Tribal or BIA Financial Aid

EDUCATION LOAN/GRANT PROGRAM. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has a loan program available to its enrolled members. The loan must be secured through lease income collateral. The loan is to be used for current year needs. However, it may also be used to pay for unpaid education costs and to help students pay off defaulted federal student loans. Applications may be picked up from the Higher Education Office at the Standing Rock Tribal Administration Building in Fort Yates.

HIGHER EDUCATION GRANT. To qualify for a Higher Education grant, the student must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe with at least 1/4 degree of Native American descent. Applicants must be enrolled in academic course work. Applications must be completed each academic year; separate summer school applications must be submitted.

The priority date for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for the academic year is June 1; for Spring term is November 30; and for Summer term is April 30. Other agencies may have different priority dates for applying for assistance. Applications may be picked up from the Tribal Education Director or the BIA Education Specialist located at the tribal agency.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR TUITION GRANT (SRST). Current high school seniors may enroll in up to 6 credits of college courses per term for dual credit at Sitting Bull College. Students must receive prior approval from their parents, the high school counselor or principal, the SBC Dean of Academic Affairs, and the course instructor(s).

Students are required to pay for tuition, books, and fees prior to release of an academic transcript. Current high school seniors who are enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe may be awarded funds from the SRST Higher Education Office to pay for tuition, books, and fees for attendance at SBC. Deadline for applying for this grant is September 30 for Fall term and January 31 for Spring term. Applications may be obtained from the SBC Financial Aid Office.

JOB PLACEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM (JPTP) --- FORMERLY ADULT VOCATIONAL TRAINING (AVT). To qualify for the JPTP program, the student must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe with at least 1/4 degree of Native American descent. Applicants must be enrolled in an occupational training program. The priority date for the SBC JPTP program is May 1. Applications may be picked up from the JPTP Office at SBC.

WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT (WIA). The WIA program is designed to assist underemployed persons to obtain vocational training. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe WIA program will pay either for tuition, books and fees or an incentive allowance based on actual hours in the classroom. The North Dakota and South Dakota State WIA programs may pay for tuition, books, and fees. Students must take the GATB test and will be selected for the program based on the poverty guidelines. Students should contact the WIA or JOBS offices in Fort Yates, Bismarck, or Mobridge for applications. The WIA application must be updated every 45 days so students should contact WIA occasionally to see if they must update their eligibility application.