Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
A. To be eligible
for a LIFE Scholarship, students must:
1. Be
a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident that meets the definition of an
eligible non-citizen under State Residency Statutes at the time of high school
graduation, whose lawful presence has been verified at the time of enrollment
at the institution; and
2. Be
classified by the awarding institution as a South Carolina resident for
in-state purposes at the time of high school graduation and at the time of
enrollment at the institution, as set forth by Section
59-112-10,
and be either a member of a class graduating from a high school located in this
State, or a student who has successfully completed at least three of the final
four years of high school within this State, or a home school student who has
successfully completed a high school home school program in this State in the
manner required by law, or a student graduating from a preparatory high school
outside this State, while a dependent of a parent or guardian who is a legal
resident of this State and has custody of the dependent according to State
Statute, Section
59-149-50A
or a student whose parent or guardian has served in or has retired from one of
the United States Armed Forces within the last four years, paid income taxes in
this State for a majority of the years of service, and is a resident of this
State. A student must be a legal permanent resident of the United States before
being considered to be a South Carolina resident;
3. Meet two of the following three criteria
if a first-time entering freshman at an eligible four-year institution:
(a) Earn a cumulative 3.0 grade point average
(GPA) based on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy (UGP) upon high school
graduation. No other grading policy will be allowed to qualify for the LIFE
Scholarship. Final high school GPAs shall be based on the four-year period of
high school attendance, with the exception of Carnegie Units earned prior to
high school. There may be other exceptions, as deemed necessary by the
Commission. Grade point averages must be reported to two decimal places
(minimum) and may not be rounded. For example, a student who earns a 2.99 GPA
is not eligible. Institutions shall use the final GPA as reported on the
official transcript. The final official high school transcript must be dated in
accordance with the Commission established date(s). If a South Carolina
resident student is graduating from an out of state high school, it is the
responsibility of the out of state student's school counselor to convert the
student's final high school GPA and class ranking to an eligible final high
school GPA based on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy. The converted
final high school GPA and class ranking (if applicable) must be provided to the
eligible South Carolina Institution before a student can be awarded.
(b) Score at least an 1100 on the Scholastic
Assessment Test (SAT) or an equivalent ACT score of 22. Test scores will be
accepted through the CHE determined national test administration of the SAT and
ACT during the year of high school graduation. The student must use the highest
SAT Math score combined with the highest SAT Evidenced-based Reading score. It
is permissible to select scores from different test administrations in order to
obtain the qualifying composite score. For purposes of meeting the ACT test
score requirement, the student can use the highest English, Math, Reading and
Science scores. It is permissible to select scores from different test
administrations in order to obtain the qualifying composite score.
(c) Rank in the top thirty percent of the
graduating class in a high school with an approved, official rank policy,
consisting of high school diploma candidates only. The rank must also be based
on the UGP only. Students cannot be removed from the class because they did not
meet the eligibility criteria, are not residents of the State, do not meet
citizenship requirements, plan to attend college out-of-state, etc. The class
rank information must include all students who attended your high school that
school year. Ranking percentages must be reported to two decimal places
(minimum) and may not be rounded. For example, a student who has a class rank
of 13 of 43 (13/43 x 100 = 30.23%) will not rank in the top thirty percent of
the class since 30.23% is not within thirty percent. To determine the top
thirty percent for graduating classes with three or less students, the student
who is ranked number one in the class would be considered in the top thirty
percent for LIFE Scholarship eligibility. Only one student may occupy each
place in class rank. Institutions shall use the final ranking as reported by
the high school on the official transcript, and on a submitted rank report
provided by the high school the student graduated from. A ranking report must
be attached to the official transcript regardless of the graduating high
school. High schools or home school associations that do not rank as a policy;
or high schools whose grading policy deviates from the current SC Uniform
Grading Policy and that do not convert the graduating class to the current SC
UGP to determine class rank, must use the GPA and SAT or ACT criteria when
attempting to meet the academic requirements for the LIFE Scholarship. High
schools or home school associations shall not use ranking for the sole purpose
of obtaining eligibility for the state scholarships. The rank policy and rank
policy information must be available to parents, students, colleges, and
universities, and the Commission on Higher Education in publication form to
include a school's website, student/parent handbook, and/or school profile.
