News

March 12, 2024 – South Carolina Tuition Grants Commission Extends
Application Deadline for Tuition Grants Program

March 12, 2024 – The South Carolina Tuition Grants Commission voted today to extend the application deadline for the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program from June 30 annually to August 1 annually, providing additional time for eligible college students who choose to attend a participating independent college or university to apply for critical need-based funding to assist them with tuition expenses.

“Our agency is passionate about supporting individuals in their pursuit of higher education, and we are committed to helping increase the State’s workforce-ready population by providing opportunities for student success in postsecondary studies,” said Katie Harrison, Executive Director of the Tuition Grants Commission. “In recent years, the Governor and the General Assembly have generously expanded the State’s investment in need-based financial assistance programs for college students, allowing us to provide increased Tuition Grants to a larger number of state residents. It is thanks to this increased support that we can now provide students an additional month to apply as they make their final decisions about where to attend college.”

Tuition Grants Commission Chair Dr. Boone Hopkins, President of Converse University, added, “The Commission enthusiastically supports extending the deadline in service to our mission as we provide greater opportunities to more students in South Carolina. This decision reiterates our commitment to opening access to more deserving students in our state who will greatly benefit from the transformative power of a college education.”

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as the application for the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program for all eligible South Carolina residents. There is no additional application to be considered for the grant. To apply for assistance for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year, students should complete the FAFSA online at https://studentaid.gov/ by the August 1 deadline.

Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1970, the SC Tuition Grants Program’s mission is to provide access and opportunity for more South Carolinians to pursue a postsecondary education by providing need-based tuition grants to students who choose an independent higher education. The Commission has provided funds to over 500,000 eligible college students since the inception of the Program.

Prior Announcements

July 1, 2023 – Converse University President Dr. Boone Hopkins Named as
Chair of the Tuition Grants Commission

July 1, 2023 – The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Boone J. Hopkins, President of Converse University, as Commission Chair. At its June 20, 2023 meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Hopkins to a three-year term as Chair of the Tuition Grants Commission, succeeding Mr. Scott Cochran, President of Spartanburg Methodist College.

As Chair of the Commission, Boone will work closely with the staff of the Tuition Grants Commission to provide critical support and oversight for the Tuition Grants Program, a need-based student aid grant awarded to eligible South Carolina residents who can utilize the funds to attend a participating in-state independent college or university. Since the program’s inception in 1970, nearly 500,000 college students have benefited from the Tuition Grant, which helps open doors to postsecondary success by making independent higher education more affordable for those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the college of their choice.

“It is a privilege to serve as Chair of the Tuition Grants Commission,” stated Hopkins upon his appointment to the position. “Without this critical assistance, many students are unable to pursue the education they desire. The South Carolina Tuition Grant makes the dream of attending one of our outstanding institutions a reality for many deserving individuals.”

Originally from Gainesville, Georgia, Dr. Hopkins experienced an innovative undergraduate liberal-arts education through a unique partnership between Brenau University and Gainesville State College, a two-year state institution now known as the University of North Georgia. After completing a bachelor’s degree, Dr. Hopkins received his MFA in Directing and Acting Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University followed by a Ph.D. in Theatre Studies from the University of Kansas.

Dr. Hopkins delights in helping those with whom he collaborates reach new heights and achieve excellence. In this spirit of collaboration, the Tuition Grants Commission looks forward to working with Dr. Hopkins to continue the success of our program and to support the Commission’s mission to provide access and opportunity for more South Carolinians to pursue a postsecondary education by providing need-based tuition grants to students who choose an independent higher education.

March 29, 2022 – Historic Changes Made to the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program;
Eligibility Notices to Students Begin

At the March 15, 2022 Commission Meeting, the Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission reviewed and voted to approve recommendations from Commission Staff regarding changes to Program policies, eligibility criteria, and Maximum Grants. These recommendations, which were made public prior to the semi-annual Commission Meeting in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act requirements, included changing the definition and determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress, allowing appeals for additional circumstances not previously accepted for review, and changing the methodology used to determine Maximum Grants for approved Non-Traditional Programs.

“The changes coming to the South Carolina Tuition Grant are monumental in making higher education more affordable for students attending eligible non-profit in-state colleges and universities,” said Limestone University President Dr. Darrell Parker, who Chairs the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission. “The South Carolina Tuition Grant is making it even more affordable to attend of our outstanding institutions – either on-campus or through the non-traditional programs such as online higher education. We greatly appreciate the annual appropriation by the State General Assembly for the South Carolina Tuition Grant that lessons the financial burden of our future scholars and our leaders of tomorrow.”

