To receive the South Carolina Need-Based Grant, a student must:

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and have financial need as defined by Title IV Federal Regulations.  Funding is limited and awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Be a legal resident of South Carolina as defined in applicable State statutes governing the determination of residency for tuition and fee purposes;

• Be admitted and enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student, seeking your first undergraduate degree;

• Never have been adjudicated delinquent and never have been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felony in any state.

• Not have been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor in any state within 12 months prior to the period of the award.

• Verify that he or she does not owe a refund or repayment on a State Grant, Federal Pell Grant, or a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and is not in default on a loan under the Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Stafford Loan programs; and

• Be making satisfactory academic progress towards an eligible program of study.

• Must meet all general eligibility requirements.

• Students must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA

• If you received the SC Need-Based Grant in the previous year, you must have earned at least 24 semester hours during the preceding academic year if full-time; 18 semester hours if 3/4 time; and 12 semester hours if 1/2 time.

If you are awarded a State Need Based Grant, you must complete a certification statement. The award will be on hold until the certification is received in the financial aid office.

State Need Based Grant will be disbursed in equal amounts at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. State Need Based Grants are only available during the fall and spring semesters.

The SC Need-Based Grant may be received for no more than eight semesters.

A change in your residency and fee payment status to non-resident will lead to the required repayment of your award for any enrollment period in which you are no longer classified as a resident and received a State Need Based Grant. 

A  student must meet ALL of the following minimum requirements before being awarded:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and complete the process to determine eligibility for federal student aid each academic year;

• Be  a legal resident of South Carolina as defined in applicable State statutes governing the determination of residency for tuition and fee purposes;

• Be a full-time or part-time degree-seeking undergraduate student and be making satisfactory academic progress towards an associate's degree;

• Have no felony or drug/alcohol convictions;

• Verify that he or she does not owe a refund or repayment on a State Grant, Federal Pell Grant or a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and is not in default on a loan under the Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Stafford Loan program; and

• Not be eligible for or a recipient of the LIFE Scholarship.

To retain Lottery Tuition Assistance Program funds, a student must have a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) by the end of the academic year, after attempting 24 hours.

Students shall not be eligible to receive Lottery Tuition Assistance for more than one certificate, diploma, or degree earned within any five-year period.

If you are awarded a LTAP, you must complete a certification statement.  The award will be on hold until the certification is received in the financial aid office.

The financial aid office administers the Lottery Tuition Assistance Program and the exact award amount is dependent upon the number of eligible recipients and the amount of funding each academic term.

A change in your residency and fee payment status to non-resident will lead to the required repayment of your award for any enrollment period in which you are no longer classified as a resident and received a Lottery Tuition Assistance Award.

A  student must meet ALL of the following minimum requirements before being awarded:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen under state residency statutes.

• Be a South Carolina resident at the time of high school graduation and during the period of award.

• Have graduated from a South Carolina high school or graduated from a high school outside of South Carolina while a dependent of a parent or legal guardian who is a legal resident.  If you graduated from a high school outside of South Carolina, you are expected to self-identify to the Financial Aid Office in order to be assured that you are not overlooked during the review of LIFE eligible students.

• Be a full-time, undergraduate degree seeking student; in an eligible program of study.

• Not be receiving the South Carolina Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or SC Lottery Tuition Assistance.

• Must not have been judged delinquent, nor have been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felony in any state.

• Must not have been convicted of any alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor in any state within the past academic year.

• Verify that he or she does not owe a refund or repayment on a State Grant, Federal Pell Grant or a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and is not in default on a loan under the Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Stafford Loan program.

First time entering freshmen must have graduated from high school with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average, calculated after the eighth semester. There are no SAT or ACT requirements for two-year colleges or technical colleges.

Transfer students must have earned a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale at all transferring institutions. A student must have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours (second year transfer), 60 credit hours (third year transfer), or 90 hours (fourth year transfer) or an annual equivalent for a student who begins mid-year at the participating institution and all prior institutions for the previous academic year to be eligible for the scholarship.

When you are awarded the LIFE Scholarship, you will receive it for one year because it is an annual award. In order to receive the scholarship in subsequent years, you must meet the credit hour requirements and have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average by the end of the academic year (fall, spring, summer). The credit hour requirements are as follows:

• Students completing first year of college must have earned 30 credit hours;

• Students completing second year of college must have earned 60 credit hours; and

• Students completing third year of college must have earned 90 credit hours.

All of the above requirements pertain to two-year colleges and technical colleges. Please note that there are additional requirements for four-year colleges and universities. Lost eligibility may be regained by meeting eligibility requirements in the next academic year. Please note that the LIFE grade point average will be used to determine LIFE Scholarship eligibility only and will not be used in determining graduation eligibility or standing. 