This language must include the ranking policy in place at the
school/association. The ranking policy should be consistent in all places where
the rank policy is published and is the same information disseminated to
parents, students, colleges/universities, and the Commission. The SC UGP GPA
and class rank (if school/association officially ranks as a policy) must be
printed on an official final end of year high school transcript, which must
also include a uniform date of calculation as determined by the Commission on
Higher Education. The graduation date must also be printed on the final end of
senior year high school transcript, and include no grades earned after the date
of the graduating high school class for the graduation year.
(d) For the purposes of meeting the rank
criterion, the existing high school rank of a South Carolina resident attending
an out-of-state high school may be used provided it is calculated pursuant to a
state-approved, standardized grading scale at the respective out-of-state high
school. If the eligible South Carolina institution determines that a
state-approved standardized grading scale substantially deviates from the South
Carolina Uniform Grading Policy (SC UGP), the institution must submit the
grading scale to CHE for further review. If CHE confirms the out-of-state
grading scale substantially deviates from the SC UGP, the state-approved,
standardized grading scale shall not be used to meet the eligibility
requirements for the LIFE Scholarship. All members of the student's Senior
class at the out of state high school must be ranked in accordance with the
South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy in these cases. When converting scores to
the SC UGP, weighting must adhere to the SC UGP (i.e. honors no more than .50
and AP/IB no more than 1.0). In addition, scores/grades must correspond to the
SC UGP. For example, if a student earned a 90 in an honors class, the
conversion of the score/grade must be equivalent to the points assigned
according to the current SC UGP. The guidance counselor from the out-of-state
preparatory school also has the option of converting the cumulative GPAs of all
students in the applicant's class to the SC UGP to determine if the student
ranks within the top thirty percent of the class. To be considered equivalent
to the SC UGP, the out-of-state school's grading scale must adhere to the
following minimum requirements:
(1) Must
include all courses carrying Carnegie units, including units earned at the
middle school and high school level;
(2) To be equivalent to an "A" letter grade,
the numerical average must be >= 90; to be equivalent to a "B" letter grade
the numerical average must be between 80 and 89 ; to be equivalent to a "C"
letter grade the numerical average must be between 70 and 79 ; to be equivalent
to a "D" letter grade the numerical average must be between 60 and 69 ; and to
be equivalent to a "F" letter grade the numerical average must be between 50
and 59 (if a course with a numerical average of < 62 is considered passing
by the high school the student earned the grade, then a 73 numerical average
should be given);
(3) Cannot add
more than one half (.50) additional quality point for honors courses; cannot
add more than one additional quality point for dual enrollment (DE) courses,
Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and standard level International Baccalaureate
(IB) courses; and, cannot add more than two additional quality points for
higher level IB courses;
(4) Must
classify all other courses as College Preparatory if they are not already
classified as honors, DE, AP or IB. For a class to be classified as honors, the
course must be in English, mathematics, science or social studies or be the
third/fourth level for all other content areas; and,
(5) If no numerical average is available, all
letter grades must be converted to the equivalent numerical average based on
the following: all "A" letter grades must be converted to a 95 numerical
average, all "B" letter grades must be converted to a 85 numerical average, all
"C" letter grades must be converted to a 75 numerical average, all "D" letter
grades must be converted to a 65 numerical average, and all "F" numerical
averages must be converted a 50 numerical average.
