General University Awards for S.C. Residents
While these awards generally cannot be combined with one another (see Presidential Scholars Award, Provost Scholars Award and USC STEM Supplement below), they can be combined with a South Carolina state lottery funded scholarship, making your UofSC education even more affordable!
Stamps Scholars annual value: At least $20,000
Enrichment fund: $10,000
Four-year value: At least $90,000
Carolina Scholars Award annual value: $15,000
Enrichment fund: $10,000
Four-year value: $70,000
1801 Scholars Award annual value: $10,000
Four-year value: $40,000
The Stamps, Carolina and 1801 Scholars Awards are the most prestigious awards offered
by the university to South Carolina residents. Fifty students with strong academic
records and leadership qualities will be invited to participate in an interview weekend.
Five will be named Stamps Scholars, 20 will be named Carolina Scholars, and 25 will
be named 1801 Scholars. Candidates must participate in the entire Top Scholars Weekend
to be considered for these awards. Last year, S.C. Top Scholars had an average SAT
score of 1527 (ACT score of 35) and an average high school GPA of 5.3 and were in
the top 1% of their high school class, on average.
To apply for these awards, you must submit both a UofSC application and a Top Scholars application supplement to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The deadline for the Top Scholars application is Nov. 15.
Annual value: Up to $10,000
Four-year value: Up to $40,000
Annual value: $8,000
Four-year value: $32,000
Sponsored by the University of South Carolina Alumni Association, these awards signify outstanding achievement in academics, leadership, talent and service. In 2022, recipients of this award had an average SAT score of 1460 (ACT score of 33) and an average high school GPA of 5.3 and were in the top 1% of their high school class, on average.
Annual value: $5,000
Four-year value: $20,000
This scholarship is awarded to incoming freshmen based on academic merit and financial
need. Candidates typically present outstanding achievement in academics, leadership,
talent and service. In 2022, recipients of this award had an average SAT score of
1527 (ACT score of 34) and an average high school GPA of 5.2 and were in the top 2%
of their high school class, on average.
Note: A separate Honors College/Top Scholars application must be completed by Nov.
15 to be considered for the Trustees’ Endowment Scholars Award.
Annual value: $3,000
Four-year value: $12,000
These scholarships are awarded to students ranked first in their class at the end of their junior or senior years. Class rank is the sole criterion for this award. Students must be S.C. residents graduating from an S.C. high school to be eligible.
Annual value: $3,000
Four-Year value: $12,000
In 2022, recipients of this award had an average SAT score of 1391 (ACT score of 31)
and an average high school GPA of 4.9 and were in the top 10% of their high school
class, on average. Palmetto Fellows automatically qualify for this award.
Annual value: $2,000
Four-year value: $8,000
In 2022, recipients of this award had an average SAT score of 1302 (ACT score of 28) and an average high school GPA of 4.8 and were in the top 15% of their high school class, on average.
Annual value: $1,000
Four-year value: $4,000
This award is for students who are named Palmetto Fellows and score a minimum of 1450
on the SAT or 33 on the ACT. The Presidential Scholars Award may be combined with
another general university award.
Annual value: $500
Four-year value: $2,000
In 2022, recipients of this award had an average SAT score of 1231 (ACT score of 25) and an average high school GPA of 4.7 and were in the top 15% of their high school class, on average.
Annual value: $3,300 freshman year only
To support students pursuing degrees in science, math, technology and engineering fields (STEM fields), UofSC offers this one-time, freshman-year-only award supplement to all admitted freshmen who are named Palmetto Fellows and who enroll in a STEM-eligible major — a list made available through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The University of South Carolina STEM Supplement may be added to any other Admissions Merit Award.
Annual value: $500
Four-year value: Up to $2,000
The University of South Carolina has partnered with RaiseMe to offer micro-scholarships to qualified applicants. If you are a high school student
at one of the South Carolina high schools listed below, then you have the ability,
through this program, to start earning money for college beginning in the 9th grade.
To learn more about this scholarship opportunity, visit RaiseMe and set up your account.
Allendale-Fairfax High School
Baptist Hill High School
Battery Creek High School
Bethune-Bowman Middle/High School
Blackville-Hilda High School
Burke Middle High School
C. A. Johnson High
C. E. Murray High School
Calhoun County High School
Calhoun Falls Charter School
Carolina High School and Academy
Carvers Bay High School
Central High School
Colleton County High School
Columbia High School
Creek Bridge Middle/High School
Darlington High School
Denmark-Olar High School
Dillon High School
Eau Claire High School
Edisto High School
Estill High School
Fairfield Central High School
Green Sea Floyds High School
Greg Mathis Charter High School
Hemingway High School
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School
Kingstree Senior High School
Lake City High School
Lake Marion High School and Technology Center
Lamar High School
Lee Central High School
Legacy Charter
Loris High School
Lower Richland High School
Manning High School
Marion High School
Marlboro County High School
McCormick High School
Military Magnet Academy
Mullins High School
Newberry High School
North Charleston High School
North Middle/High School
Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School
R. B. Stall High School
Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School
Scott's Branch High School
St. John's High School
Timberland High School
W. J. Keenan High School
Wagener-Salley High School
Whale Branch Early College High School
Williston-Elko High School
Wilson High School
Woodland High School
*May not be combined with any other Admissions Merit Award, except for Provost Scholars Award, Presidential Scholars Award and/or University of South Carolina STEM Supplement.
State Scholarships for S.C. Residents
The state awards several different types of lottery-funded scholarships to eligible South Carolina residents. Any one of the awards listed in this section can be added to any university-issued scholarship.
Annual value: up to $6,700 for the first year
Four-year value: up to $29,200
You are eligible to apply for this state-awarded scholarship, worth up to $6,700 for the first year and up to $7,500 for each of the next three years, if you are an SC high school student with exemplary academic credentials. Students who are named Palmetto Fellows will receive a minimum $3,000 Dean's Scholars award or equivalent (such as Valedictorian, if applicable). For more information, contact your high school guidance counselor or the SC Commission on Higher Education. Palmetto Fellows recipients are not eligible for LIFE or SC HOPE scholarships.
Annual value: $5,000
Four-year value: $20,000
The Legislative Incentives for Future Excellence Scholarship is a state-awarded scholarship valued at $5,000 per year. If you meet two of the following three requirements, you are eligible for this scholarship: 1) your final, cumulative grade point average is at least a “B” (3.00); 2) your SAT score is at least 1100 on critical reading and math sections combined (ACT composite score of at least 22); or 3) you graduate in the top 30 percent of your class.
Annual value: up to $2,500 beginning sophomore year
Three-year value: up to $7,500
Palmetto Fellows and LIFE Scholarship recipients enrolled in certain math and science majors may be eligible for an enhancement award beginning in their second year of enrollment. Eligible students must have completed 14 hours in mathematics or life or physical science, or any combination of both, during their first year. Complete information on the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement and Palmetto Fellows Enhancement are available through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Annual value: $2,800
The S.C. HOPE scholarship is state-awarded and valued at $2,800 for the freshman year only. If your final, cumulative GPA is at least a “B” (3.00) and you do not qualify for a Palmetto Fellows or LIFE scholarship, you are eligible to receive this scholarship.
**While the vast majority of incoming freshman Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipients
will receive $6,700, there is a cap on the total amount of funding that can be awarded
to an individual student per year from the state of South Carolina. If the Palmetto
Fellows Scholarship, in combination with all other sources of gift aid (scholarships
and grants), including federal, state, UofSC and private funds, exceeds the recipient’s
cost of attendance cap, adjustment to the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship will be made
in order to prevent an overaward.