All colleges and universities are required to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy that meets federal requirements for Title IV Federal Student Aid. The Commission previously required additional conditions on Tuition Grant recipients, in some cases creating additional obstacles for students who would otherwise benefit from the Program. The newly approved change to the Program’s SAP policy to align with institution’s federal SAP policy ensures the focus of the Tuition Grants Program on being a need-based grant first, without creating additional barriers to access. Commission Staff estimate an additional 1,000 students may be eligible based on these changes and are encouraged by the opportunity to expand access to more students working on their first baccalaureate degree.

In addition to adjusting the SAP policy, the Commission approved to allow the Commission’s Appeals Committee to accept and review appeals from students requesting to receive up to an additional two semesters (one academic year) of SC Tuition Grants funding beyond the 8-semester/4-year maximum grant limit currently in place. With this approval, students who are on-track to graduate within 1-2 semesters beyond the 8^th received semesters, can appeal to request SC Tuition Grants funding for their final year. Students must meet all eligibility requirements, including being enrolled full-time and submit documentation from an Academic Advisor confirming the student is on-track to graduate in a timely manner.

Another change impacting Program policies, the Commission voted to approve setting Maximum Grants for approved Non-Traditional Programs the same as the Maximum Grant for all colleges’ Traditional Program. Previously, the Maximum Grant for an approved Non-Traditional Program was pro-rated based on the Tuition & Fees when compared to the colleges’ Traditional Program Tuition & Fees charges. This led to varying Non-Traditional Maximum Grant Amounts, different at each college and university with an approved Non-Traditional Program. With the approval of this adjustment, the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program Maximum Grant will be the same across all programs at all participating colleges and universities.

Lastly, after voting to approve the above policy changes, the Commission voted unanimously to set the Initial Maximum Grant Amount to $4,500 at all participating colleges and universities across all approved programs. This amount is a $110 increase over the 2021-2022 Maximum Grant and is the highest grant amount in the Program’s 52-year history.

“At the Tuition Grants Commission, our mission is to provide our state residents with the opportunity to attend the postsecondary institution of their choice, while placing an emphasis on their individual needs and career goals,” said Katie Harrison, Executive Director of the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission. “We are excited that we now have the ability to expand the reach and the value of the Tuition Grants Program to additional students by implementing these significant changes.”

Today, Commission staff began sending Tentative Eligibility Notifications to students who indicated at least one eligible college or university on their 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used as the official application for a South Carolina Tuition Grant. These electronic notifications are sent via email to the valid email address provided on the FAFSA. Tentative Eligibility Notifications will continue to be sent, on a weekly basis, until the beginning of the Fall semester. Students who have yet to complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA must do so on or before the Tuition Grants application deadline of June 30, 2022.

The final Award Amount for 2022-2023 is contingent on final funding approved by the General Assembly with the State Budget and is subject to change.

June 15, 2021 – Tuition Grants Commission Approves Clinton College
as a Participating College Effective with the 2022-2023 Academic Year

At the June 15, 2021 Commission Meeting, Dr. Lester McCorn, President of Clinton College located in Rock Hill, SC, officially requested that the Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission consider accepting Clinton College as a participating institution for the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program. Prior to the Commission Meeting, Dr. McCorn submitted documentation showing that Clinton College meets the second definition of an independent institution of higher learning. Per Section 59-113-50(2) of the South Carolina Code of Laws, a college or university that is an “independent bachelor’s level institution chartered before 1962 whose major campus and headquarters are located within South Carolina”. The Commission voted unanimously in favor of Clinton College becoming a participating institution in the Tuition Grants Program beginning with the Fall 2022 semester.

In 2013, Clinton College, formerly known as Clinton Junior College, received authorization from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) to begin awarding baccalaureate degrees, and the accrediting agency recognized their status as a Bachelor level institution.

Effective with the 2022-2023 Academic Year, eligible South Carolina residents attending Clinton College will become eligible to be awarded Tuition Grants. The 2022-2023 version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the official application for consideration for the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program, will become available on October 1, 2021. Students will have from October 1, 2021 until June 30, 2022 to submit their FAFSA for consideration for a 2022-2023 South Carolina Tuition Grant. Tentative Eligibility Notifications are based on the first eligible independent college or university listed on a student’s FAFSA, and are sent to students beginning in April, annually.

