South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 62 - STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION › Article VIII - HIGHER EDUCATION EXCELLENCE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM › LIFE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND LIFE SCHOLARSHIP ENHANCEMENT › Section 62-1200.5 - Program Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A.
				"Academic year" is defined as the twelve month period during which a full-time
				student is expected to earn thirty credit hours. The period of time used to
				measure the academic year will consist of the fall, spring and summer terms (or
				its equivalent).
B. A student who
				has earned a GED diploma or SC High School Diploma through Adult Education
				without a cumulative GPA may be eligible to earn the LIFE Scholarship at the
				end of the first academic year of a non-GED program. The student must meet the
				annual credit hour requirement (or equivalent) and a 3.0 "LIFE GPA" at the end
				of the first academic year. To qualify for subsequent years, the student must
				meet all eligibility requirements as stated in Section
				62-1200.15.,
				Continued Eligibility section of the LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship
				Enhancement.
C. An "approved
				five-year bachelor's degree program" shall mean a five-year bachelor's program
				as defined and approved by the Commission on Higher Education to receive the
				LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of ten terms at the same eligible institution in
				order to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree. An approved
				five-year bachelor's degree program does not include inter-institutional and
				cooperative "3+2" programs (normally in a science degree field and an
				engineering program).
D. "Annual
				credit hour requirement" shall be defined as an average of thirty (30) credit
				hours earned at the end of the academic year based on initial college
				enrollment at all eligible institutions attended, excluding hours for remedial,
				continuing education, and non-degree coursework. Credit hours earned before
				high school graduation, including Advanced Placement (AP) credit hours,
				International Baccalaureate (IB) credit hours, exempted credit hours as well as
				credit hours earned on active duty, must be placed on the student's official
				college transcript by the institution at which they are earned, and must be
				counted toward the annual credit hour requirement. Eligible LIFE Scholarship
				recipients may prorate their award amount for the term of graduation (see
				section 62-1200.10.P.).
E.
				"Associate's degree program" is defined as a two-year technical or occupational
				program, at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit towards
				a bachelor's degree as defined by the U.S. Department of Education.
F. "Attempted credit hours" shall be defined
				as courses in which a student earns a grade and is included in the grade point
				calculation for that institution. Eligible credit hours that do not transfer
				must also be included. Credit hours earned through dual-enrollment prior to
				high school graduation must be included in the LIFE GPA. Exempted credit hours,
				Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level
				Examination Program (CLEP), remedial/developmental courses, non-degree credit
				courses for an associate's degree or higher, Pass/Fail,
				Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory and non-penalty withdrawal credit hours are
				excluded from the "attempted credit hours." If a student transfers, refer to
				the institution's grading policy where the credit hours were earned. Any credit
				hours attempted or earned before high school graduation, hours exempted by
				examination, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit
				hours do not count against the terms of eligibility.
G. "Bachelor's degree program" is defined as
				an undergraduate program of study leading to a bachelor's degree as defined by
				the U.S. Department of Education.
H. "Book allowance" shall mean funds that may
				be applied to the student's account for expenses towards the cost-of-attendance
				including the cost of textbooks.
I.
				"CIP Code (Classification of Instructional Program)" The U.S. Department of
				Education's standard for federal surveys and state reporting for institutional
				data (majors, minors, options and courses). For the purpose of receiving the
				LIFE Scholarship Enhancement, CIP codes have been approved by the Commission on
				Higher Education for eligible degree programs in the fields of mathematics and
				science.
J. "Cost-of-attendance" as
				defined by Title IV Regulations and may include tuition, fees, living expenses,
				and other expenses such as costs related to disability or dependent
				care.
K. "Cost-of-tuition" shall
				mean the amount charged for enrolling in credit hours of instruction and
				mandatory fees assessed to all students. Other fees, charges, or cost of
				textbooks cannot be included.
L.
				"Declared major" shall be defined, for the purposes of the LIFE Scholarship
				Enhancement, as a degree program in which a student is enrolled as a full-time,
				degree-seeking student. The student must meet all requirements as stipulated by
				the policies established by the institution and the academic department to be
				enrolled as a declared major in an eligible program. Students cannot take
				courses related to a specific program without meeting institutional and
				departmental policies and be considered as a declared major. Students must be
				enrolled as a declared major in an eligible program that is approved and
				assigned a CIP code by the Commission. Eligible programs are those listed as
				such on the Commission's website.
M. "Degree-seeking student" is defined as any
				full-time student enrolled in an eligible institution which leads to the first
				one-year certificate, first two-year program or associate's degree, or first
				bachelor's 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. Upon completion of the first one-year certificate, first two-year
				program or associate's degree, first approved associate's degree program that
				requires a minimum of 68 credit hours, or first bachelor's 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, the student cannot use scholarship
				funds to pursue a program in the same or preceding level. Students are eligible
				to receive the Scholarship for a maximum of eight 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 must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in order to
				receive a LIFE Scholarship and a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement each academic
				term. 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
,
the 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 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 been awarded a bachelor's degree or graduate degree are not eligible to be
				awarded a LIFE Scholarship or a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. Students enrolled
				in a CHE approved five-year bachelor's 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.
N. "Eligible
				institution" shall be defined, solely for the purposes of the annual credit
				hour requirement and the LIFE GPA calculation, as an accredited public or
				independent postsecondary, degree-granting institution located in-state or
				out-of-state. The institution must be accredited by an agency recognized by the
				U.S. Department of Education for participation in federally funded financial
				aid programs. This list may be found on the US Department of Education's
				website.
O. "Eligible program of
				study" is defined as a program of study leading to:
1) at least a one-year educational program
				that leads to a first certificate or other recognized educational credential
				(e.g., diploma);
2) the first
				associate's degree;
3) at least a
				two-year program that is acceptable for full credit towards a bachelor's
				degree;
4) the first bachelor's
				degree; or
5) 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. Students are eligible to receive
				the LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of eight terms (or its equivalent) towards
				an undergraduate degree as long as all eligibility requirements are met and the
				program is approved by the Commission on Higher Education. Students who have
				been awarded a bachelor's or graduate degree are not eligible for Scholarship
				or Enhancement funding. Students enrolled in an approved associate's degree
				program that requires a minimum of 68 credit hours may be eligible to receive a
				LIFE Scholarship for a maximum of six consecutive semesters at an eligible
				two-year institution. 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. (see Section
				62-1200.20
				(C))