����vlog����

General Eligibility Requirements

To receive federal financial aid, students must meet the following :

• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Be admitted to SDSU as a degree-seeking student and enrolled at least a half-time (a minimum of six credits for undergraduate students and five credits for graduate students)
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Students here on a student visa (F1 or F2) or an exchange visitor visa (J1 or J2) are classified as noneligible noncitizens and do not qualify for federal financial aid. The International Student and Scholar Engagement can provide further information regarding financial assistance.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress

If you meet these requirements, to determine exactly what kind of offer you may receive.

Verification Requirements

Students may be selected to verify some of their information on the FAFSA. To see if you have any verification requirements, please log in to your financial aid self service.

To access the financial aid self service portal, log in to and click on the Dashboard tab then locate the Financial Aid Self Service item on your Dashboard. Follow the instructions to access Financial Aid Self Service.

If you have not previously logged in to your MyState account, please go to . In the upper right-hand corner, click the sign in button and follow the directions under MyState First Time Login on the right.

Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Fill out the using the school code for South Dakota State University (SDSU) 003471. Be sure to use your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card or your application may be rejected.

The FAFSA priority date at SDSU is March 1, 2026, for the 2026-27 school year. Students can still complete the FAFSA after this date however, students with a FAFSA completed before this date could be eligible for additional priority funding.

If the information on your financial aid application does not accurately reflect your family's circumstances or if your financial status has changed significantly, contact our office to determine if any changes should be made.

See the videos below for help on each section of the FAFSA

Starting the FAFSA

Personal Circumstances and Demographics

Financials

Select Your Schools

Review, Sign and Submit

To review your financial aid offer:

• Log in to and select "Dashboard."
• Locate and select the "Financial Aid Self Service" box.
• If you have not previously logged in to your MyState account, please go to and select "sign in."
• Follow the directions for "MyState First Time Login."

To accept or decline your financial aid offer once you are logged in to your Financial Aid Self Service:

• Select the aid year "2026-2027."
• Select the campus "South Dakota State."
• Locate the “Responses Required” section and click on "View Questions."
• Select the "Award Offer" tab.
• Use the "Take Action" dropdown box next to the award to accept and decline.
• Select "Submit" to complete this step.

Log in to your using your FSA ID to sign the Master Promissory Note and complete the Loan Entrance Counseling

Your bill can be viewed before the start of the semester by going to SDePay. You can look at your total bill and subtract the amount of financial aid that you will receive to determine your out-of-pocket costs. To cover your remaining balance, you can set up a payment plan with the Cashiers Office, have your parents apply for a Parent PLUS loan at or take out a loan with a private lender.

Alternative and Private Loans