SOUTH DAKOTA – More than 600 South Dakota students have been selected to receive Build Dakota Scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year.
Governor Larry Rhoden announced that 618 students were awarded scholarships this year, bringing the program’s total to more than 5,100 recipients since its launch in 2015.
The Build Dakota Scholarship covers tuition and other qualifying expenses for students attending South Dakota’s technical colleges in high-demand career fields such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing and technology. In return, recipients agree to live and work in South Dakota for three years after graduation.
Program leaders say the scholarship has evolved beyond helping students pay for college by connecting them directly with employers and workforce opportunities across the state.
A recent economic impact study found the program generated an estimated $235 million in economic output during its first decade. The newest group of scholarship recipients comes from more than 160 communities across South Dakota and will begin classes this academic year.
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