South Carolina Scholarships

High-achieving South Carolina students with demonstrated financial need who reside in an eligible county, graduate from a public high school in an eligible county, earn SC LIFE or Palmetto Fellows, receive a Pell Grant, and enroll at an eligible in-state SC college may apply. This last-dollar college promise award helps cover tuition, fees, housing, and food. The structured catalog amount is up to $10,000 per academic year; sponsor materials also describe multi-year support for students who keep meeting the criteria. Confirm eligibility and apply through the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund website after completing the FAFSA.

Practicing individual South Carolina artists 18 or older with two years of state residency may apply when their discipline is eligible. Applicants cannot be degree-seeking students during the award period. FY27 disciplines included prose, spoken word, performance, playwriting/screenwriting, folklife/traditional arts, and media arts. Fellowships are $10,000 unrestricted merit awards. Up to six fellowships may be awarded per cycle, with disciplines rotating annually. FY27 applications ran January 13 through February 26, 2026 via the Foundant grants portal. The grant period is July 2026 through June 2027. The South Carolina Arts Commission recognizes exceptional resident artists through competitive Individual Artist Fellowships.

Highest automatic merit scholarship for in-state entering first-time freshmen admitted to Winthrop University. No separate scholarship application is required beyond a completed admission application received by February 1, 2026. Students receive one of the freshman merit tiers based on high school credentials; Premier recipients typically have a weighted South Carolina GPA around 5.22 or GPA around 5.17 with SAT 1340 or ACT 29. The award provides eight thousand dollars per year and renews up to three additional years with satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment.

South Carolina high school seniors who meet merit criteria, including SAT 1200 or higher or ACT 25 or higher plus GPA and rank requirements, may be nominated for this state merit scholarship. Awards provide up to $6,700 for the freshman year and up to $7,500 per year for sophomore through senior years at an eligible in-state four-year college. STEM enhancement recipients may receive up to $10,000 per year from sophomore year onward. Only high school counselors may submit applications to the SC Commission on Higher Education. Consult your guidance counselor for nomination requirements and deadlines. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recognizes academically talented seniors and encourages them to attend college in South Carolina.

Nursing-specific endowed scholarship for female Belmont BSN students with demonstrated financial need who are permanent residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia. Students admitted to the College of Nursing are automatically considered when they apply for first-year admission by December 1 or transfer admission by February 1. Awards range from $2,000 to $7,000 based on GPA, class rank, and community involvement. No separate nursing scholarship application is required beyond admission to the nursing major.

Automatic merit scholarship for in-state entering first-time freshmen at Winthrop University. Admitted students are considered when they submit a completed admission application by February 1, 2026; no separate scholarship form is required. Gold recipients typically have a weighted South Carolina GPA around 4.97 or GPA around 4.85 with SAT 1240 or ACT 26. The award provides six thousand five hundred dollars per year and is renewable for up to three additional years while maintaining financial aid satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment.

Black students ages 17 to 35 who are residents of Ontario, Canada or South Carolina and are enrolled or accepted in a digital-related college, university, or bootcamp program may apply. Demonstrated financial need is required. Three recipients each receive $5,000 plus one year of mentorship and professional development support from Reason One team members. Submit a transcript, activities and work history, a 500-word essay or sub-5-minute video telling your story, and contact information for two references by May 22. Top candidates are interviewed virtually. The program aims to remove financial and systemic barriers for Black students pursuing tech careers.

South Carolina residents enrolled at eligible public or independent colleges who meet two of three academic criteria (3.0 GPA, top 30% class rank, or 1100 SAT / 24 ACT) may qualify for this merit scholarship toward a first bachelor's degree. Awards provide up to $5,000 per year for up to eight terms of attendance. STEM, education, and accounting majors may qualify for enhancements. The scholarship is administered by each institution's financial aid office. Confirm eligibility and submit required documentation, such as transcripts and counselor verification, through your school's financial aid department.

Actively practicing visual artists 18 and older who are legal U.S. residents and permanent residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee for at least two years may apply. Matriculated high school or fine-arts degree students are ineligible. Each of nine state fellows receives a $5,000 unrestricted award. Fellows then compete for the $25,000 Southern Prize or $10,000 finalist prize plus a Hambidge Center residency. Fellows must attend an awards ceremony and participate in a touring exhibition. Applications are submitted through South Arts' Salesforce portal with a $25 fee (waivers available), state ID, work samples, artist statement, and resume. The 2026 cycle closed March 18, 2026. South Arts is the regional arts organization for the nine-state American South, funded by state arts agencies and private foundations.

Automatic merit scholarship tier for in-state entering first-time freshmen at Winthrop University. Students are evaluated on high school GPA or GPA plus SAT or ACT scores, whichever is more advantageous, using credentials received by February 1, 2026. Garnet recipients typically have a weighted South Carolina GPA around 4.65 or GPA around 4.48 with SAT 1150 or ACT 23. The award provides five thousand dollars per year and renews for up to three additional undergraduate years with satisfactory academic progress.