PIERRE, SD – South Dakota educational partners kick off National Higher Education Month by launching the annual Free College Application Period. Beginning Sunday, Oct. 1, high school seniors may apply to South Dakota's public universities and technical colleges free of charge through November.

During the free application period, the South Dakota Board of Regents (BOR), the South Dakota Board of Technical Education (BOTE), and the South Dakota Department of Education (DOE) encourage high school students to explore and apply to any of our state's outstanding public post-secondary schools.

"We have continued to focus on affordability, and our institutions understand those efforts begin with prospective students and the application process,” said BOR Executive Director Nathan Lukkes. "The free application period is the perfect opportunity for students to checkout all that public higher education in South Dakota has to offer."

The participating schools include:

• Black Hills State University
• Dakota State University
• Lake Area Technical College
• Mitchell Technical College
• Northern State University
• South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
• South Dakota State University
• Southeast Technical College
• University South Dakota and
• Western Dakota Technical College.

“We want our high school seniors to know they have a range of opportunities for careers and post-secondary education right here in South Dakota. The free application period is one way to get them exploring these options that are close to home,” said Secretary of Education Joseph Graves.  

The statewide celebration, hosted by BOR, BOTE, and DOE, encourages students to research and discover the right direction for them. For more information about the Free College Application Period, visit OurDakotaDreams.com – South Dakota's top resource for post-secondary readiness.

-30-