S.C. Code Regs. § § 62-1200.20

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 11, November 22, 2024

Section 62-1200.20 - Terms of Eligibility: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement

A. The maximum number of terms of eligibility is based on the student's initial college enrollment with the exception of the summer term immediately prior to the student's initial college enrollment and up to one academic year of full-time enrollment in remedial/developmental coursework.

B. Students may receive a LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of two terms for a one-year educational program, four terms for an associate's degree program or at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit towards a bachelor's degree, six terms towards an approved associate's degree program that requires a minimum of 68 credit hours, eight terms (or its equivalent) towards the first bachelor's degree or 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 program or ten consecutive terms towards an approved five-year bachelor's degree program. (See chart in "C" below.) 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, such students must maintain their undergraduate status to be awarded the LIFE Scholarship and the 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. Students who have already been awarded their first bachelor's degree or graduate degree are not eligible to be awarded a LIFE Scholarship or a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. Students are eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of eight consecutive terms (or its equivalent) and a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement for a maximum of six consecutive terms (or its equivalent), as long as all other eligibility requirements are met and the program is approved by the Commission on Higher Education.

C. If a student pursues the following program, the terms of eligibility for the LIFE Scholarship will be based upon the student's initial college enrollment:

Average Credit Hours Earned at the
Degree/Program	Maximum Terms of Eligibility	1st Year = 30 credit hours	2nd Year = 60 credit hours	3rd Year = 90 credit hours	4th Year = 120 credit hours	Fifth Year = 150 credit hours
Terms of Remaining Eligibility at the End of Each Academic Year
One-year Certificate/Diploma	2	0	0	0	0	0
Associate/Two-year Program	4	2	0	0	0	0
Approved Associate's Degree Program that requires a minimum of 68 credit hours	6	4	2	0	0	0
Bachelor/First Professional	8	6	4	2	0	0
Approved Five-year Bachelor	10	8	6	4	2	0

D. The maximum number of terms of eligibility for a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement is based on the student's continued eligibility for a LIFE Scholarship and beginning with the student's second year of college enrollment (based on initial date of college enrollment), with the exception of the summer term immediately prior to the student's initial college enrollment and up to one academic year of full-time enrollment in remedial/developmental coursework. A student may receive a LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of two terms towards a one-year certificate/diploma, four terms for a two-year associate's degree at an eligible two year institution, six terms towards an approved associate's degree program that requires a minimum of 68 credit hours, and eight terms towards a bachelor's degree at an eligible institution. The terms of eligibility that may be used towards a certificate, diploma or associate's degree at a two-year institution must be taken within the first two years of college, based on initial college enrollment. The terms of eligibility that may be used towards an approved associate's degree program that requires a minimum of 68 credit hours at a two year institution must be taken within the first three years of college, based on initial college enrollment.

E. Students may receive a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement for a maximum of six consecutive terms (i.e., three academic years) for a first bachelor's degree in an eligible program or an eligible 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 program, and eight consecutive terms (i.e., four academic years) towards an approved five-year bachelor's degree program and six consecutive terms towards a 3 plus 2 program. Students must be enrolled in an eligible four-year public or independent institution in South Carolina as a declared major in an eligible science or mathematics major or an eligible program that is approved and assigned a CIP code by the Commission on Higher Education. 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, students must maintain their undergraduate status to be awarded the LIFE Scholarship and the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement, with the exception of students declaring a major in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program at South University, 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.. Students who have already been awarded their first bachelor's degree or graduate degree are not eligible to be awarded a LIFE Scholarship or a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. Students are eligible to receive a LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of eight consecutive terms (or its equivalent) and a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement for a maximum of six consecutive terms (or its equivalent) towards an undergraduate degree, as long as all other eligibility requirements are met and the program is approved by the Commission on Higher Education. Students enrolled in an approved five-year degree program may be eligible to receive a LIFE Scholarship for a fifth year of full-time, undergraduate work and a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement for a fourth year of full-time undergraduate coursework.

S.C. Code Regs. § 62-1200.20

Added by State Register Volume 33, Issue No. 6, eff June 26, 2009. Amended by State Register Volume 35, Issue No. 6, eff June 24, 2011; State Register Volume 45, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/28/2021; State Register Volume 46, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/27/2022.