Dakota State University — Automatic Merit Scholarships
Madison, South Dakota · 5 published award(s) in our verified dataset.
Guaranteed — published by the college
These figures come from Dakota State University's own published merit grid / scholarship page, whose wording makes the awards automatic for students who meet the criteria. Every row links to its official source and shows its verification date. Admission is not guaranteed by meeting a merit threshold.
Guaranteed automatic awards
Each award below is labelled guaranteed automatic because the college's own page explicitly says the award is automatic for students who meet the published criteria. Amounts are exact published figures.
| Award | Min GPA | Min SAT | Min ACT | $/year | 4-yr total | Residency | Deadline | Separate app? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Champion Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college ACT 32-36/SAT 1420+ with the 3.0 minimum GPA. | 3.0 | 1420 | 32 | $4,000 | $16,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Elite Champion Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college ACT 28-31/SAT 1300-1410 with the 3.0 minimum GPA. | 3.0 | 1300 | 28 | $3,000 | $12,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Merit Champion Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college ACT 24-27/SAT 1160-1290 with the 3.0 minimum GPA. | 3.0 | 1160 | 24 | $2,000 | $8,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| DSU Rising Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college ACT 30-36/SAT 1360+ with GPA 3.0+; Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences programs only. Renewal requires a 3.25 cumulative GPA and 30 credits per year. | 3.0 | 1360 | 30 | $2,000 | $8,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Achievement Champion Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college ACT 21-23/SAT 1060-1150 with the 3.0 minimum GPA. | 3.0 | 1060 | 21 | $1,000 | $4,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
Score ROI — what the next tier takes at Dakota State University
Computed only from this college's own published thresholds above: for each pair of adjacent tiers, the score/GPA gap to the next award and what that gap is worth. Retesting only pays if the higher tier is actually reached and the award renews — check the published conditions.
| From tier | What it takes | Next tier | $ unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achievement Champion Scholarship ($1,000/yr) | +3 ACT points and +100 SAT points | Merit Champion Scholarship ($2,000/yr) | +$1,000/yr · +$4,000 over 4 years (guaranteed) |
| Merit Champion Scholarship ($2,000/yr) | +4 ACT points and +140 SAT points | Elite Champion Scholarship ($3,000/yr) | +$1,000/yr · +$4,000 over 4 years (guaranteed) |
| Elite Champion Scholarship ($3,000/yr) | +4 ACT points and +120 SAT points | Presidential Champion Scholarship ($4,000/yr) | +$1,000/yr · +$4,000 over 4 years (guaranteed) |
Published conditions & source wording
- GPA basis: Unweighted cumulative GPA (a minimum 3.0 is required for every tier)
- Renewal GPA: 3.0
- Renewal GPA: 3.25
- Full-time enrollment required: Yes
You don't need to apply for Champion Scholarships—we award them automatically based on certain academic criteria upon admission.
Questions
Does Dakota State University offer automatic merit?
Yes — the awards above are guaranteed automatic per the college's published source(s), verified 2026-11-02. Confirm current terms on the official page before applying.
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