1. A. Service members who are enrolled in college and are affected by military mobilizations will not be penalized for the term they are required to withdraw after the full refund period based on the institutional policies and procedures. Institutions are strongly encouraged to provide a full refund of required tuition, fees and other institutional charges or to provide a credit in a comparable amount against future charges for students who are forced to withdraw as a result of military mobilization. Additionally, the term(s) that the service member is mobilized will not count against the maximum terms of eligibility. The service member shall be allowed to receive the unused term(s) while mobilized during the succeeding summer term or at the end of the maximum terms of eligibility (provided the service member meets continued eligibility requirements). The service member must re-enroll in an eligible independent or public institution within twelve months upon their demobilization and provide official documentation to verify military deployment to the institutional Financial Aid Office upon re-enrollment. Reinstatement will be based upon the service member’s eligibility at the time he/she was mobilized. If the service member re-enrolls after the twelve month period, the service member must submit an Appeal Application to the Commission on Higher Education by the established deadline in order to be considered for reinstatement.
2. B. Service members who are enrolled in college and are mobilized for a minimum of one academic year may be eligible the next academic year, if they met the continued eligibility requirements at the end of the last academic year of attendance. Service members may continue to be eligible for up to the maximum terms of eligibility based on the date of initial college enrollment (provided the service member meets the continued eligibility requirements).
3. C. Service members who are enrolled in college and are mobilized for one academic term must complete at least fifteen credit hours and a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the home institution for graduation purposes by the end of the academic year to be eligible for renewal for the next academic year. Service members may continue to be eligible for up to the maximum terms of eligibility based on the date of initial college enrollment (provided the service member meets the continued eligibility requirements).
4. D. In order to receive the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement for summer school for any unused term(s), the service member must enroll in twelve credit hours during the succeeding summer term at the home institution. For service members who enroll in summer school and one other term of the academic year, the service member must earn a total of at least twenty-seven credit hours by the end of the academic year. In order to maintain eligibility for the next academic year for service members who only attend summer school, the member must earn at least twelve credit hours by the end of the academic year. The service member must meet all continued eligibility requirements, except for the completion of the annual credit hour requirement for the academic year.
5. E. The home institution will be responsible for obtaining verification of military mobilization status, cumulative grade point average and annual credit hours for the purpose of determining eligibility to renew the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship for the next academic year. For purposes of the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement, the home institution must also obtain certification from the academic department of enrollment in a declared major in an eligible degree program.

Editor's Note

See SCSR 44-6 Doc. No. 4967, effective May 18, 2020 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-300 to 62-375, providing high school students with an opportunity to take the ACT examination through July 2020, and to use the earned scores to meet the qualifications for state scholarships, and the opportunity to take a break in enrollment during the Fall 2020 academic term and still maintain their remaining terms of Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement eligibility.

See SCSR 44-8 Doc. No. 4972, effective August 14, 2020 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-300 to 62-375, providing high school students with an opportunity to take the ACT examination through July 2020, and to use the earned scores to meet the qualifications for state scholarships, and the opportunity to take a break in enrollment during the Fall 2020 academic term and still maintain their remaining terms of Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement eligibility.

See SCSR 48-7 Doc. No. 5273, effective July 9, 2024 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-300 to 62-375, providing institutions the ability to award and disburse the Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Stipend for education and accounting majors, effective for the Fall 2024 term.

See SCSR 49-1 Doc. No. 5369, effective January 2, 2025 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-300 to 62-375, providing institutions the ability to award and disburse the Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Stipend for education and accounting majors, effective for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 terms.

HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 29, Issue No. 6, eff June 24, 2005. Amended by State Register Volume 30, Issue No. 4, eff April 28, 2006; State Register Volume 33, Issue No. 6, eff June 26, 2009; State Register Volume 35, Issue No. 6, eff June 24, 2011; SCSR 43-5 Doc. No. 4816, eff May 24, 2019; SCSR 45-5 Doc. No. 5005, eff May 28, 2021; SCSR 46-5 Doc. No. 5053, eff May 27, 2022; SCSR 49-5 Doc. No. 5322, eff May 23, 2025.