Pass/Fail Option Notice

If you plan on using the pass/fail option, see how it would impact your state scholarships. Check the state scholarship tab for more information.

PC Scholarships

Presbyterian College is proud to help you achieve your goals by awarding a variety of scholarships. ALL students are considered for merit scholarships automatically with the submission of their PC Application for Admission. Below are examples of what you may receive or additional aid you may apply to receive.

Full-Ride Scholarship Opportunities

Griffith Scholarship: By invitation only – PC’s most prestigious award, the Griffith Scholarship, covers the full cost of tuition, fees, room, and board and is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study at PC. Two high school seniors are selected each year as Griffith Scholars. These students exhibit exceptional academic achievement and have demonstrated leadership ability as well as outstanding personal character. To be considered, candidates must apply by December 1.

Service Entrepreneurship Scholarship: If you’re interested in service entrepreneurship and are attending college for the first time as an undergraduate student, you may submit your proposal online at Service Entrepreneurship Scholarship Competition. The deadline is December 1st of your senior year. There are multiple scholarship recipients. First place covers the full cost of tuition, fees, room, and board and is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study at PC. Runners-up and honorable mentions also receive scholarships. These scholarships are not combined with other merit scholarships.

Promise Scholarships

Laurens County Scholarship: Students must reside in Laurens County, S.C., to be eligible for the Laurens County Scholarship of $2,500/year. Students must have attended and graduated from a Laurens County (S.C.) high school and plan to enroll at PC the following academic year.

The Laurens County Transfer Promise:  The Laurens County Transfer Promise is offered to students from Laurens County who have completed two years of coursework at Piedmont Technical College (may include Middle College and dual enrollment courses), with a minimum of 60 credit hours and a cumulative GPA of 3.0. An Associate’s degree is preferred but not required. PC’s commitment to students accepted to enroll through the Transfer Promise program is to provide the students with full tuition and fees, including any and all applicable Federal and State financial assistance for which they qualify, for years three and four, toward the student’s completion of a bachelor’s degree. The Transfer Promise is last dollar up to tuition and fees. It is renewable for one year pending the student meets Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students who are eligible must complete the FAFSA. Request more information»

Palmetto Boys State and Palmetto Girls State Scholarships: The Palmetto Girls State and Palmetto Boys State Promise Scholarships are valued at $100,000, awarded as a $25,000 per year scholarship, for a maximum of four years while enrolled at Presbyterian College. The $25,000 per year scholarship is the minimum commitment from Presbyterian College and cannot be combined with other merit scholarships.

Presbyterian Promise Scholarship: Students who are members of a Presbyterian church or attend a Presbyterian school will receive a scholarship for a minimum of $20,000 per year for up to four years—that’s an $80,000 commitment to you. More information may be found here.

Other Scholarship Programs

1880 Student Referral Program Scholarship: Incoming students who are nominated by PC alumni, faculty, staff, current students, current or past parents, or friends of the college prior to their acceptance will receive the 1880 Student Referral Program Scholarship, a $1,880 scholarship awarded annually for up to four years. The amount honors the year PC was founded.

Emerging Church Leader Scholarship: This scholarship, which totals $1,880 and is awarded for a maximum of four years, is awarded to students who are viewed as leaders in their church community. In order to qualify, students must be recommended by a leader in their church before they are admitted to PC.  The Emerging Church Leadership Scholarship cannot be combined with the Student Referral Program Scholarship or the Legacy Scholarship.

Legacy Scholarship: Students whose immediate family (i.e. parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles) graduated from Presbyterian College qualify for the Legacy Scholarship. This award is a $1,880 scholarship awarded annually for up to four years. Please note there is a limit of one Legacy Scholarship per student. This scholarship cannot be combined with the Student Referral Program Scholarship or the Emerging Church Leadership Scholarship.

*These three (1880 Student Referral Program, Emerging Church Leader, and/or Legacy Scholarships) may not be combined.