4. Earn a cumulative 3.0 grade
point average (GPA) on the Uniform Grading Policy upon high school graduation
and score at least an 1100 on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I) or an
equivalent ACT score of 22 as determined by the Commission if a first-time
entering freshman graduates from a non-ranking South Carolina high school,
non-ranking South Carolina approved home school association or out-of-state
preparatory high school and attends an eligible four-year
institution;
5. Earn a cumulative
3.0 grade point average (GPA) upon high school graduation on the Uniform
Grading Policy if a first-time entering freshman at an eligible two-year or
technical institution. No other grading policy will be allowed to qualify for
the LIFE Scholarship. Grade point ratios must be reported to two decimal places
(minimum) and may not be rounded. For example, a student who earns a 2.99 GPA
is not eligible. Institutions shall use the final GPA as reported by the high
school on the official transcript;
6. Be admitted, enrolled full-time, and
classified as a degree-seeking student at a public or independent institution
in South Carolina;
7. Certify that
he/she has never been adjudicated delinquent, convicted, or pled guilty or
nolo contendere to any felonies or any second or subsequent
alcohol/drug related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or
under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a LIFE
Scholarship, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified
who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or
nolo contendere to a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor
offense nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such
scholarships after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the
adjudication, conviction, or plea by submitting an affidavit each academic year
to the institution. However, a high school or college student who has been
adjudicated delinquent, convicted, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a
second alcohol/drug related misdemeanor offense is ineligible for the next
academic year of enrollment at an eligible institution after the date of the
adjudication, conviction or plea. If the adjudication, conviction, or plea
occurs during the academic year after the student has already submitted a
signed affidavit to the institution, the student will be eligible to receive
the Scholarship the remainder of the academic year. However, the student will
be ineligible for the Scholarship the following entire academic year of
enrollment. If a student completes a pretrial intervention program and has
his/her record expunged the conviction will not affect Scholarship eligibility;
and
8. Certify that he/she has not
defaulted and does not owe a refund or repayment on any federal or state
financial aid. If a student has an Institutional Student Information Record
(ISIR) or its equivalent on file, the ISIR information will be used to verify
default status or refund/repayment owed on any Federal or State financial aid.
Students who have not completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) must have an affidavit on file to verify that he/she is not in default
and does not owe a refund or repayment on any Federal or State financial aid
including, state grants/scholarships, Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grant, Perkins Loan and Federal Stafford
Loan.
B. Any credit
hours attempted or earned before high school graduation, hours exempted by
examination, International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) credit
hours do not count against the terms of eligibility as provided in State
Statute, Section
59-149-60.
The credit hours earned before high school graduation can be used toward the
credit hour requirement. Credit hours earned through CLEP, IB or AP will be
used toward the credit hour requirement.
C. Service members of the United States Armed
Forces will not be penalized for any credit hours earned while on active duty.
The credit hours earned on active duty will not count against the terms of
eligibility, but will be used towards the annual credit hour
requirement.
D. First-time entering
freshmen will not be penalized for any credit hours earned during the summer
session immediately prior to the student's initial college enrollment. The
credit hours earned will not count against the terms of eligibility. The credit
hours may be used toward the annual credit hour requirement.
E. Students who complete their high school
graduation requirements prior to the official graduation date reported on the
final high school transcript may be eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship
dependent on the approval of the eligible institution. The student must
complete and submit an Early Graduation Application, an official high school
transcript, an official letter from the high school principal verifying that
he/she has met all graduation requirements, and SAT/ACT scores (if attending a
four-year institution) by the established deadline. Early graduates cannot use
class rank in order to qualify for the LIFE Scholarship at four-year
institutions. Early graduates who enroll mid-year (spring term) and are awarded
the LIFE Scholarship through the Early Graduation process will officially begin
their initial college enrollment. In order to receive the LIFE Scholarship the
next academic year, the student must earn a minimum of fifteen credit hours and
a 3.0 "LIFE GPA" at the end of the academic year. The student will be eligible
to receive the maximum number of terms of eligibility based on initial college
enrollment. If a student does not submit an early graduation application for
the spring term and has not officially graduated, the student should not have
received the LIFE Scholarship and that term will not count against his/her
terms of Scholarship eligibility.
F. First-time entering freshmen who enroll
mid-year (spring semester) are eligible for the LIFE Scholarship if they
qualified upon high school graduation.
G. LIFE Scholarship funds may not be applied
to the cost of continuing education, remedial/developmental or non-degree
credit courses for an associate's degree or higher. Twelve credit hours of the
courseload must be non-remedial/developmental, non-continuing education or
degree-credit courses for an associate's degree or higher in order to receive
LIFE Scholarship funds. Continuing education, non-degree credit for an
associate's degree or higher and remedial/developmental courses will not be
included in the "LIFE GPA" or credit hour calculations.
