College Planning

SC HOPE & Life Scholarships

The Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship program administered by the financial aid office at each eligible public and independent college and university in South Carolina.

The LIFE Scholarship may be used towards the cost of attendance for up to eight terms based on the student's initial college enrollment date. Students must be enrolled in their first one-year program, first associate’s degree, first two-year program leading to a baccalaureate degree, first baccalaureate degree, or first professional degree.

Students in STEM, Education and Accounting majors may also be eligible for additional financial assistance through Scholarship Enhancements.

High School Early Graduation: Students who complete all requirements for high school graduation mid-year (December/January) may be eligible to participate in the state scholarship programs if they meet all initial and general eligibility criteria. Students are responsible for ensuring that all required documentation is submitted to their institution’s financial aid department by their established deadline. All decisions regarding students’ Early Graduation Applications will be based entirely on the documentation/information submitted to the institution by the institution’s established deadline. Students must check with their institution’s financial aid department for required documentation. Students must submit the minimum documents to their institution’s financial aid department:

A final official high school transcript that demonstrates all required items
A letter on school letterhead signed by the principal/school counselor stating that the student has completed all the SC graduation requirements
SAT/ACT scores (if applicable)

*Please note: Students who graduate mid-year are not able to use rank as an eligibility criterion for the LIFE and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

Palmetto Fellows, Lottery Tution Assistance, SC Needs-Based Grant

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is a merit-based program recognizing the most academically talented high school seniors and encouraging these students to attend college in the state. 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. Eligible 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.

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement was established in 2007 to increase the number of students who major in mathematics and science in South Carolina. Additional scholarship enhancements for education and accounting were added in 2024.

For STEM scholarship enhancement eligibility, Palmetto Fellows must declare a major in an approved math or science program and must also successfully complete at least 14 credit hours of instruction in mathematics or life and physical science or a combination of both by the end of the first academic year. Eligible students may receive up to $10,000 (combined funds from the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and the Scholarship Enhancement) per year beginning with their second/sophomore year of college enrollment. Students may receive enhancement funding for a maximum of six full-time terms of study toward their first bachelor's degree at an eligible four-year institution in South Carolina.