Need-Based Aid

Presbyterian College Grants: PC awards a needs-based grant to students who qualify due to need resulting from the Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Awards may be renewable, provided satisfactory progress is maintained.

Undergraduate Candidates: You may qualify for one of the following academic-based scholarships if you’re a South Carolina resident at the time you graduate from high school and enroll in college. You must enroll as a full-time student to be considered for these scholarships*.

Pharmacy Students Year 1 (P1) and Year 2 (P2): The Financial Aid Office will determine the remaining terms of eligibility. Please email the Office of Financial Aid if you have eligibility for these state scholarships.

Palmetto Fellows Scholarship

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship awards $6,700 for freshmen and $7,500 for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, up to a maximum of eight consecutive semesters. You must submit an application to the SC Commission on Higher Education for this award during your senior year of high school. See your high school guidance counselor for details about the application.

Three Requirements for Eligibility:

  • A 3.5 GPA at end of your junior year of high school (state uniform grading scale)
  • Score at least 1200 on the SAT or 25 ACT equivalent
  • Rank in the top 6% of your class at the end of your sophomore or junior year

Two Requirements for Alternate Eligibility:

  • A 4.0 GPA at end of your junior year of high school (state uniform grading scale)
  • Score at least 1400 on the SAT or 31 ACT equivalent

Scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.0 PC GPA and earn at least 30 credit hours each academic year to retain the scholarship.

Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement awards an additional $2,500 per academic year for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Three Requirements for Eligibility:

  • Maintain continued Palmetto Fellows Scholarship eligibility
  • Earn at least 14 credit hours of instruction in math or life and physical sciences or a combination of both by end of your freshman year in college
  • Declare an eligible major in a math or science field by the DROP/ADD date of your sophomore year

LIFE Scholarship

The LIFE Scholarship awards $5,000 per academic year up to eight consecutive semesters.

Requirements for Eligibility (must meet two of the three following criteria):

  • Earn a 3.0 final high school GPA (state uniform grading scale)
  • Score at least 1100 on the SAT or 22 ACT equivalent
  • Rank in the top 30% of your high school graduating class

Scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.0 Life GPA each academic year and earn an average of 30 credit hours each academic year to retain the scholarship. Students attempting to increase the Life GPA may obtain advanced approval from PC’s registrar to enroll in another institution’s summer courses.

LIFE Scholarship Enhancement

The LIFE Scholarship Enhancement awards an additional $2,500 per academic year for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Three Requirements for Eligibility:

  • Maintain continued Life Scholarship eligibility
  • Earn at least 14 credit hours of instruction in math or life and physical sciences or a combination of both by end of your freshman year in college
  • Declare an eligible major in a math or science field by the DROP/ADD date of the sophomore year

South Carolina HOPE Scholarship

The South Carolina HOPE Scholarship awards a one-time grant of $2,800 for first-time entering freshmen.

Eligibility Requirement:

  • Earn a 3.0 final high school GPA (state uniform grading scale)

Impact on State Scholarships using Pass/Fail Options

Taking the pass/fail option gives you credit for earned hours but does not impact your GPA. This can be an advantage for some but not all students. Look at your individual situation, not what another student is doing. Students are unique in their financial aid awards and academic history.

Consider using letter grades (quality points) to increase your GPA if your current GPA is below what is required to renew your state scholarship and you would need to earn spring grades that will improve your GPA. 

If your GPA met the renewal standards after fall semester, you should consider if your spring grades would help or hurt your GPA. If spring grades decrease your GPA, then the pass/fail option would be to your advantage. 

We suggest using this GPA calculator to see if grades help or hurt your GPA.

A reminder about what is required to renew state scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year:

For the SC Tuition Grant, you must earn at least 24 credit hours annually and you must meet SAP requirements found on p.13-14 of the PC Academic Catalog. Remember to file your FAFSA by the SCTG deadline of June 30th or you will not be eligible regardless of grades and credits earned.

