Early Childhood Workforce Support Scholarship

Hit the ground running in your childcare or education career – graduate with no debt and a set of high-demand skills! The Department of Social Services (DSS) Early Childhood Workforce Support Scholarship program covers 100% of tuition, fees, books, laptops and uniforms (all items related toward credit-bearing coursework) for the Early Childhood Specialist program.

Apply for Scholarships

Program Details

• Both in-state students and out-of-state students are eligible for the scholarship.
• Scholars of all ages are welcome to apply.
• The scholarship will support tuition, fees, books and other program expenses for credit-bearing courses.
• Recipients of a scholarship will commit to living and working in the state, in childcare or education, for two years following graduation.

Eligibility Requirements

• You must be accepted into the Early Childhood Specialist program.
• U.S. citizen or U.S. national (You may be eligible if you have a green card and are eligible for federal financial aid.)
  • Applicants need not be South Dakota residents.
• You must complete the FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid).

Student Commitment

By accepting a scholarship, recipients will agree to the following:

• Following graduation, you must work full-time in the childcare or education industry in South Dakota for a minimum of two years.
• Should you choose to be self-employed as a daycare provider, you must be a registered provider in good standing through the State of South Dakota.