The Tuition Grants Commission staff look forward to working with the Administration and Staff at Clinton College as the mission of the Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission to provide opportunity by promoting choice extends to South Carolina students who enroll at Clinton College during the fall 2022 semester.

For further information concerning the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program, please review our Frequently Asked Questions and the Eligibility Requirements web pages.

April 28, 2021 – Tuition Grants Commission Announces 51st Anniversary Spirit Week with #SCTGCFiftyFUNSpiritWeek Social Media Blasts

On May 1, 1970, Governor Robert E. McNair signed Act 1191 into law, which created the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program and the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission as the State agency charged with the responsibility for overseeing the operation of the Program. The original appropriation was $5,000 and no awards were made in the first year. In the 1971-1972 academic year, 43 students received a South Carolina Tuition Grant at the four initially eligible institutions (Benedict, Coker, Converse, and Limestone). The following year, a total of 134 students received grants.

Currently, the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program awards roughly 12,200 – 13,500 students annually at the 21 participating independent colleges and universities in the State. During the 2020-2021 academic year, the Commission has awarded 12,215 students a total of over $39,700,000 in Tuition Grants.

To celebrate the 51^st Anniversary of the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program, the Commission will be making daily #SCTGCFiftyFUNSpiritWeek posts on our social media (Facebook and Twitter) accounts, encouraging students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the official application for consideration for the South Carolina Tuition Grant by the Program’s June 30 application deadline. Through the use of the Tuition Grant, South Carolina students have the opportunity to attend the higher education institution of their choice.

For further information concerning the South Carolina Tuition Grants Program, please review our Frequently Asked Questions and the Eligibility Requirements web pages.

June 24, 2019 – Tuition Grants Commission Announces Agency Move and Approves Increased Maximum Tuition Grant For 2019-2020

Effective July 1, 2019, the office of the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission will be located at 111 Executive Center Drive, Suite 242, Columbia, SC 29210. The Commission’s new office is located in the Enoree Building of the Synergy Business Park, conveniently located off I-20 and Bush River Road, near the I-20/I-26 interchange.

The Commission is also happy to announce that, as a result of increased appropriations by the South Carolina General Assembly, the maximum amount of the South Carolina Tuition Grant for the 2019-2020 award year has increased from $3,450 to $3,500. The Commission voted to increase the Maximum Grant during the June 19, 2019 Commission Meeting. This increase was made possible thanks to the 2019-2020 state budget ratified by the General Assembly on May 22, 2019.

The Commission is honored to be able to assist thousands of South Carolinians in their pursuit of higher education by administering this important program, and we are thrilled that the award amount can be increased this year thanks to the support of the General Assembly.

January 9, 2019 – Tuition Grants Commission Announces Agency Logo and Slogan

The SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission staff is excited to announce its new logo and slogan:

“The slogan ‘Providing Opportunity. Promoting Choice.’ captures the essence of the Tuition Grants program, which provides the opportunity for a high-quality post-secondary education to South Carolina students who are able to choose the college that best meets their academic needs. In fact, the Commission’s mission statement, located at https://sctuitiongrants.org/about-us/, references both opportunity and choice as part of the program’s purpose. The graduation cap represents the ultimate goal of student persistence ad graduation, while the Palmetto tree ties the program to our wonderful state,” said Katie Harrison, Commission Executive Director, when announcing the new logo to the Presidents and Financial Aid staff at the 21 participating colleges and universities.

The new logo and slogan will be used for many years to come as the Commission continues providing opportunity and promoting choice to students of South Carolina.

Additional information about the SC Tuition Grants program can be found on our FAQ page. Please contact the Commission at 803-896-1120 or info@sctuitiongrants.org with any questions.

