Select your applicant type to begin your journey at Black Hills State University
Complete the following high school courses with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0:
4 years of English
3 years of math (algebra or higher level)
3 years of laboratory science
3 years of social science
1 year of fine arts
Students must meet any one or more of the following admissions requirements:
Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 OR
Minimum composite ACT of 18 (SAT score of 970 or above)* OR
Rank in the top 60% of high school class
*BHSU is a wholly TEST OPTIONAL university. Standardized test scores are not required
for admission, if a student meets one of the other minimum academic requirements (GPA
or class rank). However, standardized test scores - when provided - may be used to
determine some scholarship eligibility and for some initial mathematics and English
course placements.
Provide your post-secondary transcripts. Upload Transcripts
Once accepted review your Admitted Student Checklist
Have you earned credits toward a degree you never finished? Perhaps you've taken some courses and are looking to pursue a different path. Or maybe you are ready to attend a university that will help you get into the real-world cutting-edge internship opportunities in the heart of the Black Hills.
Whatever your case, BHSU understands your situation and is here to help you reach your degree. Here are some helpful links to get you started in pursuing our flexible and cost-effective degrees.
Black Hills State University has officially partnered with Transferology to show students how the institution will award credits for transferable courses and exams.
This tool will help you see how individual courses are transferable to BHSU from your previous institutions. Click the link to enter each course.
Transfer Course Equivalency Calculator
Have you served in the United States Armed Forces? Do you hold industry certifications? Have you taken an AP course or CLEP exam? Your life experience and accomplishments could transfer to college credit. Use this dashboard to discover credit equivalencies.
This graduate application must be completed by domestic and international degree-seeking and non-degree seeking graduate students. International graduate students will find important admissions information at: International Graduate Admissions
The graduate-level certificate in mathematics is a joint program among South Dakota universities. Students interested in it should NOT complete a BHSU application. Instead, they should contact the coordinator of the program: Dr. Daluss Siewert.
Please have all official undergraduate and graduate transcripts sent to:
Black Hills State University
Director of Graduate Studies Unit 9501
Spearfish, SD 57799-9501
ATTENTION: The current dual credit tuition rate beginning the Summer 2025 term is $78.48 per credit hour (or 1/2 of the total reduced credit hour rate). The State of South Dakota pays the remaining tuition costs. (Please note: Due to legislation passed during the 2025 legislative session, the student share of the total reduced credit hour rate was increased to 1/2, up from 1/3. This increase will take effect for the Summer 2025 semester.)
Application Steps for Dual Credit
1. Meet with your High School Counselor (check you meet Admission Requirements)
2. Select your courses
3. Complete the Dual Credit Online Application
4. Fulfill testing requirements (if needed)
5. Receive your confirmation email
6. Complete the Dual Credit Introduction
7. Pay for your classes
8. Prepare for the first day of class!
A more detailed description of each step can be found in the Application Checklist Tab.
For questions or more information on Dual Credit please contact the Dual Credit Coordinator Caitlin Kaiser at 605.642.6093 or Caitlin.Kaiser@BHSU.edu
Summer Dual Credit Course List
Spring Dual Credit Course List
The links above list all of the courses offered for the semester. As sections become full please check here for open sections.
Discuss eligibility requirements and how dual credit courses will fit best into your high school schedule.
Student Eligibility Requirements - For the three distinct programs referenced in these guidelines, students must meet the criteria below to participate.
3.1. High school junior eligible to enroll in a high school in South Dakota who meets one of the following requirements:
a) earn an ACT composite score of 24 reflective of the 70% percentile; or
b) rank in upper one-third of their graduating class; or
c) earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale;
3.2. High school senior eligible to enroll in a high school in South Dakota who meets one of the following requirements:
a) earn an ACT composite score of 21 reflective of the 50% percentile; or
b) rank in the upper one-half of their graduating class; or
c) earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale;
3.3. High School junior or senior eligible to enroll in a high school in South Dakota who meets all of the following Undergraduate admissions requirements:
a) ACT score of 18 (or 21 for USD & SDSM&T); and
b) Successful completion of coursework requirements • Four years of English • Three years of advanced mathematics • Three years of laboratory science • Three years of social studies • One year of fine arts
High School junior or senior eligible to enroll in a high school in South Dakota who meet the benchmark scores on one of the assessments listed below:
a) Smarter Balanced – Score Level 3 or higher on the English Language Arts AND Mathematics 11th Grade Assessments.