H. Non-degree credit hours shall be used to
meet the full-time eligibility criteria for a diploma or certificate program
only. Students must sign an affidavit certifying that they understand that
non-degree credit hours will not be used in calculating the "LIFE GPA" or
credit hour requirements if they are enrolled in an Associate's degree or
higher.
I. Credit hours earned
during the student's first two term(s) of remedial/developmental enrollment
will not be used to determine remaining Scholarship eligibility at the
completion of remediation unless the student has completed at least twelve
credit hours of non-remedial/developmental coursework each term of enrollment.
First-time entering freshmen attending an eligible two-year institution or
technical college who enroll in fewer than twelve credit hours of non-
remedial/developmental, including at least three hours of
remedial/developmental courses during the first term(s) will not be eligible
for Scholarship funds during this period. The student's initial college
enrollment will begin after a maximum of two terms of remediation at an
eligible two-year or technical college only. The student will be eligible for
the Scholarship for the term following Spring or Fall term immediately after
the completion of remediation if the student was eligible to receive the LIFE
Scholarship upon high school graduation. A student is allowed a maximum of two
terms of remediation, which must be within the first two terms of attendance at
an eligible institution, before his/her terms of eligibility start. If the
student requires more than one academic year of remedial/developmental
coursework, then he/she will not be eligible for the LIFE Scholarship the term
after completion of remediation. If the student was not eligible for the
Scholarship upon high school graduation, the student must meet the conditions
set forth in Section J below in order to gain the LIFE Scholarship.
J. Students who do not meet the scholarship
eligibility requirements upon high school graduation and enroll in
remedial/developmental courses during a maximum of two terms at an eligible
two-year institution or technical college, and who enroll in fewer than twelve
credit hours of non-remedial/developmental courses, must meet the scholarship
eligibility requirements (earn a 3.0 "LIFE GPA" and earn an average of thirty
credit hours for the academic year) at the end of the first year of enrollment
in non-remedial/developmental courses to be eligible to receive the scholarship
for the second year of enrollment in non-remedial/developmental courses. Credit
hours earned during the student's first two term(s) of remedial/developmental
enrollment will not be used to determine remaining Scholarship eligibility at
the completion of remediation unless the student has completed at least twelve
credit hours of non-remedial/developmental coursework each term of
enrollment.
K. Students receiving a
LIFE Scholarship are not eligible to receive a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, SC
HOPE Scholarship or Lottery Tuition Assistance in the same academic
year.
L. Students who have already
been awarded their first bachelor's degree or graduate degree are not eligible
to receive the LIFE Scholarship. In cases where students are enrolled in a
program of study that is structured so as not to require a bachelor's degree
for acceptance into the program and leads to a graduate degree, which will be
the students' first academic degree awarded, the students must
maintain their undergraduate status in order to receive a LIFE Scholarship and
a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement each academic term, with the exception of
students majoring in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program at South University, the
Doctor of Pharmacy Program at Presbyterian College, the Master's of Science in
Physician Assistant Studies Program at the Medical University of South
Carolina, the Doctor of Pharmacy Program at the University of South
Carolina-Columbia and the Doctor of Pharmacy Program at the Medical University
of South Carolina.
M. All documents
required for determining LIFE Scholarship eligibility must be submitted to the
institution by their established deadline(s). Students must submit official
transcripts from all previous and current institutions, which provide evidence
to calculate the "LIFE GPA," determine initial college enrollment and earned
annual credit hour requirement. Students that complete coursework at another
institution at any time during the academic year (fall, spring, summer) must
submit an official transcript to the home institution at the end of the
academic year to determine eligibility for the LIFE Scholarship.
N. First-time entering freshmen who attended
out-of-state preparatory high schools or graduated from a South Carolina high
school prior to the full implementation of the South Carolina Uniform Grading
Policy must have their high school transcript converted to the UGP in order to
qualify for the LIFE Scholarship. It is the responsibility of the out-of-state
preparatory high school or South Carolina high school to convert the student's
GPA to the Uniform Grading Policy.
