Scholarships & Grants

Scholarships That Make College More Affordable

We’re committed to making private education more affordable. Recognizing that tuition often rises 3–4% annually, we’ve reset our rates and offer a robust scholarship program to make your Columbia College experience possible.

Here’s how our scholarships work:

• Awards are selected by the College’s scholarship administrators. Athletic and performing arts scholarships are awarded through tryouts and auditions.

• To maintain any scholarship, students must meet the College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standards and required GPA.

• Annual award amounts can reach up to $15,500 for on-campus students and up to $7,750 for off-campus students.

• Our institutional scholarships are gift-aid; they’re applied directly to your student account and do not need to be repaid.

• External scholarships (from outside Columbia College) are also applied to your account. However, they may reduce other need-based federal aid first (starting with work-study and loans).

• Columbia College’s endowed scholarships can be used in place of other CC-funded awards (e.g., Honors or Academic Scholarships) on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

• Important: All CC-funded scholarships and grants require that you enroll full-time (at least 12 credit hours per semester).

Explore the full list of scholarship opportunities and find options that match your goals, talents, and background.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Academic Scholarships

Incoming first-year and transfer students in the Day Program may be eligible for academic scholarships up to the following amounts, based on their grade point average (GPA), for up to four years.  For transfer students, we will use the GPA from the last institution attended. For the 25-26 award year, the scholarships are as follows.

Institutional Scholarships at Columbia College are non-refundable and applied towards tuition and fees. To qualify, students must complete the FAFSA, accept all grants and scholarships, and be enrolled full-time. Submission of the final high school transcript is also required.

All other financial aid, including outside scholarships, will be applied first. This may reduce or eliminate the institutional scholarship if the total aid exceeds the billed amount. Scholarship offers may require revisions due to changes in enrollment, eligibility, or external resources. The Office of Financial Aid will notify students of any adjustments.

Failure to meet scholarship requirements can result in cancellation, and once canceled, a scholarship cannot be reinstated. Exceptions to this policy are considered on a case-by-case basis. The scholarship sponsor determines the purposes and responsibilities associated with the scholarship, which are subject to change.

Additional College Scholarships

Athletic Scholarships

Student-athletes may also receive athletic scholarships in addition to any state or externally-funded scholarship programs. To learn more about Athletic Scholarships connect with a member of our coaching staff today.

Honors Scholarships

Applying for our Honors program? To learn more about Honors scholarship opportunities, connect with the Dr. John Zubizarreta Honors Director, Dr. Marlee Marsh at mmarsh@victoriada.com.

Program-Specific Scholarships 

As a Columbia College student, you may be eligible for an art, dance, music, or major-related scholarship. To check your eligibility for these scholarships, contact your program coordinator or visit your major page.

If you are seeking federal, state, or institutional financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study and/or loans, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
 

Federal Grants

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who are enrolled in an eligible program, have not received a bachelor's degree, and who demonstrate financial need. The amount of the grant is determined by the Federal Pell Grant Program based on the applicant's family's financial circumstances.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded by the Director of Financial Aid to students demonstrating financial need.  Students showing exceptional need and who complete will be given first consideration for these grants as long as funds are available.

Irag and Afghanistan Service Grant

If your parent or guardian died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan, you may be eligible for an Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. Like other federal grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants provide money to college or career school students to help pay their education expenses.  Recipients of this grant had a parent or guardian who died as a result of military service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Eligibility

Students are eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if:

• The student is not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant on the basis of your Expected Family Contribution but
• The student meets the remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements, and
• The student’s parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11, and
• The student was under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent’s or guardian’s death.

The grant award is equal to the amount of a maximum Federal Pell Grant for the award year but cannot exceed your cost of attendance for that award year. For the 2024–25 award year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025), the maximum Federal Pell Grant award will be $7,395.

Federal Teach Grant (TEACH)

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants up to the maximum set by the U.S. Congress (currently $3,772 per year for grants disbursed 10/01/21 - 9/30/24) to students who are completing or plan to complete course work needed to begin a career in teaching. As a condition for receiving a TEACH Grant, students must agree to teach in a high-need field at a school that serves students from low-income families for at least four academic years within eight years after completing their degree.

Eligibility

If a student does not complete the service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds are converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid to the Department of Education with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed.

