How does this scholarship affect my other financial aid?

Can the REMAST scholarship be used while studying abroad?

What is the service requirement?

Do I have to teach in South Dakota?

Can I get a deferment for the service requirement?

Can international students apply?

What is the definition of a "high-need" school district?

How does this scholarship affect my other financial aid?   If you are receiving other SDSU scholarships (such as Jackrabbit Guarantee, department scholarships), this scholarship money would replace those scholarships.   This scholarship award will reduce or cancel your eligibility for federal student loans and the SMART grant.  However, it does NOT replace a Federal Pell grant, a DakotaCorps scholarship, or the SD Opportunity scholarship.  If you have more questions on how this would affect your financial aid, please contact the SDSU Financial Aid Office.

Can the REMAST scholarship be used while studying abroad?  No.  The REMAST scholarship has requirements, such as mandatory meetings, being involved in a student organization, and meeting with a faculty mentor.  Since all these requirements take place at SDSU, it is essential that the recipients are on-campus.

Do I have to teach in South Dakota?  No.  We would love it if you would teach in South Dakota, but it is not a requirement that you stay in South Dakota.  However, you do have to teach in a "high-need" district and you will have to provide documentation that the district is "high-need" to Dr. Vestal.  You will have to have your school district superintendent complete a form and send the form to Dr. Vestal.

What is the service requirement?  For each year you receive the scholarship, you are required to teach for 2 years in a "high-need" school district.

Can I get a deferment for the service requirement?  The service requirement must be completed within 6 years of graduation.  This should allow enough time to get a Master's degree in a 2-year program.  If extenuating circumstances arise and the service requirement cannot be completed within 6 years, these situations will be handled on an individual basis.

Can international students apply?  The National Science Foundation requires that recipients be U.S. citizens, Nationals, or Permanent Resident Aliens.

What is the definition of a "high-need" school district?   The NSF definition of a "high-need" school district is as follows:

A.  It has at least one school in which 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for participation in the free and reduced price lunch program established by the Russell National School Lunch Act.  This criterion is the easiest one to measure.  For more information on South Dakota school districts that meet this criterion, go to http://www.doe.sd.gov/ofm/applications/statdigest/default.asp

B.  It has at least one school in which (i) more than 34 percent of the academic classroom teachers at the secondary
level (across all academic subjects) do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in, or a graduate degree in, the academic
field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes; or
(ii) more than 34 percent of the teachers in two of the academic departments do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or
minor  in, or a graduate degree in, the academic field in which they
teach the largest percentage of their classes.

C.  It has at least one school whose teacher attrition rate has been 15 percent or more over the last three school years.
  

Support for this program is provided by the National Science Foundation's Robert Noyce Scholarship Program

under Award No. 0733691. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

                        Back to the REMAST page