About the Program

The South Dakota Retailers Association scholarship program provides assistance to students studying for a career in retail and hospitality businesses, whether as an owner, manager, or employee. In 2025, our Scholarship Committee awarded funds to five students, in amounts ranging from $2,750 to $3,700.

Since the program started in 1992, the Association has awarded more than a quarter million dollars in scholarships.

Download the digital application by clicking the blue button above. Hard copy applications are available through financial aid offices at most South Dakota universities and technical colleges, and upon request from SDRA by contacting us at the link below.

Applicants will receive notification by email when SDRA receives the application. If you submit an application by email and don't receive confirmation within 3 business days, please contact us at the link below.

For questions, please contact Brooke or Tammy at (605) 224-5050 or by Email.

Scholarship Eligibility
SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY
  • Applicant must desire a career in a retail or retail-related field, including hospitality and trade businesses.
  • Applicant must enroll in a retail-related course of study at a qualifying, accredited technical school, college, university, or certified professional training institute in the fall of 2026. Enrollment in an online degree program from a qualifying school is acceptable. 
  • Examples of fields of study considered to be retail-related include (but are not limited to): Accounting, Agribusiness, Apparel Merchandising, Auto Mechanics, Automotive Technology, Business Administration, Business Management, Collision Repair, Computer Science, Commercial Baking, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Diesel Mechanics, Electrical Maintenance, Entrepreneurial Studies, Gemology, HVAC, Hotel/Restaurant Management, Landscape Design, Pharmacy, Photography, Printing Industries, Refrigeration, Sales/Marketing Management, and Tourism Industry Management. (NOTE: this list is not all-inclusive.) 
  • South Dakota Education - applicant must meet one of these three requirements:
    • Graduated from a South Dakota high school - OR - 
    • Have earned high school equivalency (such as a GED) in South Dakota - OR - 
    • Plan to attend post-secondary school in South Dakota 
  • Applicant must meet one of these four requirements:
    • have completed at least 24 credits from a qualifying college or university by September 2026
    • have completed 12 credits from a qualifying tech school or certified professional training institute by September of 2026
    • have successfully completed ProStart Levels 1 and 2 (high school culinary arts program)
    • non-traditional student who has full-time work experience after high school
  • Students must enroll in 12 or more credit hours of classes at a qualifying post-secondary school or online degree program for the fall of 2026. (Internships do not qualify)​
  • Prior recipients are eligible