LIFE and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancements

In the 2007 Legislative Session, the South Carolina General Assembly passed legislation that increases the maximum award amounts for the LIFE and Palmetto Fellows Scholarships for students who are at least sophomores and who are majoring in math and science disciplines.

Eligibility requirements for the scholarship enhancements and additional SC scholarship increases:

HOPE Scholarship:

• The maximum award amount for the HOPE Scholarship has been increased to $2,800 per academic year.

Palmetto Fellows (in addition to the base Palmetto Fellows eligibility requirements):

• Palmetto Fellows recipients with at least 30 hours who, as freshmen, earned 14 hours of math and science credits (including at least 6 hours of math and at least 6 hours of life and physical sciences with at least one lab science), * and who are math and science majors will receive a maximum award of $10,000 per academic year.

• Palmetto Fellows recipients with at least 30 hours who do not meet the conditions above will receive a maximum award of $7,500 per academic year.

• Entering freshmen, regardless of major, will receive a maximum award of $6,700 per academic year.

LIFE Scholarship (in addition to the base LIFE Scholarship eligibility requirements):

• Life Scholarship recipients with at least 30 hours who, as freshmen, earned 14 hours of math and science credits (including at least 6 hours of math and at least 6 hours of life and physical sciences with at least one lab science), * and who are math and science majors will receive a maximum award of $7,500 per academic year.

• Entering freshmen, regardless of major, and upperclassmen who do not meet the above conditions will receive a maximum award of $5,000 per academic year.

Fourteen Credit Hour Eligibility Requirement:

* The SC Commission on Higher Education has waived the 14 hour rule for students who are sophomores, juniors and seniors in the 2007-2008 academic year. Entering freshmen for Fall 2007, however, must meet the requirements prior to the Fall 2008 to be eligible for enhanced scholarship amounts.

• To satisfy the 14 credit hour requirement, the following can be used for LIFE and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancements: 

  • exempted credit hours credited and recorded on a transcript by an eligible institution,

  • College Level Examination Program (CLEP),

  • dual enrollment,

  • courses taken during the summer session immediately prior to the student's initial college enrollment,

  • Pass/Fail courses with a grade of "Pass" (only),

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in mathematics and life and physical sciences taken in high school in which the student scored a three or more on the advanced placement test and received college credit .

• Remedial/developmental, continuing education and non-degree credit coursework cannot be used to meet the 14 credit hour requirement.

Eligible Majors at USC Aiken:

The SC Commission on Higher Education has determined the following majors at USC Aiken to be eligible for LIFE and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancements:

Nursing

Biology

Chemistry (includes Pre-Pharmacy concentration)

Industrial Mathematics

Mathematics & Computer Science (includes Pre-Engineering concentration)

Secondary Education, Biology

Secondary Education, Mathematics

Secondary Education, Comprehensive Science

Secondary Education, Chemistry

The major must be declared and entered in the USC Aiken system by the last day of drop/add for the fall semester for the enhancement to be awarded for the academic year. Any majors changed or declared after this date will not be eligible for the enhanced award for the full academic year.

A complete list of the approved majors for SC institutions can be found on the website of the SC Commission on Higher Education at www.che.sc.gov. A list of the math and science courses that will satisfy the 14 hours required during the freshman year is also available on this website.

If you have questions or if you need additional information, please contact the Scholarship Program Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid at USC Aiken:

471 University Parkway  w  Aiken, SC  29801
Telephone: (803) 641-3476  w  Fax: (803) 643-6840
 E-mail: stuaid@usca.edu