Admitted to USC? What you must know about grants, scholarship and getting money
As college acceptance letters find their way to students’ mailboxes, students and parents are deciding how to fund the cost of attending the University of South Carolina.
Almost 90% of students at USC receive some form of financial support to attend, according to the school’s financial aid office.
“The bottom line is, college is going to cost,” said Jim Overton, who runs College Consultants of South Carolina, a service which advises high school students on the college admissions process. “Get ready. It costs more than you realize.”
USC resident scholarships
Each state-supported college is underresourced to provide merit aid, Overton said. But of all of South Carolina’s school’s, USC is best-positioned to offer such opportunities, he said.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions awards scholarships to first-time, first-year students. Those who apply to USC and submit required materials by Jan. 15 will automatically be considered for the university’s merit-based awards.
Some of the most prestigious awards offered to resident students include the Stamps, Carolina and 1801 Scholars Awards, which have four-year values of $95,000, $70,000 and $40,000, respectively. Fifty students total receive these awards each year. To compete for these awards, students will be invited to attend a mandatory in-person Top Scholar Weekend and participate in an interview.
Other merit awards span from four-year values $2,000 to $40,000. And those studying STEM subjects may be given additional supplements.
These institutional awards can be stacked, Overton said, and can also be combined with state-supported programs through the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.
USC nonresident scholarships
While limited, there is merit aid for nonresident students at USC.
“I know there are some out-of-state awards which are available for very strong students,” Overton said. “It may go as far as waiving out of state tuition. Generally, these are students who are applying to the (USC) South Carolina Honors College.”
The Stamps, McNair and Horseshoe Scholars Awards are the most prestigious awards offered by the university to 45 out-of-state students each year. Stamps Scholars receive a four-year value of approximately $225,000. McNair Scholars receive a four-year value of more than $198,000. Horseshoe Scholars receive a four-year value of more than $142,000. To compete for these awards, students will be invited to attend a mandatory in-person Top Scholar Weekend and participate in an interview.
Several other academic awards are also available, but cannot be combined with other merit-based aid.
State scholarships
Students who are South Carolina residents enrolled in an eligible South Carolina institution are also eligible for money awarded through the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and funded by the South Carolina Education Lottery. On top of being a legal resident of the state and the United States, those who wish to be considered cannot have any felony convictions, nor second or subsequent alcohol or drug misdemeanors on their record. They also must not be in default on federal loans.
The largest scholarships available are through the merit-based Palmetto Fellows program. Palmetto Fellows may receive up to $6,700 their freshman year of college, and $7,500 their second year through fourth year.
Requirements include:
- 3.5 grade point average
- 1200 SAT or 25 ACT score
- Rank within the top 6% of their class
The Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship is also a state, merit-based program that awards up to $5,000 and can be used for the cost of attendance for as many as eight terms.
Students attending a four-year school must meet two of the following three requirements:
- 3.0 grade point average
- 1100 SAT or 22 ACT score
- Rank within the top 30% of their class
The SC HOPE scholarship awards up to $2,800 to first-year college students who are not eligible for the state’s LIFE or Palmetto Fellows scholarships. No application is necessary, as each college or university will determine awards based off of high school transcripts.
Criteria includes:
- 3.0 grade point average
- Attending an eligible four-year institution
South Carolina Need-based Grants are available to students with the greatest financial need, and can receive up to $3,500 as if enrolled full-time. Need is determined through a student’s FAFSA application.
Other resources
Students planning to attend USC may also apply to other scholarships, some of which are awarded by South Carolina organizations to South Carolina students.
Each year, the Hampton Wildlife Fund offers the Harry Hampton Fund Scholarship, which gives one resident student $5,000 a year for up to four years to study subjects related to wildlife, fisheries, forestry, biology, zoology, marine science, environmental science or related fields. The deadline is Jan. 31.
The South Carolina Federal Credit Union also awards scholarships each year. For fall 2026, it is awarding $60,000 to 10 students attending both traditional and technical colleges. Scholarships go from $2,500 up to $15,000 for the first place applicant. You do not need to be a member of the credit union to apply. The deadline is Jan. 28.
Students who live in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Edgefield, Greenville, McCormick and Spartanburg counties are eligible to apply for $3,000 scholarships offered by the Watson-Brown Foundation, an educational nonprofit serving students in South Carolina and Georgia. The deadline in Feb. 8.
More state and national opportunities can be found online.
But Overton warned of potential penalties of bringing in too much outside scholarship money. There is a limit, he said, before schools begin reducing the amount of institutional aid that is awarded.
“You can’t make money by going to college,” Overton said.