If you have SC Hope, you need to meet the renewal requirements for SC LIFE after the first year of college. Read more about that in the next paragraph. SC Hope is for the freshman year only.

If you have SC LIFE, you must earn at least a 3.0 LIFE GPA (LIFE GPA looks at ALL college credits earned at any institution you have attended) and the following average of hours each year:

  • After the first year of college, earn at least 30 credit hours.
  • After the second year of college, earn at least 60 credit hours.
  • After the third year of college, earn at least 90 credit hours.

If you have Palmetto Fellows, you need at least 30 hours earned at PC since August and you have to have at least a 3.0 PC GPA (only grades earned at PC) to renew for 2020-2021.

Private Scholarships, also known as non-institutional scholarships, are funded by various individuals, organizations, and companies.

Recommended Scholarship Search Services

Cappex
College Board
College Scholarships
Fast Web
Sallie Mae’s College Answer
US News
Graduate School Scholarship Search

PC is not affiliated with these types of scholarships and we ask that you use caution when using certain scholarship search websites. Some websites may sell your name to other companies. When you register to participate, you should consider whether you want to receive mailings from groups who may buy your name and address from the website owners.

It is Presbyterian College’s policy that all gift aid (grants and scholarships), including Private Scholarships, may not exceed the direct cost of the college. If a student receives funds that exceed the direct cost, institutional and state aid may be reduced according to institutional and state regulations.

Here is a list of private scholarships students at PC have earned in the past.
Dates for applications to open and deadlines may vary from year to year. Check the specific scholarship website dates for the application window timeline.

We urge caution when applying for private scholarships. Do not pay to apply and be careful when sharing private information about yourself.

Big Sun Scholarship: $500 scholarship for all student athletes, regardless of which sport they are participating in or what their capacity in that sport is. Application deadline is June 19, 2023.
http://www.bigsunathletics.com

Big South Conference: $8000 Sunbelt Rental Minority Scholarship: If you are female; member of minority group; active or former military duty; or disabled, you might be qualified to apply. Check in January for the most recent application to be posted. Deadline is typically late February.
https://bigsouthsports.com/

SC Junior Golf Foundation Scholarship: Award is $1500 to each of 4 winners. Must attend a SC college; have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75; be a SC resident; have a competitive or recreational interest in golf. Applications open in November and the deadline to apply is early January.
www.scholarshipprograms.org

Kitty M. Fairey Educational Scholarship Fund: Receive up to half the cost of tuition, fees, room, board and books. You must attend college in SC but do not have to be a SC resident. Applications open November and the deadline to apply is early January.
www.csascholars.org/kmfr

Meeting Street Scholarship: Available to students in SC that live in certain Low Country counties.
https://www.meetingstreetscholarshipfund.org/about-the-fund/

Presbyterian Church USA: Offering several opportunities up to $4000 for students to be awarded scholarships funds. Eligible applicants will be PCUSA church members seeking a first associates or bachelors’ degree, attending an accredited college or university in the United States full-time. Application windows will vary by scholarship.
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/theology-formation-and-evangelism/financialaid/undergraduate-opportunities/

Sirrine Scholarship: Greenville County students may apply for a $2,000 Sirrine Scholarship online. Applications are open each January through mid-April.
https://sirrine.greenville.k12.sc.us/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f

Watson-Brown: By virtue of your home address in SC or Georgia, you may be eligible for need based funds from the Watson-Brown Scholarship of up to $6000 per year. Applications open in November and the deadline to apply is early February.
https://www.watson-brown.org/scholarship/

James F Byrnes Foundation: $4500 award for students that have lost one or both parents by death; be a SC resident and US citizen; be a high school senior. Applications open in December.
https://byrnesscholars.org/foundation/scholarships.php

SC State Fair: $6000 scholarships offered to high school seniors attending any SC college. Applications open early February and the deadline to apply is March 15.
https://www.scstatefair.org/scholarships/