1. A. Students must meet the following criteria to renew eligibility for the LIFE Scholarship:

   1. 1. Continue to meet all eligibility requirements as stated in the “Student Eligibility” Section;
   2. 2. Earn at least a 3.0 “LIFE GPA” by the end of the academic year; and

   3. 3. Meet the annual credit hour requirement (or its equivalent) by the end of the academic year based on initial college enrollment:

      1. (a) earn a minimum of 30 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the second year; or
      2. (b) earn a minimum of 60 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the third year; or
      3. (c) earn a minimum of 90 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the fourth year; or
      4. (d) earn a minimum of 120 (or its equivalent) credit hours if entering the fifth year of an approved five-year bachelor’s degree program.
2. B. Students who meet the continued eligibility requirements by the end of the spring term and who enroll in Maymester or summer term will not be eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship if their cumulative grade point average falls below the minimum 3.0 “LIFE GPA” requirement by the end of the summer term.

3. C. Students who are LIFE eligible upon high school graduation and initially enroll in college mid-year (spring term) may be eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship the next academic year, if the student earns a minimum of fifteen (15) credit hours and a 3.0 “LIFE GPA” at the end of the academic year. For subsequent years, the student must meet the annual credit hour requirement and 3.0 LIFE GPA for renewal:

   1. (a) earn a minimum of 45 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the fourth semester based on initial college enrollment; or
   2. (b) earn a minimum of 75 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the sixth semester based on initial college enrollment; or
   3. (c) earn a minimum of 105 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the eighth semester based on initial college enrollment; or

   4. (d) earn a minimum of 135 (or its equivalent) credit hours if entering the tenth semester of an approved five-year bachelor’s degree program based on initial college enrollment.

      Students who fail to meet the initial academic eligibility criteria to receive the LIFE Scholarship upon high school graduation, and who initially enroll in college mid-year (spring term) may be eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship beginning in their second Fall term of college attendance at an eligible institution, if the student earns a minimum of forty-five (45) credit hours and a 3.0 “LIFE GPA” by the end of the prior academic year. The student may be eligible to receive the maximum number of terms of eligibility based on initial college enrollment.

4. D. Students must meet the following criteria to renew eligibility for the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement:

   1. 1. Continue to meet all eligibility requirements as stated in the “Student Eligibility: LIFE Scholarship and the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement” Section;
   2. 2. Be a recipient of LIFE Scholarship funds at the time of LIFE Scholarship Enhancement disbursement; and
   3. 3. Be enrolled full-time at an eligible four-year public or independent institution as a declared major in an eligible education, science or mathematics program as stipulated under Section 62-1200.10.
5. E. Students who meet the continued eligibility requirements by the end of the spring term and who enroll in Maymester or summer term will not be eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship Enhancement if their cumulative grade point average falls below the minimum 3.0 “LIFE GPA” requirement by the end of the summer term resulting in ineligibility for a LIFE Scholarship. Students who do not meet the continued eligibility requirements to receive the LIFE Scholarship cannot receive a Scholarship or LIFE Scholarship Enhancement for the following academic year.
6. F. The student may be eligible to receive the maximum number of terms of eligibility (i.e., six consecutive terms) for a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement starting the second year of college enrollment (based on initial date of college enrollment after high school graduation).
7. G. At the end of the spring term each academic year, the institution must notify all LIFE Scholarship recipients who have not met 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.

Editor's Note

See SCSR 44-6 Doc. No. 4966, effective May 18, 2020 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-1200.1 to 62-1200.75, providing high school students with an opportunity to take the ACT test 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 LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement eligibility.

See SCSR 44-8 Doc. No. 4973, effective August 14, 2020 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-1200.1 to 62-1200.75, providing high school students with an opportunity to take the ACT test 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 LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement eligibility.

See SCSR 48-7 Doc. No. 5274, effective July 9, 2024 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-1200.1 to 62-1200.75, providing institutions the ability to award and disburse the LIFE Enhancement Stipend for education and accounting majors, effective for the Fall 2024 term.

See SCSR 49-1 Doc. No. 5368, effective January 2, 2025 for 90 days, which promulgated emergency amendments to SC ADC 62-1200.1 to 62-1200.75, providing institutions the ability to award and disburse the LIFE Enhancement Stipend for education and accounting majors, effective for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 terms.

HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 33, Issue No. 6, eff June 26, 2009. Amended by State Register Volume 35, Issue No. 6, eff June 24, 2011; SCSR 45-5 Doc. No. 5004, eff May 28, 2021; SCSR 46-5 Doc. No. 5052, eff May 27, 2022; SCSR 49-5 Doc. No. 5321, eff May 23, 2025.