Requirements

Columbia College students will need to meet the following criteria to be eligible for the TEACH Grant:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Be enrolled in a program of study (including MAT5) that is designed to prepare you to teach as a highly qualified teacher in a high-need field that leads to a bachelor's or master's degree. Students seeking a second bachelor's degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant.
  • Federal high-need areas include:
    • Bilingual Education
    • English Language Acquisition
    • Foreign Language
    • Mathematics
    • Reading Specialist
    • Science, including, but not limited to, Computer Science
    • Special Education
  • South Carolina high-need areas for 2024-2025 include:
    • Art
    • Dance
    • Elementary Education
    • English as a Second Language
    • Gifted Education
    • Health Education
    • Library/Media Specialist
    • Literacy
    • Middle Level/Secondary Education
    • Montessori Education
    • Music
    • Physical Education
    • Special Education
    • Speech Language Pathologist
    • Theatre
    • World Languages (Chinese, French, German, Spanish, etc.)
• School Counseling & School Psychologist majors are not eligible as they do not meet the federal definition of teaching their subject in a classroom K-12 setting.
• Out-of-State High-Need Teacher Subject Areas as of the time recipients receive the grant or as of the time they begin teaching in that field.
• Columbia College has determined that Early Childhood Education is not an eligible program of study for the Federal TEACH Grant.
• Not all TEACH Grant majors are offered at Columbia College.

GPA or Test scores:

• New First-Year Students
  • Have a high school GPA of 3.25 or greater on a 4.00 scale OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT or ACT) that is above the 75th percentile. Columbia College's Office of Admissions does not receive the percentile of your scores. You will need to provide this documentation to the financial aid office. You may be charged a fee to receive archived SAT/ACT scores. Therefore, you may want to first check with your high school to see if they can provide the information.
    • Note - New Freshmen cannot be reviewed for the TEACH Grant until the final high school transcript has been received and processed by Columbia College.
• New Transfer Students
  • Your transfer GPA must be 3.25 or higher OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT or ACT) above the 75th percentile. Your GPA will be calculated using only the courses and grades that have been accepted toward your degree program at Columbia College.
• New Graduate Students
  • Have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA in undergraduate program OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT, ACT, GRE) above the 75th percentile.
• Teachers Seeking a Graduate Degree
  • No GPA is required for current teachers or retirees from another occupation with expertise in a high-need field who are seeking a master's degree, as well as current or former teachers who are completing a high-quality alternative certification, such as Teach for America.
• Continuing Students (Undergraduate and Graduate)
  • Maintain a cumulative Columbia College GPA of at least 3.25 OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT or ACT) above the 75th percentile.

How to Apply

For 2024-25, if you meet the requirements for the TEACH Grant, please complete and submit the 2025-2026 TEACH Grant Application) to the Office of Financial Aid. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing. Students who received the TEACH Grant in the previous academic year will be reviewed in early summer and offered the TEACH Grant award if they meet the TEACH Grant renewal criteria (e.g. eligible major and GPA).

For 2025-26 - the application will be posted here in June 2025.

After You Apply

You must complete the Agreement to Serve or Repay (Agreement) and Initial Entrance Counseling before your TEACH Grant can be disbursed. The Agreement and Subsequent Entrance Counseling must be completed each year that you receive the TEACH Grant.

The amount of your Teach Grant disbursement each semester will depend on the number of credit hours you are enrolled in (75% of the award for three-quarter time enrollment; 50% of the award for half-time enrollment; 25% of the award for less than half-time enrollment). You must maintain eligibility to receive the TEACH Grant (e.g. eligible major and GPA). A student's eligibility will be reviewed prior to each TEACH Grant disbursement.

Undergraduate students can receive up to $16,000 in TEACH Grant funding during their program. Graduate students can receive up to $8,000 in TEACH Grant funding during their program.

After Graduation or Not Enrolled in School

You will have 8 years to complete your four-year teaching service obligation. It can only be fulfilled at a low income area school. Your teaching service must be in a high-need field.

You must provide the U.S. Department of Education with documentation of your progress toward completing your service obligation. If you do not keep them informed or do not meet the requirements of your service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed.

South Carolina Scholarships

The State of South Carolina offers a number of scholarships for in-state residents who meet certain criteria:

South Carolina Palmetto Fellowship

The Palmetto Fellows program is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional scholastic achievement. Students may be awarded a maximum of $6,700 in their first year and up to $7,500 for subsequent years.

