South Carolina Grant/Scholarships
All students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Students who submit a FAFSA expand their financial aid opportunities, regardless of their demonstrated financial need.
Eligibility for grants, loans, and student employment further reduce your costs.
South Carolina LIFE Scholarship
To be eligible for the LIFE Scholarship, a student must graduate from a South Carolina high school, be a full-time degree-seeking student at an eligible institution, be a South Carolina resident at the time of high school graduation and college enrollment at the institution; and not convicted of a felony or have an alcohol/drug conviction. Initial eligibility at four-year institutions: Student must meet two of the following criteria: Earn at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA based on the SC Uniformed Grading Policy (UGP) upon high school graduation; rank in the top 30% of the graduating class; score at least 1100 on the SAT or 24 on the ACT through June of their senior year. The amount of the scholarship is up to $5,000 (including a $300 book allowance) each academic year toward the cost of attendance at an eligible four-year institution in SC. Funding is limited to eight (8) consecutive terms for the first bachelor’s degree or ten (10) consecutive terms for the first approved five-year bachelor’s degree. Please ask your high school counselor or contact the Financial Aid Office at Claflin for further information.
South Carolina HOPE Scholarship
The Hope Scholarship is available to first-time entering freshman only attending an eligible four year-institution in SC. Eligibility requirements for the SC HOPE Scholarship include: Student must earn a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on the SC Uniformed Grading Policy upon high school graduation; be a SC resident at the time of high school graduation and college enrollment; not be recipients of the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, LIFE Scholarship, or Lottery Tuition Assistance; and must meet all general eligibility criteria. The amount of the scholarship is up to $2,800 (including a $300 book allowance) toward the cost of attendance. Funding is up to two (2) consecutive terms.
Palmetto Fellow Scholarship
The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is a merit-based program established in 1988 to recognize the most academically talented high school seniors and encourage these students to attend college in the State. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Program is administered by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Palmetto Fellows may receive up to $6,700 their freshman year and up to $7,500 for their sophomore, junior and senior years. Half of the Scholarship is awarded in the fall term and half in the spring term. The Scholarship must be applied directly toward the cost of attendance, less any other gift aid received. Assuming continued eligibility, Palmetto Fellows may receive Scholarship funding for a maximum of eight full-time terms of study toward their first bachelor’s degree at an eligible four-year institution in South Carolina.
Applications for early awards must be submitted to the Commission on Higher Education for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship by the date established in December of each academic year. Students must meet one of the following set of academic criteria in order to be eligible to apply for the early awards (students cannot use the early awards criteria to apply during the final awards):
Palmetto Fellows & LIFE Scholarship Enhancements
Recipients of the Palmetto Fellows and LIFE Scholarship Enhancements attending eligible four-year institutions in SC may qualify for up to $2,500 in additional funds beginning with their sophomore year. Funding would be up to six (6) consecutive terms toward the first bachelor’s degree or eight (8) consecutive terms toward the first approved five-year bachelor’s degree.
To be eligible, a student must be a recipient of the LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship; earn at least 14 credit hours of instruction in an approved mathematics or life and physical sciences or a combination of both by the end of the first year of college enrollment.
Recipient must declare an approved major in science or mathematics. For eligible majors, courses, and institutions, visit the Commission’s Web site at www.che.sc.gov.
South Carolina Tuition Grant
The South Carolina Tuition Grant was established to provide need based grant assistance to eligible SC undergraduate students attending, on a full-time basis, eligible independent non-profit in-state colleges.
Initial requirements are you must complete and submit the FAFSA by June 30th of each academic year; be a resident of SC; parent(s) be a resident of SC, attend an Independent College in SC, and meet academic standards eligibility:
Freshman: must graduate in the upper 75% of their high school class, score 900 or above on the SAT or 19 or above on the ACT, and have a 2.0 GPA;
Upperclassmen: must successfully complete at least 24 semester hours each year, have a 2.0 GPA, meet Claflin’s academic standards, and be eligible by the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission
Awards up to $2700 per academic year for up to eight (8) semester terms
Out-of-State Assistance: Out-of-state students are encouraged to research in their home states whether state grant funding is available to attend out-of-state schools.
Claflin’s South Carolina State Grant/Scholarships are Administered by South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
Claflin’s South Carolina State Grant/Scholarships are Administered by South Carolina Commission on Higher Education