Beginning this fall, education and accounting majors receiving Palmetto Fellows and LIFE scholarships who are enrolled in approved programs at eligible four-year institutions may be able to receive an additional scholarship enhancement of up to $2,500 starting their second academic year.
The enhancement is a result of Act 156, which was passed by the South Carolina General Assembly during the 2023-24 legislative session. This legislation expanded scholarship enhancements to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are Palmetto Fellows and LIFE recipients in accounting or education programs approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.
“The new scholarship enhancements will provide meaningful financial support to our students in accounting and education majors, enabling them to focus more on their studies and less on financial burdens," said Dr. Jeff Perez, president and executive director of the CHE. "By extending the scholarship enhancements, our General Assembly and Governor are not only supporting individual success, but also strengthening South Carolina's workforce in a very strategic manner."
Accounting enhancement requirements
Accounting majors who are current sophomores, juniors, and seniors need to have earned 14-credit hours in math/science during their first academic year to receive the enhancement. The CHE recognizes that not all programs have the 14-credit hour requirement and that students in those programs will not qualify for this new benefit.
Education enhancement requirements
To receive this enhancement, an eligible student must be considered an education major and sign a contractual agreement to work one year in a South Carolina public school for each year they receive the enhancement. If a student accepts an education enhancement, they must repay the funds either with their time (service agreement) or money (enhancement funding becomes a loan).
Only current sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are STEM education majors and already receiving enhancement funds from the STEM enhancement are permanently exempt from the contractual agreement. STEM education enhancement students, starting Fall 2024 and beyond, will be considered education enhancement students and will need to sign the contractual agreement. Education majors are not obligated to accept this enhancement should they decide they do not want to the contractual agreement.
This program approval process will be different for education and accounting programs - the CHE has requested that institutional financial aid officers coordinate with their respective provost’s offices for additional information. Contractual agreement information will be released once finalized.
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