State Commission on Higher Education

62-1000. Program Definitions. A. ‘‘Appeal’’ is defined as an instance in which an extenuating circumstance causes a student enrolled in college to fail to meet the academic requirements (cumulative grade point average and/or credit hours) of earning or renewing a LIFE Scholarship…

62-1005. Identifying Eligibility for Scholarship Renewal. A. LIFE Scholarship: Each institution is responsible for notifying students about financial aid awards through normal institutional notification procedures, such as personal financial award accounts within the institutiona…

62-1010. Filing an Appeal. An appeal must be filed with the Commission on Higher Education by no later than the established deadline of the academic year that scholarship aid is requested. The student must complete an Application for Appeal, attach a letter requesting an appeal a…

62-1020. Supporting Materials. Students are responsible for providing appropriate supporting documentation with their appeal such as: physician’s report detailing duration and extent of serious health condition and any recommenda- tions made regarding school attendance; letter fr…

62-1025. Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee will be comprised of: one representative from the staff of the S.C. Commission on Higher Education; one representative from the board of the Commission on Higher Education; three institutional representatives of which one will be …

62-1030. Approval of Appeals. If an appeal is granted to a student who does not have the required cumulative 3.0 grade point average or the required number of credit hours, he or she may receive scholarship funding for the academic year. After the completion of the academic year …

62-1035. Notification Process for Appeals Decisions. Once the decision regarding an appeal has been determined, the Appeals Committee will notify both the student and the institution in writing. Decisions are expected to be rendered by January 1. HISTORY: Added by State Register …

62-1040. Appeals Decision. The Appeals Committee’s decision is final. HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 25, Issue No. 4, eff April 27, 2001. Amended by State Register Volume 30, Issue No. 4, eff April 28, 2006. FREE TUITION FOR RESIDENTS SIXTY YEARS OF AGE (Statutory Author…

62-11. Program and Instructor Requirements for Associate Degree Programs. A. Associate degree programs are lower-division college programs which typically consist of courses that full-time students may complete in a minimum of two academic years, i.e., six to eight academic quart…

62-110. Introduction. The South Carolina Student Loan Corporation, hereinafter called the Corporation, is an eligible lender under the South Carolina Student Loan Program (FFELP) as administered by the State Education Assistance Authority, hereinafter called the Authority, and ha…

62-1100. Authority. Pursuant to the authority granted to the Commission on Higher Education by the 1976 Code Section 59-111-330, regulations governing the administration of the provision for free tuition for residents sixty years of age are hereby established. HISTORY: Added by S…

62-1110. Eligibility. State-supported colleges and universities are authorized to permit legal residents of South Carolina who have attained the age of sixty to attend classes for credit or noncredit purposes on a space available basis without the required payment of tuition if t…

62-1120. Authorization. Institutions are authorized but not required to waive the tuition portion of the cost of a course in which eligible residents enroll. The costs of any fees, charges, and/or textbooks normally associated with the course remain in effect and must be borne by…

62-1130. Program Definitions. A. ‘‘Classes for credit or non-credit’’ is defined as regularly scheduled classes, including those offered through distance education, in which an adequate number of students not eligible for the over sixty waiver are enrolled. An adequate number of …

62-1140. Proof of Eligibility. State supported colleges or universities which offer this waiver may require such proof as deemed necessary to ensure that those applying are eligible for the benefit requested. HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 32, Issue No. 5, eff May 23, 20…

62-1150. Inquiries and Appeals. Each institution offering this waiver shall publish a policy governing the administration of this provision, shall ensure that the policy is accessible to all interested parties, and shall make the policy available upon request. The policy shall in…

62-1160. Penalties for Misrepresenting Eligibility. All persons receiving benefits under this provision shall be responsible for notifying the institution of any changes that would affect such eligibility. Any applicant who willfully misrepresents his eligibility for the tuition …

62-1170. Institutional Eligibility for State Support. Persons attending classes under the provisions of this article, on a space available basis without payment of tuition, shall neither be counted in the computation of enrollment for funding purposes nor considered on a formula …

62-12. Program and Instructor Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree Programs. A. Baccalaureate degree programs typically consist of technical and general education courses in which full-time students may complete their requirements in a minimum of four academic years, twelve acad…

62-120. Borrower Eligibility. A. To be eligible to receive a loan under the Teachers Loan Program a student shall: (1) Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States; and (2) Be a bona fide resident of South Carolina, as defined in applicable State statutes governing the…

62-1200.1. Purpose of the LIFE Scholarship Program. Pursuant to Act 418, which was initially established in 1998 as Title 59 of the 1976 code and amended by Act 162 during the 2005 legislative session, the Commission on Higher Education shall promulgate regulation and establish p…

62-1200.10. Student Eligibility: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. To be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, students must: 1. Be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident that meets the definition of an eligible non- citizen under State Residency Statutes at …

