Archives > 1976 South Carolina Code of Laws - Previous Versions > 2000 Session > Title 59

The State of South Carolina owns the copyright to the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as contained herein. Any use of the text, section headings, or catchlines of the 1976 Code is subject to the terms of federal copyright and other applicable laws and such text, section headings, or catchlines may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or for inclusion in any material which is offered for sale or lease without the express written permission of the Chairman of the South Carolina Legislative Council or the Code Commissioner of South Carolina.

This statutory database is current through the 2000 Regular Session of the South Carolina General Assembly. Changes to the statutes enacted by the 2001 General Assembly, which will convene in January 2001, will be incorporated as soon as possible. Some changes enacted by the 2001 General Assembly may take immediate effect. The State of South Carolina and the South Carolina Legislative Council make no warranty as to the accuracy of the data, and users rely on the data entirely at their own risk.

The Legislative Council by law is charged with compiling and publishing the 1976 Code and it is maintained in a database which may be accessed for commercial purposes by contacting the Legislative Council or the office of Legislative Printing, Information and Technology Resources.




SECTION 59-149-10. LIFE scholarships established; public or independent institution defined.

(A) Legislative Incentives for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarships are established which must be offered by the State. These scholarships cover the cost of attendance as defined by the Commission on Higher Education by regulation up to a maximum of two thousand dollars a year to eligible resident students attending four-year public or independent institutions as defined in subsection (B), and to cover the cost of attendance up to a maximum of one thousand dollars a year to eligible resident students attending two-year public or independent institutions as defined in subsection (B).

(B) For purposes of this chapter, a "public or independent institution" which a student may attend to receive a LIFE Scholarship includes the following:

(1) a South Carolina public institution defined in Section 59-103-5 and an independent institution as defined in Section 59-113-50.

(2) a public or independent bachelor's level institution chartered before 1962 whose major campus and headquarters are located within South Carolina; or an independent bachelor's level institution which has attained 501(c)(3) tax status and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools or the New England Association of Colleges and Schools; or a public or independent two-year institution which has attained 501(c)(3) tax status. Institutions whose sole purpose is religious or theological training, or the granting of professional degrees do not meet the definition of 'public or independent institution' for purposes of this chapter.

(C) These LIFE Scholarships must be granted and awarded as provided in this chapter.

SECTION 59-149-20. Residency requirements for eligibility; recipients of Palmetto Fellows Scholarships.

(A) To be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, a student must be considered a resident of this State as provided in this chapter.

(B) A student attending such a public or independent institution of this State and who is seeking a LIFE Scholarship as a freshman meets the residency requirements of this chapter if he meets the requirements of Section 59-149-50(A) in regard to high school or home school graduation requirements and is classified as a resident of South Carolina for in-state tuition purposes under Chapter 112 of this title at the time of enrollment at the institution.

(C) Students receiving a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship are not eligible for a LIFE Scholarship under this chapter.

SECTION 59-149-30. Full-time enrollment requirement.

Full-time enrollment as defined in Title IV of the Federal Higher Education Act is a requirement for eligibility. The student must be admitted, enrolled, and classified as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.

SECTION 59-149-40. Scholarships not to exceed cost of attendance.

These LIFE Scholarships in combination with all other grants and scholarships shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the particular institutions referenced in Section 59-149-10.

SECTION 59-149-50. Graduating classes covered; cumulative grade point average requirements; regaining eligibility.

(A) To be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, a student must be either a member of a class graduating from a high school located in this State on or after May, 1995, a home school student who has successfully completed a high school home school program in this State in the manner required by law on or after May, 1995, or a student graduating from a preparatory high school outside this State on or after May, 1995, while a dependent of a parent or guardian who is a legal resident of this State and has custody of the dependent, and these students must also meet the requirements of subsection (B). In addition, beginning with the 1998-99 school year for those students who graduate from high school on or after May, 1998, the student must have graduated from high school with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade average on a 4.0 scale, and have scored 1000 or better on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or have the equivalent ACT score, 1050 or better beginning with school year 2000-2001, and 1100 or better beginning with school year 2002-2003; provided that if the student is to attend such a public or independent two-year college or university in this State, including a technical college, the SAT requirement does not apply. If a student chooses to attend such a public or independent institution of this State and does not make the required SAT score or the required high school grade point average, as applicable, the student may earn a LIFE Scholarship after his freshman year if he meets the grade point average and semester credit hour requirements of subsection (B).

