South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 62 - STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION › Article III - STUDENT AND INSTITUTION ASSISTANCE › Subarticle A - PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM › Section 62-335 - Duration and Renewal of Awards

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A.
				The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement
				where applicable shall be initially awarded for one academic year. The
				institution shall adjust the amount of the Scholarship and Enhancement awards
				during the academic year in the event of a change in the student's
				eligibility.
B. Students selected
				as Palmetto Fellows must enter an eligible two-year or four-year independent or
				public institution no later than the fall term one year immediately following
				high school graduation. Students must be continuously enrolled at an eligible
				two-year or four-year institution. Students with a break in continuous
				full-time enrollment at a two-year or four-year institution will forfeit the
				scholarship.
C. A Palmetto Fellows
				Scholarship may be renewed annually for no more than a total of two terms
				towards a one-year certificate or diploma program, or four terms (based on the
				date of initial college enrollment) toward the first associate degree or
				two-year diploma program, or eight terms (based on the date of initial college
				enrollment) toward the first bachelor's degree or a program of study that is
				structured so as not to require a bachelor's degree and leads to a graduate
				degree or for no more than a total of ten terms (based on the date of initial
				college enrollment) toward the first approved five-year bachelor's degree. The
				Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement may not be awarded for no more than a
				total of six terms (based on the date of initial college enrollment) toward the
				first bachelor's degree or a program of study that is structured so as not to
				require a bachelor's degree and leads to a graduate degree or for no more than
				a total of eight terms (based on the date of initial college enrollment) toward
				the first approved five-year bachelor's degree. Students who have already been
				awarded their first bachelor or graduate degree are not eligible to receive the
				Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement.
				During the final term of attendance, the institution may prorate the Palmetto
				Fellow Scholarship and the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement award
				amount, for the number of credit hours attempted for the current term of
				attendance, which must be the term of graduation for the student. Proration
				will be based on 12 credit hours (see section 62-330.B).
D. The institution is responsible for
				obtaining institutional certification of each recipient's cumulative grade
				point average and annual credit hours for the purposes of determining
				eligibility for award renewal. For the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
				Enhancement, the institution must also obtain verification from the academic
				department of enrollment in a declared major in an eligible degree
				program.
E. By the end of the
				spring term each academic year, the institution must notify all Palmetto
				Fellows who have not met the continued eligibility requirements for the next
				academic year. The notification should include information regarding the
				student's ability to attend summer school in order to meet the continued
				eligibility requirements.
F. The
				eligible two-year or four-year independent or public institution is responsible
				for reporting to the Commission on Higher Education credit hours earned at the
				home institution only. Transfer credit hours cannot be reported by the home
				institution.
G. In order to retain
				eligibility for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship after the initial year, the
				student must meet the following continued eligibility requirements:
1. Enroll and be continuously enrolled at an
				eligible two-year or four-year public or independent institution as a
				full-time, degree-seeking student at the time of Scholarship
				disbursement;
2. Earn at least a
				3.0 cumulative GPA at the home institution for graduation purposes by the end
				of each academic year;
3. Earn a
				minimum of thirty credit hours for graduation purposes by the end of each
				academic year. Exempted credit hours (such as AP, CLEP, etc.), credit hours
				earned before high school graduation, and credit hours earned the summer term
				immediately following high school graduation cannot be used to meet the annual
				credit hour requirement;
4. Certify
				each academic year that he/she has not defaulted and does not owe a refund or
				repayment on any federal or state financial aid. If a student has an
				Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) or its equivalent on file, the
				ISIR information will be used to verify default status or refund/repayment
				owed. Students who have not completed the Free Application for Federal Student
				Aid (FAFSA) must have an affidavit on file to verify that he/she is not in
				default and does not owe a refund or repayment on any federal or state
				financial aid, including the state grants/scholarships, Pell Grant,
				Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Perkins or Stafford Loan;
				and
5. Certify each academic year
				that he/she has never been adjudicated delinquent, convicted or pled guilty or
nolo contendere
to any felonies and any second or subsequent
				alcohol/drug-related misdemeanor offenses under the laws of this or any other
				state or under the laws of the United States by submitting a signed affidavit
				to the home institution. However, a high school or college student who has been
				adjudicated delinquent, convicted, or pled guilty or
nolo
				contendere
of a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related
				misdemeanor offense is only ineligible for the next academic year of enrollment
				at an eligible independent or public institution after the date of the
				adjudication, conviction or plea. If the adjudication, conviction or plea
				occurs during the academic year after the student has already submitted a
				signed affidavit to the institution, the student will continue to be eligible
				for the remainder of the academic year. However, the student will be ineligible
				for the Scholarship for the following academic year of enrollment. If a student
				completes a pretrial intervention program and his/her record is subsequently
				expunged, the charge will not affect Scholarship eligibility.