Presidential Scholar Scholarship - South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Who can apply

• Incoming freshman pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at South Dakota Mines.
• Have at least a 3.0 unweighted cumulative high school GPA and an ACT composite of 35–36 or a minimum SAT score of 1530 for the Presidential Scholar tier.
• Be accepted by December 1, 2026 for priority fall scholarship consideration; spring entrants have a separate November 1 priority date.
• The university evaluates the highest composite ACT or SAT score by test date and does not use ACT Superscores; improved scores for fall entrants must arrive by August 1.
• Maintain full-time enrollment of at least 12 South Dakota Mines credit hours each semester and progress toward the undergraduate degree.
• Multi-year renewal requires at least 24 South Dakota Mines credits each academic year and a 3.0 cumulative GPA unless the award letter specifies a different GPA.
• Multi-year scholarships cover the first four undergraduate years and generally split awards between fall and spring; funding is competitive and not guaranteed.

About the scholarship

The Presidential Scholar Scholarship at South Dakota Mines is the highest tier in the university’s 2027–2028 Mines Merit Scholarship Program, listed at $12,000. Selection uses high school academic performance and ACT or SAT results. Fall entrants receive priority consideration when accepted by December 1, 2026. Merit scholarships can be renewed for three additional years when continuing requirements are met, with payment and distribution governed by the scholarship notification.