Effective Fall 2011, this program will no longer receive funding from the federal government. No SMART 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 National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART) effective with the 2006-07 Award Year. The purpose of this grant is to encourage college students to pursue majors in high demand in the global economy such as science, mathematics, technology, engineering and critical foreign languages.

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

Eligible students may receive a SMART Grant of $4,000 for each of his/her third and fourth years of undergraduate study. Students who have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours but fewer than 90 semester hours are defined as being in their third year of study. Students who have earned a minimum of 90 semester hours are defined as being in their fourth year of study.

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 third or fourth year of his or her program of study;
• must be enrolled in an eligible major as defined by the U.S. Department of Education;
  
  
  • For a complete listing of the eligible majors offered at USC-Columbia, click here:
    
    
• must maintain a 3.0 USC cumulative GPA each semester;
• must exhibit progression in one’s SMART-eligible major; most commonly by enrolling each semester in at least one course required in his or her eligible major (not including general education requirements not required of the major, or electives outside of the major). In order to review for this requirement, all SMART Grants are placed on HOLD upon awarding (see below).

Once awarded, the SMART Grant will remain on hold until the first working day after the drop/add period of each semester so that it may be confirmed that students are enrolled in at least one course required of their SMART Grant major. For those students who are not enrolled in at least one course in their SMART-eligible major, our office will contact the student’s academic advisor to obtain confirmation of progression in their SMART-eligible program of study to confirm eligibility.

Because required course enrollment/progression cannot be confirmed until after the fee payment deadline each semester, our office will save SMART Grant recipients’ schedules from cancellation for non-payment of fees. SMART Grant recipients must pay their fees immediately upon their grant becoming available to prevent cancellation of their classes after that time. If a student can pay their fees without using the SMART Grant, it is strongly recommended that they do so by the fee payment deadline.

A student may only receive a total of $4,000 in SMART Grant as a third-year student, even if he or she has earned fewer than 90 semester hours after his/her third year of enrollment. Likewise, a student may only receive a total of $4,000 in SMART Grant as a fourth-year student, and may not receive additional funds if he/ she returns for a fifth year of enrollment.

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

Questions regarding the SMART 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.