O. To be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship
Enhancement each academic year, the student must:
1. Meet all of the eligibility requirements
at the end of each academic year to receive a LIFE Scholarship as stipulated by
state law and regulation and be a recipient of LIFE Scholarship funds at the
time of LIFE Scholarship Enhancement disbursement. The student must receive the
underlying LIFE Scholarship;
2. Be
enrolled as a full-time, degree-seeking student in a declared major of science
or mathematics in an eligible program that is approved and assigned a CIP code
by the Commission on Higher Education at the time of disbursement of LIFE
Scholarship Enhancement funds. Eligible programs include degrees awarded in
math and science fields, computer science or informational technology,
engineering, science education, math education and healthcare and related
disciplines including medicine and dentistry. The student must meet all
requirements for satisfactory academic progress towards completion of the
declared major as established by the policies of both the institution and the
academic department in which the student is enrolled;
3. Be enrolled at an eligible four-year
public or independent institution located in South Carolina;
4. Beginning with the Fall 2007 freshman
class and thereafter, all students must have successfully completed a total of
at least fourteen credit hours of instruction in mathematics and life and
physical science courses, in any combination, by the end of the student's first
year of enrollment in college (based on initial date of college enrollment).
For purposes of meeting the required minimum level of instruction in
mathematics and life and physical science courses during a student's first
year, Exempted Credit Hours placed on the student's official college transcript
by the institution at which they were earned, College Level Examination Program
(CLEP), Dual Enrollment, Pass/Fail courses with a grade of "Pass" (only),
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory courses with a grade of "Satisfactory" (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 may count toward the fulfillment of this minimum requirement.
The Commission will issue a list of eligible courses by CIP code for
determining eligible coursework to meet the fourteen credit hour requirement.
Remedial/developmental, continuing education, non-degree credit coursework and
credit hours earned for courses taken after the end of the student's first year
of college enrollment cannot be used to meet the specified minimum fourteen
credit hour course level requirement to gain eligibility to receive the LIFE
Scholarship Enhancement;
5. Meet
the continued eligibility requirements for the LIFE Scholarship of a minimum
3.0 LIFE GPA and a minimum average of 30 credit hours by the end of each
academic year;
6. Be in the second,
third or fourth year of full-time enrollment (based on initial date of college
enrollment after high school graduation) at an eligible four-year public or
independent institution in South Carolina. Students enrolled full-time in an
eligible, approved five-year degree program may also be eligible to receive a
LIFE Scholarship Enhancement in their fifth year of college enrollment (based
on initial date of college enrollment); and
7. Students who initially enroll in college
mid-year (i.e., spring term) as a freshman and meet the requirements under
Section 62-1200.10 may be eligible to receive a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement at
the beginning of the spring term of the next academic year (i.e., beginning
with the third consecutive term of full-time enrollment based on initial date
of college enrollment). The student must earn a minimum average of 15 credit
hours and a 3.0 LIFE GPA to be awarded a LIFE Scholarship the following
academic year and a minimum average of 30 credit hours by the end of the first
academic year (i.e., by the end of the fall term or second consecutive term of
full-time enrollment based on initial date of college enrollment) of enrollment
to receive a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement beginning the spring term of the
second, third and/or fourth year of college enrollment.
P. The LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship
Enhancement are to be annual awards. Half of the Scholarship and Enhancement
funds are to be disbursed in the fall and half are to be disbursed in the
spring. In the cases where students who initially enroll in college mid-year
(i.e., spring term) as a freshman and meet the requirements under Sections
62-1200.10 (O) and 62-1200.15 (C), such student shall be awarded the LIFE
Scholarship Enhancement one year after initial college enrollment (i.e., spring
term). Students who change their major from an ineligible degree program to an
eligible degree program during the same academic year shall not receive the
LIFE Scholarship Enhancement until the beginning of the next academic year
(i.e., fall term). Students who change their major from an eligible degree
program to an ineligible degree program during the same academic year may
continue to receive the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement during the current
academic year; however, the student cannot be awarded the LIFE Scholarship
Enhancement the next academic year of enrollment in an ineligible degree
program. During the student's final term of attendance, not to exceed the
eighth term of enrollment based on initial college enrollment, the institution
may prorate the LIFE Scholarship and the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement award
amount, for the number of credit hours attempted for the current term of
attendance, which must be the term of graduation for the student. Proration
will be based on 12 credit hours.