62-1200.15. Continued Eligibility: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhance- ment. A. Students must meet the following criteria to renew eligibility for the LIFE Scholarship: 1. Continue to meet all eligibility requirements as stated in the ‘‘Student Eligibility’’ Section; 2…

62-1200.20. Terms of Eligibility: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. The maximum number of terms of eligibility is based on the student’s initial college enrollment with the exception of the summer term immediately prior to the student’s initial college enrollm…

62-1200.25. Regaining or Earning Eligibility: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. Students who were U.S. Citizens or legal permanent residents, and South Carolina residents at the time of high school graduation and college enrollment, but were not initially elig…

62-1200.30. Transfer Students: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. Students must meet all eligibility requirements for a LIFE Scholarship and for a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement as stipulated in Section 62-1200.10. B. Transfer students who receive the LIFE Schola…

62-1200.35. Students with Disabilities: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship En- hancement. A. Students who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 must meet all eligibility requirements as defined in ‘‘Student El…

62-1200.40. Enrollment in Internships, Cooperative Work Programs, Travel Study Pro- grams and National and International Student Exchange Programs: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. Students enrolled in internships, cooperative work programs, travel study prog…

62-1200.45. Military Mobilization: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhance- ment. 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…

62-1200.5. Program Definitions. A. ‘‘Academic year’’ is defined as the twelve month period during which a full-time student is expected to earn thirty credit hours. The period of time used to measure the academic year will consist of the fall, spring and summer terms (or its equi…

62-1200.50. LIFE Scholarship Refunds and Repayments. A. In the event a student who has been awarded a LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement withdraws, is suspended from the institution, or drops below full-time enrollment status during any term of the academic year, i…

62-1200.55. Appeals Procedures: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhance- ment. A. The Commission on Higher Education shall define the appeals procedures. B. Students who did not meet the continued eligibility requirements for the LIFE Scholarship at the end of the academic …

62-1200.60. Institutional Policies and Procedures for Awarding: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. All eligible institutions are responsible for ensuring that each student has met the criteria based on state law and regulation to determine eligibility for the L…

62-1200.65. Institutional Disbursements: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship En- hancement. A. Eligible four-year public and independent institutions shall award LIFE Scholarship amounts, which cannot exceed the cost-of-tuition for thirty credit hours a year, not to exceed four…

62-1200.70. Program Administration and Audits: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholar- ship Enhancement. A. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education shall be responsible for the oversight of functions (e.g., guidelines, policies, rules, regulation) relative to this program wi…

62-1200.75. Suspension or Termination of Institutional Participation: LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement. A. The Commission may review institutional administrative practices to determine institutional compliance with pertinent statutes, guidelines, rules or regulat…

62-13. Program and Instructor Requirements for Graduate Programs. A. Master’s degree programs normally require satisfactory completion of full-time study for one or more academic years beyond the baccalaureate degree. An institution must establish qualitative and quantitative req…

62-130. Loan Maximums. A. The maximum amount an eligible student may borrow under this program, is established by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, hereinafter called the Commission. B. The maximum amount a borrower meeting the eligibility criteria in 62-120(B) m…

62-131. Loan Administration. A. All loans shall be secured by a Promissory Note. Loan shall bear interest from the date of disbursement of funds to the borrower at the rate as may be specified by the Commission. B. The proceeds of a loan shall normally be disbursed by academic re…

62-132. Repayment. A. A student who receives loans under this program shall be eligible to have the greater of 20% or three thousand dollars of the loan(s) cancelled for each full year, or the greater of 10% or one thousand five hundred dollars for each complete term of teaching …

62-14. Library. The institution shall maintain or ensure via current and formal written agreements with other libraries or from other resources that students have adequate access to a library with a collection, staff, services, equipment, and facilities that are adequate and appr…

62-15. On-site Examination of Institution. The Commission shall make, or cause to be made, an initial visit within the first year of licensing and subsequent annual visits to the institution’s facilities when appropriate. The purpose of the visit is to confirm the documentation f…

62-16. Catalog/Bulletin/Brochure Requirements. Each institution shall provide students, prospective students, and other interested persons a catalog, bulletin or brochure containing, as a minimum, the following: A. Name, address and telephone number of the institution. B. Date of…

62-17. Tuition Policies. A. The total tuition for any specific program shall be the same for all persons enrolled at the same time. Group training contracts showing lower individual rates may be negotiated with business, industrial, or governmental agencies. B. Tuition changes fo…

62-18. Cancellation and Refund Policy. Institutions that the U. S. Department of Education has approved for eligibility for Title IV Student Financial Aid must comply with the federal regulations governing institutional refunds. The following applies in other instances: A. Each i…

62-19. Student Contract/Enrollment Agreement. Nondegree granting institutions must enter into a written contract with each student outlining the obligations of both the institution and the student. A copy of the enrollment agreement must be furnished to the student at the time th…

62-2. Definitions. As used in these regulations, terms are defined by Section 59-58-20, South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, as amended. The authority of the Commission under these regulations may be delegated by the Commission to the Commissioner or other designee. HISTORY: Former…