SD College Admission Requirements

The Board of Regents System

The South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) governs the state's six public universities: Black Hills State University (BHSU), Dakota State University (DSU), Northern State University (NSU), South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT), South Dakota State University (SDSU), and the University of South Dakota (USD). Admission to these institutions is based on a standard set of academic guidelines designed to ensure college readiness.

The Core High School Curriculum

To be considered for admission, high school graduates must complete the following core curriculum requirements:

• English: 4 years (focused on writing and literature).
• Mathematics: 3 years (Algebra I and above).
• Science: 3 years (including at least 2 years of laboratory science).
• Social Science: 3 years (history, government, geography).
• Fine Arts: 1 year (art, music, or theater).

GPA and Standardized Test Requirements

For general admission to an SDBOR university, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Rank in the top 50% of their graduating high school class.
• Maintain a cumulative high school GPA of 2.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Achieve an ACT composite score of 18 or higher (or equivalent SAT score).

Note: Highly selective institutions, such as the School of Mines, or specific competitive programs (e.g., nursing, engineering) may enforce higher GPA and test score thresholds.

Technical College Admission Paths

South Dakota's four technical colleges—Lake Area Tech, Southeast Tech, Mitchell Tech, and Western Dakota Tech—have open-door admission policies. However, specific programs (such as dental hygiene or radiologic technology) have competitive admission criteria. Applicants typically take the Accuplacer exam to determine placement in math and English courses rather than relying on ACT scores.

Transfer Student Guidelines

Students transferring between South Dakota institutions are supported by articulation agreements that ensure credits transfer seamlessly. Transfer applicants with 24 or more transferable credits must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Those with fewer than 24 credits are evaluated on both their high school credentials and their college academic records.