If you are awarded a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education will notify you and your award will be included in your award notification from USC. Eligibility for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, and for continued eligibility in subsequent years, is based upon the requirements below. Please note the new requirements for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement that must be completed during your freshman year. If you are awarded the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, you must complete a certification statement at https://www.vip.sc.edu

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education determines initial eligibility. You may view initial eligibility requirements at http://www.che.sc.gov

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You must earn a total of 30 credit hours for each academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Any credit hours earned before high school graduation, hours exempted by examination, and advanced placement credit do not count towards the 30 hour requirement.

You must earn a minimum 3.0 USC cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale by the end of the academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer): Only the cumulative grade point average earned at USC-Columbia and USC system campuses will be considered in determining eligibility for continuing students. If you have earned a 3.0 USC cumulative grade point average by the end of the spring semester and choose to enroll in a summer session(s) you will NOT be eligible to receive the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship if your USC cumulative grade point average falls below a 3.0 at the end of that summer session(s).

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	You must a recipient of the base Palmetto Fellows Scholarship for the current year.
	You must have completed at least two semesters and be in your sophomore, junior or senior year.
	You must be majoring in one of the following majors:

	You must have completed at least 14 hours in mathematics and life and physical science courses with a minimum of six hours in mathematics and a minimum of six hours in life and physical science including one laboratory course during the first year of enrollment. The first year of enrollment includes your fall and spring semesters as well as the summer terms that immediately follow. Courses that can be used to meet the 14 hour requirement include:
	-	Advanced Placement (AP) courses with a score of three or higher
	-	Dual Enrollment courses
	-	International Baccalaureate (IB) courses

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You may receive the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship for up to eight semesters of undergraduate studies.  You may receive the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement for up to six semesters of undergraduate studies.

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The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship award amount is determined annually by the South Carolina General Assembly.  Currently, the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship award amount at USC Columbia is $6,700 for freshman.  The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship award amount at USC Columbia for sophomores, juniors and seniors is $7,500.

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement award amount is $2500 in addition to the base Palmetto Fellows Scholarship award.

Note: The Palmetto Fellows and the Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Scholarship in combination with all other scholarships and grants may not exceed the on-campus resident budget as defined in Title IV regulations.

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The Palmetto Fellows and the Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Scholarship will be disbursed in equal amounts at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. The Palmetto Fellows and the Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Scholarship is only available during the fall and spring semesters.

If you participate in a University-sponsored co-op program during the fall or spring semester, you are not eligible to receive the Palmetto Fellows and the Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Scholarship for that semester. You will only need to complete a total of 15 hours for the year and maintain a 3.00 USC cumulative grade point average to be eligible the following year.

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Summer school credits earned at another institution and accepted by USC may be used toward the credit hour requirement. However, only the USC cumulative grade point average will be considered for the 3.0 grade point average requirement. Remedial courses are not considered toward the credit hour requirement. Please keep in mind that if you need hours earned during summer to meet the renewal criteria, your eligibility for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship cannot be determined until USC has received and processed your final summer school transcript.

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If you are receiving the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or any other financial aid, dropping a class or withdrawing may affect your potential refund. Depending upon the type(s) of financial aid awards involved, the withdrawal date, the amount of the refund, and other factors, you might receive a portion of the total refund amount or none of the refund amount. Under certain circumstances, if you withdraw or drop classes, you will be required to repay financial aid funds you received including the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship. This is necessary when the refund amount is insufficient to meet the financial aid fund recovery requirements. If you are considering withdrawing or dropping classes, you should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before taking this action.

The information on this document is subject to change by either the South Carolina Legislature or the Commission on Higher Education. You may view the most recent guidelines for the Palmetto Fellows program on the Internet at: http://www.che.sc.gov

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