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Welcome! The South Dakota State University Graduate School offers post-baccalaureate programs that are full of proud university tradition, exciting research possibilities and plenty of options to meet your interests. Our seven academic colleges providing graduate studies include:
- Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
- Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Education and Human Sciences
- Natural Sciences
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Pharmacy and Allied Health Professionals.
Feel free to take a look around and imagine the possibilities. We look forward to hearing from you!
Are you ready to take the next step?
Before applying, please see
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester - April 15
- Spring Semester - Oct. 15
Applications submitted after the above deadlines are not guaranteed formal review by the respective department and may not be issued an admission decision.
**Some departments have earlier deadlines and/or only admit for certain terms! Please check with your specific department of interest before applying.
General Graduate School Application
ALL graduate applicants: please use the 'General Graduate Application' links below unless you are applying for a graduate program housed in the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering. Those students must apply using the appropriate EngineeringCAS link.
Non-Degree seeking applicants: If you are not interested in seeking a degree at this time but would like to take graduate level courses, you may apply as a non-degree seeking student using the General Graduate Application for the term in which you plan to take courses. Select the option "Non-degree seeking" on your application. The application fee is waived for non-degree seeking students by using the waiver code provided on the application.
Nursing applicants: You must complete a General Graduate School application (below) and an application through NursingCAS. Visit the Graduate Nursing department for more information.
International student applicants: If you are applying to a certificate program ONLY, please know SDSU is not authorized to issue I-20s for certificate level programs.
Current SDSU students: If you are applying to add an additional credential or are switching programs (e.g., from one discipline to another) you will not be required to pay the $35 application fee for a second time. Please contact the Graduate School for a fee waiver.
Note: Students who are graduating and will be applying into a higher level degree are still required to pay the application fee.
General Graduate Application Links
Spring 2025 Summer 2025 Fall 2025
**It is highly recommend that you use a personal email address when completing the online application. Certain government email addresses (ex: sd.us, k12.sd.us) have strong filters that block emails regarding admissions decisions.
Are you applying to a Graduate Program in the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering?
Graduate School Application for Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering
Applicants applying to programs listed below MUST use the EngineeringCAS link found below.
- Master of Engineering
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Civil Engineering
- M.S. in Operations Management
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering
- M.S. or certificate in Data Science
- M.S. or certificate in Mathematics
- M.S. in Mathematics-Statistics
- M.S. in Statistics
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
- Ph.D. in Computational Science and Statistics
- Certificate in Management Foundations
- Certificate in Institutional Research and Assessment in Higher Education
Engineering CAS Application Links
EngineeringCAS Spring 2025 EngineeringCAS Summer and Fall 2025
Do you have questions about the admissions process? Visit the FAQ tab for more information!
Do you have more application questions?
Need to access your general graduate application to upload additional documents or check the status of your application?
Were you admitted, but are now unable to begin your program for the initial start date listed on your acceptance letter?
Complete the Deferral Request
Graduate students who have been admitted into a degree seeking program may request to defer their admission one time for up to one academic year without needing to reapply to their program of acceptance. Deferral requests are subject to department review and approval. A deferral request does not guarantee approval for a newly requested start term. Please reference your admission letter when completing the deferral request to ensure information is accurate.
Are you a former SDSU graduate student needing to reapply into your graduate program?
Complete the Reapplication Request
Graduate students who have been admitted and attended SDSU for at least one semester, and who were last enrolled at SDSU less than three semesters ago, may request readmission to their SAME program. Readmission requests are subject to department review and approval. A readmission request does not guarantee approval for the readmission start term. Students wanting to switch programs, must complete a new application for that program. This includes master’s to Ph.D. or vice versa.
Are you a current SDSU graduate student wanting to change graduate programs?
Complete the Graduate Program Change Request
Current graduate students who have been admitted and would like to change their program major or adjust their degree level (ex. M.S. to Ph.D.) or specialization within the same discipline may submit the form. Students applying to an additional program or credential must use the formal online application. Program change requests are subject to department review and approval. A program change request does not guarantee approval for the newly selected program.