The collection is composed of certificates and records documenting tuition support provided to veterans enrolled at SDSC. The World War I certificates verify veterans’ eligibility for state-funded tuition under South Dakota’s Veteran’s Free Tuition Law and confirm amounts owed by the state. Each certificate provides service and residency details, discharge status, and confirmation of attendance without payment of tuition.
Also included are 575 individual records documenting tuition waivers for veterans, listing personal and service information, college enrollment and attendance data, administrative status with the Veterans Administration, and whether the student continued after benefit expiration.

This collection provides insight into South Dakota’s early efforts to support veterans’ higher education, particularly through legislative and federal initiatives like the Veteran’s Free Tuition Law and the G.I. Bill. It also serves as a record of individual veteran students at SDSC, illustrating the university’s role in postwar readjustment and the impact of government support on access to education for servicemen.