Scholarship Enhancements Overview
Scholarship Enhancements are awarded to eligible students majoring in a SC Commission on Higher Education (CHE) approved program beginning in their second academic year, based on their initial college enrollment date. Freshmen are not eligible. The LIFE Scholarship, along with scholarship enhancements, must be used toward the cost of attendance at an eligible four-year institution in South Carolina.
Scholarship Award Amounts
LIFE Scholarship: Recipients receive up to $5,000 per academic year (assuming continued eligibility). With the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement, eligible sophomores, juniors, and seniors may receive up to $7,500 per year ($5,000 LIFE Scholarship + $2,500 Enhancement)
General Eligibility Requirements
- Be a recipient of the LIFE Scholarship.
- Be enrolled as a full-time*, degree-seeking student in a CHE-approved program**.
*Or an approved reduced course load through the Office of Accessibility/Disability Services. Determination for a reduced course load must be made before the start of the academic year and approval must be submitted to the Financial Aid/VA Office.
** The major must be declared and entered in the USC Beaufort systems by the last day of drop/add for the fall semester for the enhancement to be awarded for the academic year. A major changed or declared after this date will not be eligible for the enhanced award for the full academic year. An eligible major changed to an ineligible major before this date will require repayment of any enhanced award amount that has been disbursed.
CHE Approved Bachelor Programs for Scholarship Enhancements (July 2025) (PDF)
CHE Approved Bachelor Programs for Scholarship Enhancements by Program, then Institution (PDF)
Types of Scholarship Enhancements
There are three types of scholarship enhancements:
- STEM Enhancement
- Education Enhancement
- Accounting Enhancement
STEM Enhancement Eligibility
In addition to the general eligibility criteria, STEM Enhancement students must:
- Earn 14 credit hours of approved STEM coursework before the start of their second academic year (based on initial college enrollment).
- Students can use AP, IB, CLEP, Exempt, and Dual Enrollment credit hours to meet the 14 credit-hour requirement (if applicable).
- Remedial/developmental, continuing education and non-degree credit coursework cannot be used to meet the 14-credit hour requirement.
Education Enhancement Eligibility
This incentive, introduced in 2024, is part of South Carolina’s effort to recruit more teachers. In addition to the general eligibility criteria, education enhancement students must sign a contractual agreement, committing to either:
- Work in a South Carolina public school for each year they receive the enhancement, or
- Repay the funds received if they do not fulfill the service requirement.
- Obtain teacher certification to qualify for scholarship forgiveness.
Accounting Enhancement Eligibility
In addition to the general eligibility criteria, 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.
You may access further, more detailed information and other provisions on the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education website.