Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
A. Persons in the
following categories qualify to pay in state tuition and fees without having to
establish a permanent home in the state for twelve months. Persons who qualify
under any of these categories must meet the conditions of the specific category
on or before the first day of class of the term for which payment of in state
tuition and fees is requested. The following categories apply only to in state
tuition and do not apply to State supported scholarships and grants.
Individuals who qualify for in state tuition and fees under the following
exceptions do not automatically qualify for LIFE, SC HOPE or Palmetto Fellows
Scholarships. However, where all scholarship & grant timelines related to
residency and academic requirements are met, persons in categories (1), (3) and
(4) may qualify for state scholarships or grants:
(1) "Military Personnel and their
Dependents": Members of the United States Armed Forces who are permanently
assigned in South Carolina on active duty and their dependents are eligible to
pay in state tuition and fees. When such personnel are transferred from the
State, their dependents may continue to pay in state tuition and fees as long
as they are continuously enrolled or transfer to an eligible institution during
the term or semester, excluding summer terms, immediately following their
enrollment at the previous institution. In the event of a transfer, the
receiving institution shall verify the decision made by the student's previous
institution in order to certify the student's eligibility for in-state tuition
rates. It is the responsibility of the transferring student to ensure that all
documents required to verify both the previous and present residency decisions
are provided to the institution. Members of the United States Armed Forces who
are permanently assigned in South Carolina on active duty (and their
dependents) may also be eligible to pay in state tuition and fees as long as
they are continuously enrolled after their discharge from the military,
provided they have demonstrated an intent to establish a permanent home in
South Carolina and they have resided in South Carolina for a period of at least
twelve months immediately preceding their discharge. Military personnel who are
not stationed in South Carolina and/or former military personnel who intend to
establish South Carolina residency must fulfill the twelve month "physical
presence" requirement for them or their dependents to qualify to pay in state
tuition and fees.
(2) "Faculty and
Administrative Employees with Full Time Employment and their Dependents": Full
time faculty and administrative employees of South Carolina state supported
colleges and universities and their dependents are eligible to pay in state
tuition and fees.
(3) "Residents
with Full Time Employment and their Dependents:" Persons who reside, are
domiciled, and are full time employed with an employer that is physically
located in the State and who continue to work full time until they meet the
twelve month requirement and their dependents are eligible to pay in state
tuition and fees, provided that they have taken steps to establish a permanent
home in the State. Steps an independent person must take to establish residency
in South Carolina are listed in Section
62-605
entitled ("Establishing the Requisite Intent to Become a South Carolina
Domiciliary").
(4) "Retired Persons
and their Dependents:" Retired persons with taxable retirement income received
as monthly/quarterly/annual disbursements from a retirement account, or who are
receiving a pension or annuity who reside in South Carolina and have been
domiciled in South Carolina as prescribed in the Statute for less than a year
may be eligible for in state rates if they maintain residence and domicile in
this State. All retirement income must show South Carolina income tax
withholdings prior to the first day of classes for the term in which residency
is being sought. Social Security is not considered as a type of eligible
retirement income. Persons on terminal leave who have established residency in
South Carolina may be eligible for in state rates even if domiciled in the
State for less than one year if they present documentary evidence from their
employer showing they are on terminal leave. The evidence should show beginning
and ending dates for the terminal leave period and that the person will receive
a pension or annuity when he/she retires. Steps an independent person must take
to establish residency in South Carolina are listed in Section
62-605
entitled ("Establishing the Requisite Intent to Become a South Carolina
Domiciliary").
(5) "Covered
Individuals Receiving Specific Education Benefits:" Covered individuals living
in South Carolina, who are enrolled in a public institution of higher education
and receiving educational assistance under Chapter 30, Chapter 31 and Chapter
33, Title 38 of the United States Code, are entitled to pay in-state tuition
and fees without regard to the length of time the covered individual has
resided in this State. For purposes of this subsection, a covered individual is
defined as:
(a) a veteran who served ninety
days or longer on active duty in the Uniformed Service of the United States,
their respective Reserve forces, or the National Guard;
(b) a person who is entitled to and receiving
assistance under Section 3319, Title 38 of the United States Code by virtue of
the person's relationship to the veteran described in subitem (a);
(c) a person using transferred benefits under
Section 3319, Title 38 of the United States Code while the transferor is on
active duty in the Uniformed Service of the United States, their respective
Reserve forces, or the National Guard;
(d) a person who is entitled to and receiving
assistance under Section 3311(b)(9), Title 38 of the United States Code;
or
(e) a person who is entitled to
and is receiving assistance under Section 3102(a), Title 38 of the United
States Code.
A covered individual shall remain eligible for in-state rates
as long as he remains continuously enrolled in an in-state institution or
transfers to another in-state institution during the term or semester,
excluding summer terms, immediately following his enrollment at the previous
in-state institution. In the event of a transfer, the in-state institution
receiving the covered individual shall verify the covered individual's
eligibility for in-state rates with the covered individual's prior in-state
institution. It is the responsibility of the transferring covered individual to
ensure all documents required to verify both the previous and present residency
decisions are provided to the in-state institution
B. South Carolina residents who
wish to participate in the Regional Contract Program sponsored by the Southern
Regional Education Board (SREB) must have continuously resided in the State for
other than educational purposes for at least two years immediately preceding
their submission of the residency status application and must meet all other
residency requirements during this two year period. Individuals who qualify for
in-state tuition and fees are not automatically classified as South Carolina
residents. A determination of one's resident status made at the time of one's
initial application to be certified as a South Carolina resident for purposes
of participation in the Regional Contract Program does not prevail for each
subsequent academic year. A South Carolina resident student who has been
certified as a State resident for the purpose of participating in the Southern
Regional Education Board Contract Program must be recertified prior to the
beginning of each fall semester for each academic year for which benefits are
requested.
C. South Carolina
residents who wish to participate in the Academic Common Market program
sponsored by the Southern Regional Education Board must be a resident for at
least one year, or satisfy the conditions of an exception as provided in
R.62-609A(1), R.62-609A(3) or R.62-609A(4), immediately preceding application
for consideration and must meet all other residency requirements during this
one year period.