GPA Requirement

• You must earn a minimum 3.00 LIFE grade point average on a 4.00 scale by the end of the academic year (fall, spring, summer). 
• As a condition of receiving the LIFE Scholarship, all grades earned (excluding remedial coursework) at eligible public or independent institutions are included in the LIFE GPA. This includes any credit hours and GPA earned prior to high school graduation. To review your LIFE GPA, log on to Self-Service Carolina:
  • Click "Student" 
  • Click  "Student Profile"
  • Click  "LIFE GPA"(left panel)

The LIFE Scholarship is limited  eight (8) consecutive terms for the first four-year degree program, four (4) consecutive terms for the first associate’s degree program or a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree. The available number of terms for scholarship funding is based on the time of initial college enrollment.

A change in your residency and fee payment status to non-resident will lead to the required repayment of your award for any enrollment period in which you are no longer classified as a resident and received a LIFE Scholarship.  

• $6,700 for first year Palmetto Fellows
• $7,500 for second year Palmetto Fellows

Half of the scholarship is disbursed in the Fall term and half in the Spring term.

Note: The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship in combination with all other scholarships and grants may not exceed the cost of attendance as defined in Title IV and state regulations.

A  student must meet ALL of the following minimum requirements before being awarded:

• Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident*

• Be a legal resident of the state of South Carolina*

• Have not been convicted of any felonies

• No second or subsequent alcohol/drug misdemeanors

• Must not be in default; owe a refund, or repayment on Federal or State financial aid

• Enroll as a full-time student in a degree-seeking program at an eligible SC institution

• Must not be a recipient of the LIFE Scholarship, SC HOPE Scholarship or Lottery Tuition Assistance

• Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress

*Residency must be determined at the time of high school graduation

Applications for early awards must be submitted to the South Carolina Commission on Higher
Education for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship by the December deadline date established
each academic year. Students must meet one of the following sets of academic criteria to be
eligible to apply for the early awards:

• Score at least 1200 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT through the test administration date as
  determined by CHE of the senior year.
• Earn a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA on the current South Carolina Uniform Grading
  Policy (UGP) at the end of the junior year.
• Rank in the top six percent of the class at the end of either the sophomore or the junior
  year.

OR Alternative Criteria

• The alternate criteria of a score at least 1400 on the SAT or 32 on the ACT through the
  test administration date as determined by CHE of the senior year.
• Earn a minimum 4.00 cumulative GPA on the UGP at the end of the junior year, without
  regard to class rank.

Applications for late awards must be submitted to the South Carolina Commission on Higher
Education for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship by the date established in June each academic
year. Students must meet one of the following sets of academic criteria to be eligible to apply
for the late awards:

• Score at least 1200 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT through the test administration date as
  determined by CHE of the senior year.
• Earn a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA on the UGP at the end of the senior year.
• Rank in the top six percent of the class at the end of the sophomore, junior or senior
  year.

OR Alternative Criteria

•  Score at least 1400 on the SAT or 32 on the ACT through the test administration date as
  determined by CHE of the senior year.
• Earn a minimum 4.00 cumulative GPA on the UGP at the end of the senior year, without
  regard to class rank.

• You must meet all general eligibility requirements.
• Enroll full-time at the time of the scholarship disbursement.
• Earn a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for graduation purposes (USC
  system GPA) by the end of each academic year.
• Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours for graduation purposes by the end of the academic
   year (Fall, Spring and Summer terms). This is not an average. 
  • Exempted credit hours (such as AP, CLEP, etc.), credit hours earned before high
    school graduation (i.e., dual enrollment credit hours), and credit hours earned
    the Summer term immediately following high school graduation cannot be used
    to meet the annual credit hour requirement.

If you are receiving the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or any other financial aid, dropping a class
or withdrawing may affect your refund. Depending upon the type(s) of financial aid awards
involved, the timing of the withdrawal, the amount of the refund, and other factors, the
financial aid recipient might receive a portion of the total refund amount or none of the refund
amount. Under certain circumstances, the financial aid recipient who withdraws or drops
classes will be required to repay financial aid funds received.

A student who is considering withdrawing or dropping a class should consult a Financial Aid
Administrator before taking this action.

If an extenuating circumstance has prevented you from meeting the continuing eligibility
requirements for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, you have the option of requesting an
appeal with the SC Commission on Higher Education. Information and an appeal form are
available on the Commission's website at: https://www.che.sc.gov

A change in your residency and fee payment status to non-resident will lead to the required repayment of your award for any enrollment period in which you are no longer classified as a resident and received a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.