(B) Students receiving a LIFE Scholarship to retain it and students currently enrolled in an eligible institution to receive such a scholarship must earn a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale each year and earn at least thirty credit hours each year for the maximum of semesters permitted at that institution by Section 59-149-60.

(C) Students who were LIFE Scholarship recipients seeking a degree at such a public or independent institution of this State during their freshman or other year who failed to earn a cumulative 3.0 at the end of the term they attempted the requisite number of hours required by subsection (B) may regain eligibility if their cumulative grade average is a 3.0 at the end of the term they have attempted at least sixty hours if they are a sophomore or ninety hours if they are a junior.

SECTION 59-149-60. Duration of scholarship.

The student may receive a LIFE Scholarship for not more than ten semesters for a five-year degree program, eight semesters for a four-year degree program, or four semesters for a two-year degree program. In addition, students in order to be eligible for these scholarships must enroll in an eligible institution within two years of graduating from high school.

SECTION 59-149-70. Default on education loan.

The student must not be in default on a Federal Title IV or State of South Carolina educational loan, nor owe a refund on a Federal Title IV or State of South Carolina student financial aid program. If the student has repaid the defaulted loan or refund in full, he is eligible to obtain a LIFE Scholarship in the future.

SECTION 59-149-80. Transfer to other eligible institution.

Students transferring from one eligible public or independent institution of this State to another are eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, if they continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

SECTION 59-149-90. Adjudication of delinquency or for drug or alcohol offenses; additional degrees.

(A) Students must not have been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol or drug related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor offense nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such scholarships after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the adjudication, conviction, or plea.

(B) Regardless of the number of hours attempted, once the student has earned a bachelor's degree, he is ineligible for a LIFE Scholarship to seek another degree.

SECTION 59-149-100. Scholarship eligibility for study-abroad or out-of-state program; summer school.

Students enrolled in an eligible public or independent institution qualify for a LIFE Scholarship, even though they may not be physically present in South Carolina during all or part of the school term for which the LIFE Scholarship applies. The student's institution must approve for credit a study-abroad or out-of-state program. Summer school may be substituted for one fall or spring semester in any year in a planned program of study.

SECTION 59-149-110. Effect of credits exempted or earned prior to high school graduation on semester limits; continuing education or remedial courses.

(A) Any credit hours attempted or earned before high school graduation, hours exempted by examination, or advanced placement credit hours do not count against the semester limits as provided in Section 59-149-60.

(B) No LIFE Scholarship funds may be applied to the costs of continuing education or remedial courses.

SECTION 59-149-120. Funding to be carried forward.

Any funds appropriated by the General Assembly to the Commission on Higher Education or any other agency, department, or institution to provide funding for these LIFE Scholarships may be carried forward from fiscal year to fiscal year.

SECTION 59-149-130. Promulgation of regulations and procedures; monitoring grades to ensure accountability.

The commission shall promulgate regulations and establish procedures to administer the provisions of this chapter. In addition, the commission must ensure accountability for the scholarship by monitoring the distribution of grades at the institutions which receive these scholarship funds.

SECTION 59-149-140. Enrollment reports.

All institutions participating in the LIFE Scholarship Program must report their enrollment and other relevant data as solicited by the Commission on Higher Education which may audit these institutions to ensure compliance with this provision.

SECTION 59-149-150. Appropriation from general fund.

There is automatically appropriated from the general fund of the State whatever amount is necessary to provide to all eligible recipients the LIFE Scholarships authorized by this chapter.

SECTION 59-149-160. Additional staff to administer scholarship program authorized.

The Commission on Higher Education is authorized two additional FTEs to administer the LIFE Scholarship Program established by this chapter, the compensation for whom shall be provided from funds appropriated to the commission by the General Assembly.