December 13, 2018 – Tuition Grants Commission Approves Spring-only Grant Appeal Options for Virginia Colleges Students For 2018-2019

The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission, by unanimous vote, has approved a one-time waiver of several Commission policies for students displaced by the sudden nationwide closure of Virginia College including their five South Carolina campuses. Understanding that numerous Tuition Grants eligible colleges are doing their best to accommodate these students with transfer admissions to their institutions, the Commission is providing, to those meeting all eligibility requirements, the opportunity to receive a Spring-only Tuition Grant. To do so, an appeal must be made to the Commission by either the student or the college, on behalf of the student, for a Spring-only Grant. A student must meet the following stipulations in order to appeal for a Spring-only Grant:

Student must have been enrolled at Virginia College on a full-time basis (12 or more credit-hours) during the fall 2018 term of enrollment
Student must be attending one of the 21 participating institutions on a full-time basis (12 or more credit-hours) during the spring 2019 term of enrollment
Student must be a legal South Carolina resident
Student must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress in accordance with the Commission’s SAP policy for transfer student (contact Financial Aid Office for information)
Student must have a valid 2018-2019 FAFSA with an application receipt date between October 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018
The student must submit, or the college may submit on behalf of the student, an appeal for a spring-only Tuition Grant no later than February 15, 2019
Student must complete an Affidavit of Eligibility no later than February 15, 2019 (contact Financial Aid Office to complete this)
Federal or institutional verification must be completed by the Financial Aid Office no later than February 15, 2019
Student must meet all other eligibility requirements of the Tuition Grants Program

If you have any questions regarding a spring-only appeal, or the Tuition Grants Program, please contact our office at 803-896-1120.

July 16, 2018 – Tuition Grants Commission Approves Increased Maximum
Tuition Grant For 2018-2019

The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission is happy to announce that, as a result of increased appropriations by the South Carolina General Assembly, the maximum amount of the South Carolina Tuition Grant for the 2018-2019 award year has increased from $3,200 to $3,300. This increase was made possible thanks to the 2018-2019 state budget ratified by the General Assembly on June 29, 2018.

During the most recent academic year, the average South Carolina Tuition Grant award was approximately $2,710. The actual amount of each student’s grant is determined by a combination of family resources, the cost of attendance of the independent college selected for the eligible program, and the final funding of the Tuition Grants Program by the State Legislature.

June 30, 2017 – Tuition Grants Commission Appoints New Executive Director

The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission is proud to announce the appointment of Ms. Katherine (Katie) Harrison as Executive Director effective June 30, 2017.

Ms. Harrison obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University, a private liberal arts institution in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. Katie has extensive experience and expertise in Tuition Grants administration, having worked as the Commission’s Deputy Director since 2009. Prior to joining the Tuition Grants Commission, she worked in the student financial aid field for 11 years, holding positions at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Lander University, the University of South Carolina, and South Carolina Student Loan Corporation. In 2007, the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition published Ms. Harrison’s featured article entitled “Financial Literacy Initiatives on Today’s Campuses: Strategies for Student Success” in their newsletter, E-Source for College Transitions.

Katie is an active member of the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Administrators (SCASFAA). The Association honored her with the Emerging Leader Award in 2010 and the Achiever Award in 2016. She has served SCASFAA as President and Secretary, in addition to volunteering for and chairing a number of committees since joining in 2002. She chaired the Association’s 50^th Anniversary Conference in 2016. Katie has also represented the state of South Carolina on the Executive Board of the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA) and continues to be an active member of that Association. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP) as Secretary, and she is also a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals. In 2015, at the invitation of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Education Initiative, Katie represented the state of South Carolina at a FAFSA convening of higher education administrators from across the country, which was held at the White House.

Katie and her husband, Jayson, have been married for 20 years. Their daughter, Sarah (19), is studying Studio Art at Converse College, and their son, Jake (15), is a student in the Environmental Academy at Spring Hill High School.

“The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission is thrilled to have Ms. Katie Harrison leading the Commission,” says Ms. Elizabeth Dinndorf, President of Columbia College and Commission Chair. “With her considerable experience and expertise in the Tuition Grants program, she will provide exemplary leadership to the Tuition Grants Commission. Ms. Harrison succeeds Mr. Earl Mayo, who is retiring as Executive Director after over 22 years of leadership and service to the Commission, and over eight years as director. The Commission thanks Mr. Mayo for his service and congratulates Ms. Harrison on her appointment.”

Katie is the fifth Executive Director in the agency’s 47-year history and is the first female to hold the position.

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The South Carolina Tuition Grants program provides grant assistance to South Carolina students enrolled full-time as an undergraduate at eligible independent, non-profit colleges and universities in South Carolina. The Tuition Grant is the only need-based grant for independent higher education provided by the state of South Carolina and has been assisting students in obtaining their postsecondary goals since 1970.

March 12, 2024 – South Carolina Tuition Grants Commission Extends Application Deadline for Tuition Grants Program