application Process

Recipients are selected based on financial need and FAFSA information. Students must be South Dakota residents, enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program and take a full-time credit load in both the fall and spring semesters. Priority is given to students who completed the FAFSA on or before March 1.

Before accepting the scholarship, please make sure you understand the Freedom Scholarship requirements. You can accept or decline the award by accessing your SDSU Financial Aid Offer online using the SDSU Financial Aid Self Service Portal. Instructions for accessing the portal are included in the award offer you received via email.

Is the Freedom Scholarship renewable?

Students who receive the Freedom Scholarship in their first year may receive the Freedom Scholarship for up to five years. SDSU plans to award $3,000 South Dakota Freedom Scholarships for returning students who received the Freedom Scholarship in the prior year and who:

• Maintain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA.
• Are on track to graduate within five years.
• Submit the FAFSA on or before March 1.
• Continue to demonstrate a high level of financial need.

However, funding levels for the Freedom Scholarship may vary from year to year, and SDSU cannot guarantee renewable awards or award amounts for subsequent years.

Promissory Note and Paperwork

Before your scholarship funds can be paid, you will be required to complete some additional paperwork. Elli Haerter from the South Dakota Community Foundation will email you instructions on how to create an account and complete the required paperwork. Your scholarship funds will not pay until you have completed the paperwork.

Here are some tips to help you complete the paperwork correctly:

• Watch for an email in your Jack’s email account from Elli Haerter with instructions on how to create your account and complete your paperwork.
• Be sure to use your Jacks email address when setting up your account. Your Jacks email is what will allow your scholarship to help you cover your SDSU costs.
• Section two of the Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form will ask for your cost of attendance and your estimated financial assistance. You can find that information on the .
• In section three of the Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form use the following when it asks for the full name and address of the school: Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ ESC Box 511A, Brookings, SD 57007.
• Please contact the Financial Aid Office at 605-688-4695 for assistance with your paperwork.

Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification

If you have been asked to complete a Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form, you will need to include your cost of attendance and your estimated financial assistance. You can access that information on your :

• Select the Financial Aid tab and Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ in the campus dropdown and click on continue.
• Select Award.
• Select Award for Aid Year.
• Select the Award Overview subtab, which will display both your cost of attendance and financial aid award information.