Eligibility

A student must be a full-time South Carolina resident and: 

1. Achieve a minimum SAT math/critical reading score of 1400.
2. A minimum 4.0 GPA based on SC Uniform Grading Policy.

OR meet two of the following three criteria:

1. A minimum 3.5 GPA based on SC Uniform Grading Policy.
2. Be graduating in the top 6% of their class.
3. A minimum SAT math/critical reading score of 1200. 

The scholarship is renewable for up to four years provided the student maintains state eligibility requirements for renewal.

South Carolina LIFE Scholarship

The LIFE Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated scholastic achievement. Students may be awarded a maximum of $5,000 per year, which includes a $300 book allowance.

Eligibility

A student must be a full-time South Carolina resident and meet two of the following three criteria:

1. A minimum SAT math/critical reading score of 1100 or ACT score of 22.
2. A minimum 3.0 GPA (UGP).
3. Be graduating in the top 30% of their class.

The scholarship is renewable for up to four years provided the student maintains state eligibility requirements for renewal.

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. earn a minimum of 45 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the fourth semester based on initial college enrollment; or
2. earn a minimum of 75 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the sixth semester based on initial college enrollment; or
3. earn a minimum of 105 (or the equivalent) credit hours if entering the eighth semester based on initial college enrollment; or
4. 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 17 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.

Maintaining the Award

For the LIFE Scholarship, full-time students must earn thirty (30) non-remedial semester credit hours per year and enroll in twelve (12) non-remedial hours each semester. You must complete thirty (30) non-remedial hours for a rising sophomore, sixty (60) non-remedial hours for a rising junior, and ninety (90) non-remedial hours for a rising senior and meet the 3.0 GPA requirement.

South Carolina Hope Scholarship 

The HOPE Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated scholastic achievement. Students may be awarded a maximum of $2,800 per year, which includes a $300 book allowance.

A student must be full-time South Carolina resident and have a minimum 3.0 GPA based on the SC Uniform Grading Policy.

LIFE & Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancements

Students may qualify for an enhancement to the LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship starting in their sophomore year if they:

• Are a recipient of the LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
• Are in their second academic year (based on initial college enrollment)
• Are enrolled in a CHE-approved academic program that:
  • Has been approved by the Scholarship Enhancement Eligibility Review Committee (SEER) and/or
  • Is listed by the SC Department of Education as leading to teacher certification.

A list of approved programs is available on the CHE website.

STEM Enhancements

• Must complete 14 credit hours of approved STEM coursework before the start of the second academic year.Courses can include AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, or CLEP credits.

Ways to Meet the 14 Credit Hour Requirement:

• Dual enrollment credits from high school
• College courses taken the summer after high school graduation (for Palmetto Fellows, this must be the summer immediately after graduation)
• Credits from CLEP, AP, or IB exams
• Pass/Fail courses (only if the grade is “Pass”)

Please note: these 14 credit hours count only toward the Enhancement requirement and not toward the total credit hours required to renew the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship. Remedial, developmental, continuing education, or non-degree courses do not count toward this requirement.

Accounting Enhancements (Accounting Majors)

• Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Business Statistics taken in the first academic year may now count toward the 14-credit STEM requirement.
• This applies only to Accounting majors. Other STEM majors must meet the original math/science course requirement.

Education Enhancements (Education Majors)

• Must sign a contractual agreement to:
  • Teach in a South Carolina public school for each year the enhancement is received, or
  • Repay the funds if the service obligation isn’t fulfilled
• Must obtain teacher certification

Please note: Students who received a STEM enhancement prior to Fall 2024 in an Education major are exempt from the new service agreement, but all new recipients must sign the contract moving forward.

South Carolina Tuition Grant 

The South Carolina Tuition Grant is awarded to students who have demonstrated financial need determined by their FAFSA. Students may be awarded a maximum of $5,000 per year for tuition and fees. The amount of the Grant is determined yearly by the SC State Legislators.*

Eligibility

A student must be: 

1. meet Admission requirements
2. register as a full-time student each semester
3. be a South Carolina resident.
4. complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by August 1st. 

To remain eligible for SC Tuition Grant, full-time students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships are private sources of money offered by non-Columbia College-affiliated organizations. Outside scholarship sources may include local clubs, businesses, organizations, and churches.

Use Caution on Scholarship Sites. Find thousands of outside scholarships that can help you pay for college. As you search, keep in mind that scholarship search websites should not charge you to search. Also, be sure to consider if you want to receive mailings from groups that may buy your personal information, like your name, email address, or address form website owners.  Below is a list of sites that you can use to search.