b) 10th Grade ACT Aspire Summative Assessment – (Score 434 or higher)
c) ACCUPLACER Classic (Sentence Skills – Score 86 or higher AND Elementary Algebra – Score 76 or higher)2 d) ACCUPLACER Next Generation3 (QAS – Score 255 or higher AND Writing Score 263 or higher)
Home Schooled Students: In addition to the eligibility requirements above, families
of homeschooled students must submit a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) and
completed registration forms to the Department of Education. Refer to the Home School
Students section on SDMyLife for specific instructions.
Check out course descriptions, and take a look at the content the course will cover.
Access BHSU course offerings for each semester through the Dual Credit Courses tab.
Confirm that your college schedule does not conflict with your high school schedule.
No application fee is required. Do not submit course payment with application.
Begin the Online Dual Credit Application: Apply Now
Provide accurate contact information. A valid phone number and email address that
you use year-round
Print your completed online application and collect signatures from your parent/guardian
and high school counselor
Submit your signed application to BHSU (fax, email, mail). Include a current high
school transcript and any test scores (ACT, SAT, Smarter Balanced)
On Campus Students Only: Provide immunization records with proof of MMR vaccines I
and II
To enroll in a college English or Math course placement scores are required. English
and Math placement can be met with ACT/SAT, Smarter Balanced, Accuplacer scores. Test
scores must be included on your high school transcript, or official score report.
If you currently do not have test scores, or do not meet placement, you're eligible
to take the Accuplacer Placement exam to meet the required placement. The accuplacer
may also be taken to meet admission requirements into the Dual Credit program.
Testing Services are available at both the Spearfish Main campus & BHSU- Rapid City
locations. To schedule an appointment contact:
Spearfish Testing Center 605.642.6099 or email: BHSPTestingCenter@BHSU.edu
Rapid City Testing Center 605.718.4193 or email: BHRCTestingCenter@BHSU.edu
Students will receive a confirmation email confirming their acceptance into the HSDC Program, as well as their course schedule for each semester.
*Completing an application does not automatically enroll you in the program.
Access the Dual Credit Introduction through your confirmation e-mail, or through the BHSU Dual Credit website. The introduction will help you set up the following accounts: Yellow Jackets email, Banner Self-Service, and Desire2Learn (D2L). Instructions for ordering textbooks or accessing e-books, paying your bill, purchasing a parking permit, etc. can also be found in the Dual Credit Introduction. You may purchase or rent your college textbooks at the BHSU University Bookstore. Some courses may require an e-book which you will be given access to on the first day of class. E-books will be added to your tuition for your course and do not need to be purchased separately.
You will not receive a paper bill! Your "eBill" is available to view/print in SDePay accessed in Banner Self-Service. Payment within the first week of classes is recommended! Find the payment deadline listed on your confirmation email.
Pay by credit card or echeck online through SDePay (via Banner Self-Service).
Pay by personal check or cash at the Cashier's window on campus.
Mail your check to:
Student Financial Services
1200 University St., Unit 9670
Spearfish, SD 57799-9670
To avoid late fees and/or canceled registration, tuition charges must be paid by the due date. For questions regarding billing, please contact Debby in the Cashier’s Office at 605.642.6480.
Click on the Academic Calendar to view important dates including the first day of
class. The first day of class is also listed in your confirmation email. To view your
class schedule (meeting times for on-campus courses, location, professor's contact
info), sign in to your Banner Self-Service account, click on "My Class Schedule" located
under the "Academic Profile" section, and follow the instructions.
Access your course syllabus which contains required textbooks/supplies, attendance and grading policies, and a layout of your schedule. If you are taking an online course, you will find the course syllabus by logging into D2L and clicking on your course. If you are taking a course on campus, you will receive your course syllabus on the first day of class.
If at any point you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out: Caitlin.Kaiser@BHSU.edu
Get a jump start on your degree with Dual Credit courses.
Incoming freshman must complete 30 credit hours of general education credits within
their first 64 credits. Learn more about General Education Requirements. To see specific
classes, view the General Education Course Listing. Note: Not all the classes listed
are dual credit classes. Check out which dual credit course's are required for a specific
major by viewing the program's 4 Year Plan.
