South Carolina Tuition Grants
Offered by South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission · Free to apply
South Carolina Tuition Grants is the state's need-based grant for residents who attend one of the 21 eligible independent nonprofit colleges in South Carolina full time. The Tuition Grants Commission set the maximum grant at $5,000 for 2026-27, the highest in the program's 56-year history. The application is the FAFSA, which must be filed by August 1 each year. Need is cost of attendance minus the Student Aid Index, so even middle-income families at higher-cost private colleges can qualify. A first-time freshman must have a high school diploma or equivalent and be fully admitted without conditions; the student, or the parents of a dependent student, must have lived in South Carolina for at least 12 months before the fall term. The grant renews for up to eight semesters with a new FAFSA each year, and every eligibility item, including verification and a drug and alcohol affidavit, must be complete by December 15 of the award year.
Other deadlines near this one
- Fry ScholarshipDue August 1, 2027 · Full in-state public tuition, or up to $30,908.34/yr private, plus housing allowance
- Pennsylvania Educational Gratuity ProgramDue August 1, 2027 · Up to $500 per term, for a maximum of eight terms ($4,000)
- Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35)Due August 1, 2027 · $1,621 per month of full-time study, up to 36 months (2026-27 rate)
How hard is the South Carolina Tuition Grants to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.
- Odds
- not published by the provider
- Paperwork
- ~1 hr 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 rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. 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 South Carolina Tuition Grants?
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
- Must attend a college in South Carolina (the award does not travel out of state)
- Open to high school seniors
- Only at the 21 eligible independent nonprofit colleges in South Carolina, enrolled full time
- Student or parents of a dependent student must have been South Carolina residents for at least 12 months before the fall term
- Must show financial need on the FAFSA (cost of attendance minus SAI)
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is August 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around August 1 each year. Applications open October 1 (FAFSA opens). File the FAFSA by August 1 before freshman year and finish any verification by December 15, or the grant is lost for the year.
- 2027-28 FAFSA opens
- October 1, 2026
- Absolute eligibility and appeals deadline
- December 15 of the award year 2026
- FAFSA deadline for Tuition Grants
- August 1, 2027
- Tentative eligibility notices begin
- Late March 2028
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the South Carolina Tuition Grants
How much is the South Carolina Tuition Grants worth?
The South Carolina Tuition Grants awards up to $5,000 per year (2026-27 maximum) and is renewable in later years.
When is the South Carolina Tuition Grants deadline?
The current deadline is August 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around August 1 each year. Applications open October 1 (FAFSA opens). File the FAFSA by August 1 before freshman year and finish any verification by December 15, or the grant is lost for the year.
When do South Carolina Tuition Grants applications open?
Applications open October 1 (FAFSA opens), and close August 1, 2027. File the FAFSA by August 1 before freshman year and finish any verification by December 15, or the grant is lost for the year.
Who is eligible for the South Carolina Tuition Grants?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of South Carolina; Must attend a college in South Carolina (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors.
Does the South Carolina Tuition Grants require an essay?
No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 1 hour on it.
How hard is it to win the South Carolina Tuition Grants?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: open only to South Carolina residents and open to a single grade level only. Plan on about 1 hr of work.
Is the South Carolina Tuition Grants free to apply?
Yes. The South Carolina Tuition Grants is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More need-based scholarships
- South Dakota Needs-Based Grant$500 to $2,000 · due June 30, 2027
- Tennessee Aspire AwardUp to $750 per semester at four-year colleges, $250 at two-year colleges (on top of HOPE) · due September 1, 2027
- Terry Foundation Traditional ScholarshipUp to a full ride, awarded last-dollar, renewable for up to four years · due January 15, 2027
- The Gates ScholarshipFull cost of attendance (last-dollar award) · due September 15, 2027
- Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship ProgramUp to the average resident tuition at an Oklahoma public college or career tech center · due May 14, 2027
- Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarships$500 to $11,000 by fund · due January 29, 2027
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.