Effective Fall 2011, this program will no longer receive funding from the federal government. No Academic Competitiveness Grants will be awarded in the 2011-2012 school year or beyond.

The enactment of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA) created the Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant Program (ACG) effective with the 2006-07 Award Year. The purpose of this grant is to encourage high school students to pursue an academically rigorous high school curriculum.

The University of South Carolina Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships automatically considers and awards all students who meet the ACG Grant eligibility requirements. Only a current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is necessary.

Eligible students who have earned fewer than 30 hours may receive an ACG Grant of $750 for his/her first year of study (ACG1). Eligible students who have earned at least 30 hours but not more than 59 hours may receive an ACG Grant of $1300 for his/her second year of study (ACG2). Once students have earned 60 credit hours they are no longer eligible for ACG.

To become/remain eligible, a student:

• must be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant;
• must exhibit financial need;
• must be enrolled at least half-time* (at least 6 credits per semester);
• must be enrolled in the first or second year of his/her program of study;
• must have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study
  
  
  • after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student or
    
  • after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student.;
  
  
• must have achieved a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 at the end of his/her first year in order to be awarded a second-year ACG grant (ACG2);

A student may only receive a total of $750 in ACG1 as a first-year student, even if he or she has earned fewer than 30 hours after his/her first two semesters. Likewise, a student may only receive a total of $1300 in ACG2 as a second-year student, even if he or she has earned more than 30 but fewer than 60 hours after his/her second year of enrollment

Our office will monitor continued eligibility throughout the year and notify students of any necessary adjustments.

Questions regarding the ACG Grant may be directed to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

*Effective fall 2009 and beyond; recipients from fall 2006 through summer 2009 were required to attend full-time.