United Methodist Higher Education Foundation

The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation (UMHEF) aims to make higher education financially possible for the leaders of tomorrow. Since 1965, UMHEF has been a leader in church-related foundations and agencies in providing scholarship support to qualifying students attending the 100+ United Methodist-related higher education institutions. Last year, over $1.9 million in scholarship aid was awarded to nearly 800 students.

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$5K Scholarship Giveaway

High school juniors and seniors, current college students, and parents are encouraged to enter and apply every month for an additional opportunity to win.

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American Association on Health and Disability Scholarship Program

AAHD's scholarship program supports students with disabilities in higher education.  Preference is given to students who plan to pursue undergraduate/graduate studies in public health, health promotion, or disability studies, including disability policy and disability research.

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American Indian College Fund

The American Indian College Fund provides scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native college students who are enrolled in certificate, undergraduate, or graduate programs at tribal colleges and universities, or nonprofit, accredited schools.

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Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola Scholarships are awarded based on character, personal merit, and commitment.

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Gates Millennium Scholars

This scholarship is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Giva Scholarships

Giva's Corporate Student Scholarship and Worldwide Community Ambassador Award is open to students enrolled in any college or university around the globe. This scholarship is designed to help undergraduate and graduate students advance their education while also encouraging a broader commitment to social responsibility and community service. Students of all majors and fields of study are welcome to apply.

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Hispanic College Fund

HSF empowers students and parents with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing support services and scholarships to as many exceptional students, HSF Scholars and Alumni as possible.

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The J.E. Sirrine Scholarship Program

The J.E. Sirrine Scholarships are offered to high school graduates from the Greenville County School District in South Carolina, awarded based on financial need and academic achievement.

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James E. Clyburn Scholarship & Research Foundation

Columbia College offers a two-to-one match for the James E. Clyburn/Rudolph Canzater Foundation Scholarship. For every $1 a student receives from this scholarship, Columbia College will add $2.

To qualify, students must enroll full-time (12 credit hours per semester). The scholarship can be renewed. For additional scholarship requirements, visit the James E. Clyburn/Rudolph Canzater Foundation .

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James F. Byrnes Scholars Scholarship

All applicants must have experienced the loss of one or both parents, demonstrate financial need, and intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

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Meeting Street Scholarship Fund

Supporting high-achieving South Carolina students with demonstrated financial need.

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The United Negro College Fund

This link provides a list of some of the scholarships available from the UNCF.

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Watson-Brown Foundation

The Watson-Brown Foundation Inc. offers renewable scholarships of $3,000 and $5,000 to high school seniors and current college students. Eligible applicants must be from one of the following Georgia counties: Burke, Columbia, Elbert, Glascock, Hart, Jefferson, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, or Wilkes, or from the South Carolina counties of Aiken, Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenville, McCormick, or Spartanburg. Recipients must plan to attend any accredited, four-year college in the United States.

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Outside Scholarship Database and Search Engines

Center for Scholarship Administration

Fill out the short questionnaire, and Scholarship Search will identify potential opportunities from a database of over 2,300 funding sources, offering nearly $3 billion in available aid.

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CollegeNET

Free scholarship search.

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FastWeb

This well-known scholarship site allows you to search for available scholarships and create a student profile. The site will then send you scholarship opportunities that align with your profile information.

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Petersons.com

This is one of the largest free online scholarship databases, offering access to over 1.6 million scholarships.

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CareerOneStop.org

CareerOneStop.org, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, provides a database of over 8,000 scholarships, grants, and fellowships. You can refine your search by keyword, location, and study level.

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Scholarship.com

Scholarships.com offers a database of more than 3.7 million scholarships and grants. By creating a profile, you can receive matches to potential opportunities from colleges, private companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc. (AKA EAF)

Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc. (AKA EAF) awards scholarships, fellowships, endowments, and community assistance awards to undergraduate and graduate students. AKA EAF has awarded over $6 million to students pursuing higher education through a variety of merit and need-based programs.

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Avoid Scams

Beware: scholarship scams do exist. Check out this scholarship scam information from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Accepting Your Scholarship

Please note that although scholarships are considered free financial aid, they may still impact the amount of need-based aid you are eligible for. Your awards might need to be adjusted, so it's important to inform the financial aid office if you anticipate receiving an outside scholarship.

All non-institutional scholarship checks should be sent to the following address:

Columbia College
Office of Tuition Accounts
1301 Columbia College Drive
Columbia, SC 29203