Add/Drop Form obtain the required signatures, and submit it to BHSU.
If you are taking a class on campus, check the map to see where your class is located.
Click here for a map of Black Hills State University Spearfish Campus.
High school students participating in the Dual Credit program may request to register for up to a maximum of ten (10) credit hours each term. Students may request a credit waiver of the ten credit hour limit by completing and submitting this petition to BHSU Dual Credit Coordinator Caitlin Kaiser - Caitlin.Kaiser@BHSU.edu
Withdrawing from a High School Dual Credit class past the drop date is not recommended. However, we understand that in some circumstances this is the best course of action.
Make sure to check with your counselor before withdrawing or dropping courses how this may impact your high school grade for the class as well as your overall high school grade point average.
Students must complete an Add/Drop Form, obtain the required signatures, and submit it to BHSU before the last day to drop for that semester. Individual classes can be dropped for a full refund if the drop form is received by 5 p.m. on the listed drop date. Your course drop date can be found on your confirmation email or your course syllabus. A class dropped by this date will be completely removed from the student’s record.
Withdrawing from a course after the Drop Date has passed: Individual classes dropped after the drop date will be assigned a grade of "WD" (withdraw) up to the 70% meeting date "Withdraw" deadline. This grade is only a notation and does not negatively affect your college grade point average. If a student is enrolled in multiple classes and drops only part of their schedule, there is no refund of tuition/fees. A student is limited to no more than six grades of "WD" throughout their undergraduate career, within the SDBOR system of schools. The last date to withdraw for a "WD" grade is listed on your confirmation email as well as your course syllabus.
Withdrawing from ALL courses after the Drop Date has passed: If a student is enrolled in only one class and drops that class or is enrolled in multiple classes and drops all classes within the SD Board of Regents system, they will be withdrawn from school for the semester. Grades of "WW" will be assigned to all classes with a withdrawal date noted on the transcript for the semester. A pro-rated schedule to credit tuition/fees is used to determine the amount of the refund up to 60% of the scheduled class meeting. Between the 60% and 70% date, withdraws are allowed, but there is no refund.
After the Last Date to Drop a Class with a "W" grade listed above, students may not drop or withdraw. Instead, they must accept the final grade as assigned by the instructor.
During the 2020 Legislative Session, changes were made to SDCL § 13-28-37.1 with regard to continuing eligibility in the High School Dual Credit program. Starting with grades earned during the Fall 2020 Semester, any student who fails or withdraws from an HSDC course will no longer be eligible for the program in future semesters, absent a showing of good cause. Students who earn an F or W grade and who wish to continue in the program must meet one of the three options below:
-Show good cause by having a BOR GPA of 2.5 or higher, showing a prior record of success in the HSDC program (for BOR institutions only).
-Show good cause by documenting extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student which contributed to the F or W grade(s). Good cause may include but is not limited to illness, injury, an illness or death in the family, or unusual academic circumstances.
-Regain eligibility in the program by 1) successfully repeating the course(s) in which the F or W grade(s) were earned, and 2) paying the full HSDC tuition rate of $145/ per credit hour for the repeated course(s). This includes the portion of tuition typically paid by the state.
Students showing good cause through GPA will be automatically granted an exemption to continue in the program moving forward. Students who experienced extenuating circumstances, or who wish to repeat the course(s) in which the F or W grade was earned at the full HSDC tuition rate to regain program eligibility must fill out an Eligibility Exemption Form and submit it to the campus indicated on the form for the student's circumstances. BOTE institution contacts are available on SDMyLife.
Dual Credit students with disabilities that need accommodations should contact Jennifer Lucero in the BHSU Disabilities Services Office once enrolled in courses. Contact information: 605.642.6099, or email Jennifer.Lucero@BHSU.edu
Visit the BHSU E.Y. Berry Library Learning Center for a complete list of services available to you. To access the library online research databases from off-campus computers, use your BHSU email address and its corresponding password. To check out materials from the library and place an interlibrary loan, you will need your 14-digit Library Barcode found at the Login Help webpage.
Parking permits for the Spearfish Campus may be purchased in the Public Safety Office
in Woodburn #126.
Bring your Buzz Card or student ID number as well as vehicle information for the car(s)
you will be parking on campus. Tell them you are a Dual Credit Student to recieve
a discounted rate. You will be fined if you park on-campus without a permit.
