State Grants & ProgramsFormula-based

Palmetto Fellows Scholarship

Offered by South Carolina Commission on Higher Education · Free to apply

Award

$6,700 freshman year; $7,500/yr sophomore-senior years

renewable in later years

Deadline

April 15, 2027

deadlines recur around April each year

Estimated odds

Formula-based

allocated by formula

Application effort

~3 hrs

paperwork, not a competition

The state's top merit award pays $6,700 in the freshman year and $7,500 a year after that at eligible South Carolina colleges, for up to eight semesters. Standard qualifiers need a 3.5 GPA on the Uniform Grading Policy scale, a 1200 SAT or 27 ACT, and a top-6 percent class rank; an alternate path accepts a 4.0 GPA with a 1400 SAT or 31 ACT and ignores rank. Only a school counselor may file it and submissions from anyone else are rejected, so the real task is getting your counselor the transcript and score reports in time. The Commission on Higher Education starts taking early-award applications around May 1 of junior year and closes them April 15 of senior year, with a late-award window from May 15 to June 30. Notices go out by email as applications are processed, and this award cannot be combined with LIFE or HOPE.

How hard is the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

Estimated odds: qualifying students generally receive it
Paperwork: ~3 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to South Carolina residents
Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3.5 GPA
Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of South Carolina
Open to high school seniors
GPA of 3.5 or higher (unweighted)
SAT score of 1200 or higher
ACT score of 27 or higher
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

Confirm these before applying

Application must be submitted by your school counselor to CHE (early deadline April 15, late deadline June 30 of senior year); deadlines have shifted between cycles, so confirm the current window
Standard criteria also require ranking in the top 6% of your class; the alternate path (4.0 UGP GPA + 1400 SAT / 31 ACT) waives rank

Good to know

GPA is computed on the SC Uniform Grading Policy scale
Renewal requires a 3.0 college GPA and 30 credits per year; cannot also receive LIFE or HOPE

What the application takes

Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is April 15, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around April 15 each year. Applications open around May 1 of junior year. Counselors submit, so raise it with yours in the spring of junior year; missing the early window leaves only the smaller late-award round.

Early-award applications open (junior year): About May 1, 2026
Early-award application due from your counselor: April 15, 2027
Late-award window: May 15 to June 30
Award notice by email: As applications are processed

Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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Common questions about the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship

How much is the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship worth?

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship awards $6,700 freshman year; $7,500/yr sophomore-senior years and is renewable in later years.

When is the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship deadline?

When do Palmetto Fellows Scholarship applications open?

Applications open around May 1 of junior year, and close April 15, 2027. Counselors submit, so raise it with yours in the spring of junior year; missing the early window leaves only the smaller late-award round.

Who is eligible for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of South Carolina; Open to high school seniors; GPA of 3.5 or higher (unweighted); SAT score of 1200 or higher. 2 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship require an essay?

No essay is required. The application does ask for a transcript. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives. Solyo classifies this award as formula-based, meaning qualifying students generally receive it. Plan on about 3 hrs of paperwork.

Is the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

More state grants & programs

Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.