University in United States
Vermillion, SD, United States
University profile
The University of South Dakota (USD) is the oldest university in the state, founded in 1862 in Vermillion, South Dakota. It serves as the flagship and designated public liberal arts university of South Dakota and is the only public liberal arts college in the state, as well as the home of the state's only law and medical schools. It is one of six public universities governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents and has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913.
The 274-acre main campus in Vermillion sits on the bluffs above the Missouri River in the southeast corner of the state, from the historic Old Main to the Lee Medicine and Science Building. USD also has a presence in Sioux Falls, where USD - Sioux Falls offers career-oriented programmes and the Sanford School of Medicine training takes place at Sanford USD Medical Center. Fall 2026 enrolment is 10,040 students, with a 15:1 student-faculty ratio and more than 70,000 alumni.
Academic units are the College of Arts & Sciences, the Beacom School of Business, the School of Education, the College of Fine Arts, the School of Health Sciences, the Knudson School of Law, the Sanford School of Medicine and the Graduate School. USD lists 201 undergraduate and 93 graduate programmes. Top undergraduate fields include Nursing, Kinesiology and Sport Management, Medical Biology, Psychology, Elementary Education, Business Administration, Health Sciences, Criminal Justice, and Finance and Accounting.
Student life centres on more than 200 organisations and clubs, NCAA Division I athletics as the Coyotes, Greek life and traditions such as the Dakota Days homecoming. Eighty-two percent of new freshmen and 37 percent of all undergraduates live on campus in residence halls with meal plans served by campus dining. Support services include the Center for Career Design, the Academic Advising and Success Center and the Writing Center.
International students are served by the Gallagher International Center, which oversees international admissions, student services and study abroad. The International Club hosts events such as International Night Gala and Festival of Nations, and many international students join the paid UDiscover Summer Research programme. A number of majors are designated for the STEM OPT extension, including Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Business Analytics, Chemistry, Economics and Physics. USD is classified by Carnegie as a Doctoral University with high research activity.
International cost of attendance for an academic year: undergraduate tuition and fees $13,616, living expenses $9,498 and other costs $2,400; graduate tuition and fees $13,441, living expenses $10,000 and other costs $2,400. Annual undergraduate tuition fee is cited as $13,299. Residents of South Dakota and, through the South Dakota Advantage programme, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming pay the resident undergraduate rate ($9,916 tuition and fees on the undergraduate estimate versus $13,616 non-resident). Law, occupational therapy and physical therapy cost more.
Apply to USD by June 1 for fall and October 1 for spring for full consideration; no separate application is needed.
Applicants to the Vermillion campus complete the online Premier Scholarship application (opens September 1, priority deadline November 15, final deadline December 1). Awards include the George S. Mickelson Scholarship (ACT 28, SAT 1320; South Dakota residents; tuition, fees, room and board), the Presidential Alumni Scholarship (ACT 27, SAT 1280), and named departmental awards such as the Ullyot Lakota, Neuharth Journalism and Buhler awards. USD awards nearly $10.7 million in scholarships each year and about 81 percent of undergraduates receive aid.
Federal aid (Pell Grant, SEOG, Federal Work Study and loans) requires US citizenship or eligible non-citizen status and a FAFSA (USD school code 003474). Graduate assistantships provide a stipend and tuition reduction, are awarded by departments, are competitive and are the only scholarship funding for international graduate students. Details: Scholarships, International Tuition & Costs.
Coyote Beginnings Scholarship and Grant (International First-Year Students) →
Graduate Assistantships (Teaching, Research, Clinical and Administrative) →
Premier Scholarships (Mickelson and Presidential Alumni) →
Browse the scholarships listed for University of South Dakota and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for University of South Dakota →Applicants use the USD Undergraduate Application or the Common App. The checklist is the application, an official high school transcript sent directly to USD or uploaded to the Common App, and official ACT or SAT scores sent from the testing agency (ACT code 3928, SAT code 6881). A high school diploma or recognised equivalent (GED) is required for federal aid eligibility. Seniors at participating public high schools in Aberdeen, Sioux Falls and Spearfish can be admitted directly through South Dakota's Public University Direct Admissions Program: a GPA of 2.6 or above gives automatic admission and 2.0 to 2.6 gives automatic admission to associate degree programmes.
Transfer students apply on the USD website and send official college transcripts from every institution attended, the high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores. Students transferring from another South Dakota Board of Regents university (Black Hills State, Dakota State, Northern State, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Dakota State) need only the application and fee. Former USD students returning after a semester or more apply for readmission with a US $21 non-refundable application fee.
Applicants must have completed secondary school before enrolling. A US GPA equivalent of 2.6 out of 4.0, or ACT 21 or higher, or SAT 1070 or higher, generally leads to admission to a bachelor's programme. Application deadlines: December 15 for spring 2027 and August 1 for fall 2027. Required items are the application and non-refundable fee, proof of English proficiency, transcripts (unofficial copies accepted for contingent admission; official documents due 30 days before classes), a valid passport and a financial ability statement, which federal rules require before an I-20 is issued for at least one year of expenses. USD also accepts the Common App.
English proficiency can be shown by TOEFL iBT 71, TOEFL Essentials 8, IELTS Academic 6.0, Duolingo 105, PTE 48, Cambridge 169, Trinity ISE 90 or iTEP 3.8, or by ACT 21 or SAT 1070, AP English 3 or higher, ELS level 112, successful completion of British O Level/GCSE/IGCSE, A Levels, IB or WAEC with the equivalent of a 2.6 GPA, a US high school, or a college English composition course with a C or higher. Applicants with a conferred degree from listed English-speaking countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and the United Kingdom, are exempt. AS/A Level, AP and IB results can earn university credit, often a semester or a year, under the Board of Regents equivalency table.
USD is the state's largest provider of graduate education, with more than 80 on-campus and 50 online programmes. Applicants use the USD graduate application or GradCAS, with a $38 non-refundable application fee for international applicants; Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology, Law, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Social Work use specialty CAS applications. Requirements vary by programme and are in the graduate catalog. International graduate deadlines for spring 2027 are December 5 (MS AI and Computer Science, MAcc, MBA, MS Business Analytics) and for fall 2027 July 15 (MS AI and Computer Science) and August 1 (MAcc, MBA, MS Business Analytics); some programmes have earlier deadlines. English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 79, TOEFL Essentials 8.5, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 110, PTE 53, Cambridge 169 or Trinity ISE 93. One official transcript showing a regionally accredited undergraduate degree or equivalent is required, and a professional credential evaluation is recommended.
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