Students who drop courses, withdraw or are administratively withdrawn, suspended, or expelled from the Regental system within the drop/add period receive a 100% refund of tuition and per credit hour fees. Students who withdraw or are administratively withdrawn, suspended, or expelled from the Regental system after the date the first 10% of the term ends for the period of enrollment for which they are assessed may be entitled to a refund. No refunds will be processed for dropped courses after the drop/add period. Total withdrawal refunds will be based on a percentage of the remaining portion of the semester.
BHSU Help Desk provides computer assistance in person and online. Get connected by calling 605.642.6580, or email BHSUhelpdesk@BHSU.edu
BHSU students can download and install Office 365 Pro Plus free of charge. Students have access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, iPad apps, Office Mobile Android apps, Windows Mobile apps, and more. Learn more about Office 365.
Testing Center (Schedule an Accuplacer exam, CLEP, etc.)
BHSPTestingCenter@BHSU.edu or 605.642.6099.
BHSU Bookstore: 605.642.6636
Textbooks for BHSU courses can be purchased either online or on-campus through the BHSU Bookstore. Some of your courses may use the First Day Access Ebook, which is an online textbook that students can access on their first day of class through the D2L accounts. If your course is using an ebook, it will be indicated on the BHSU Website and it will be reflected on your dual credit bill as part of your tuition. If your course requires an access code, you will receive this information in an email.
To request an official transcript listing the classes you have taken at Black Hills State University, contact the Registrar's Office at 605.642.6092. Online Transcript Request Form
As stated on the dual credit application, "Students will need to disclose in college applications that they have taken college/dual credit coursework. It is the responsibility of the student to contact his/her prospective post-secondary institution and to provide necessary information so the institution may determine if the dual enrollment credits that have been earned are transferable. While all credits earned will be recognized by Regental universities, the institutions cannot guarantee transferability of credits outside the system."
The following universities are part of the South Dakota Regental system: Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State University, University of South Dakota.
(Math and English tutoring services available both on-campus & online in Spearfish & Rapid City)
Spearfish
Math Assistance Center(MAC) offers free math tutoring for all students in a group or one-on-one sessions. It is located in the BHSU E.Y. Berry Library next to the Writing Center.
The Writing Center offers free writing resources and feedback on student essays, papers, and speeches. It is located in the BHSU E.Y. Berry Library next to the Math Assistance Center. To schedule an appointment (face-to-face or online), go to the Writing Center website.
Rapid City
Tutoring Services are available at BHSU-RC in the Tutoring Center, Room 100. Tutoring times and subjects change every semester based on the availability of those who tutor.
Other Questions about Dual Credit?
If you have any high school dual credit questions or concerns throughout the semester, please contact:
Dual Credit Coordinator:
Caitlin Kaiser at 605.642.6093 or at Caitlin.Kaiser@BHSU.edu (Office location - Spearfish Campus)
If you have previously attended BHSU and have not attended another post-secondary institution since last attending BHSU, you will be considered a Returning Student.
If you are wanting to take classes without obtaining a degree, you will be considered a Non-Degree Seeking Student.
If you are a certified teacher looking to add an endorsement or take continuing education courses for recertification, proceed to option #3, below.
Returning Students Online Application
Non-Degree Seeking Students Online Application
Teacher Certification/Endorsements Online Application
Admission Requirements
Returning students must have a 2.0 (C) grade point average. Students not meeting the
2.0 GPA admission requirement may be considered for admission on academic probation.
Non-degree seeking students are not required to send high school or previous college, university, or technical school transcripts.
Registration
Contact the Office of Admissions at 605.642.6343 or 1-800-ALL-BHSU for registration information.
Send all application materials to the address below:
Black Hills State University
Office of Admissions
1200 University Street Unit 9502
Spearfish, SD 57799-9502
Admissions@BHSU.edu
Black Hills State University (BHSU) in Spearfish, South Dakota, offers more than 80 accredited academic programs and a range of resources for international students. The International Studies page provides details about the application process, costs, scholarships, and enrollment steps. It also outlines important health insurance requirements for F-1 and J-1 visa holders, including information on the mandatory State of South Dakota Board of Regents policy and waiver options. Additional support and contact information for both the Spearfish and Rapid City campuses are available.