State Commission on Higher Education

62-401. Commission to Develop Program; Eligible Institutions; Criteria for Awarding Grants. A. The State Commission on Higher Education shall develop a statewide program of grants to improve undergraduate education. Such grants shall be awarded on a competitive basis. B. Only pub…

62-450. Purpose of the South Carolina Need-based Grants Program. Pursuant to Act 458, South Carolina Children First: Resources for Scholarships and Tuition Act of 1996, of the 1995-1996 Appropriations Bill, the Commission on Higher Education shall promulgate regulation and establ…

62-455. Allocation of Need-based Grant Funds to Public and Independent Institutions. A. Funds made available for higher education grants and scholarships under Chapter 143 of Title 59 of the 1976 Code, as amended under Act 458, South Carolina Children First: Resources for Scholar…

62-460. Program Definitions for Administering South Carolina Need-based Grants at Public Institutions. A. ‘‘Academic year’’ is defined as the fall, spring and summer semesters during which a part-time student would be expected to earn a minimum of six credit hours for each semest…

62-465. Student Eligibility. A. To be eligible for a Need-based Grant each academic year, the student must: 1. Be a ‘‘needy student’’ following the financial need analysis as established under Title IV Regulations for determining eligibility for Federal Student Aid. The student m…

62-470. Policies and Procedures for Awarding Need-based Grants. A. The Need-based Grants Program for the public institutions will be campus-administered. Grant funds will supplement the student financial aid awards administered by the participating public colleges and universitie…

62-475. Duration of Award and Continued Eligibility. A. Need-based Grants shall be awarded for up to three terms each academic year. The institution shall adjust the amount of the grant award during the academic year in the event of a change in the student’s eligibility. B. Award…

62-480. Students with Disabilities. 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 Eligibility’’ Section except for a student who is approved …

62-485. Enrollment in Internships, Cooperative Work Programs, Travel Study Programs, or National or International Student Exchange Programs. A. Students enrolled in an internship, cooperative work program, travel study program, or National or International Student Exchange Progra…

62-490. Institutional Disbursement of Need-based Grants. A. The participating institution will identify award amounts, which cannot exceed $1,750 per eligible part-time student and $3,500 per eligible full-time student per academic year. A maximum of fifty percent of the annual a…

62-495. Refunds and Repayments. A. In the event a student who has been awarded a Need-based Grant withdraws, is suspended from the institution, or drops below part-time (six credit hours) or full-time (twelve credit hours) status during any regular semester of the academic year, …

62-5. Effect of Licensing on State Plan to Improve Access and Equity. A. This regulation applies to degree-granting institutions only. The Commission may not license any institution to offer a degree if the Commission determines that the degree adversely affects the goals of its …

62-500. Program Administration and Audits. A. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education will coordinate the oversight of functions (e.g., guidelines, policies, rules, regulations) relative to this program with eligible institutions. The Commission on Higher Education shal…

62-505. Suspension or Termination of Institutional Participation. A. The Commission may review institutional administrative practices to determine institutional compliance with pertinent statutes, guidelines, rules or regulations. If such a review determines that an institution h…

62-510. Borrower Eligibility. A. The student shall be a citizen of the United States; and B. Be a bona fide resident of South Carolina, as defined in applicable State statutes governing the determination of residency for tuition and fee purposes at public colleges and universitie…

62-520. Loan Maximums. A. The maximum amount an eligible student may borrow under this program for an academic year of two (2) semesters of three (3) quarters, or the equivalent, is $5,000. B. A loan may not exceed the cost of education less any financial aid awarded to the stude…

62-521. Loan Administration. A. All loans shall be secured by a Promissory Note and shall bear interest from the date of disbursement of funds to the borrower at the rate of 12% per annum. B. The proceeds of a loan shall normally be disbursed by academic registration period, but …

62-522. Repayment. A. A student who receives loans under this program shall be eligible to have 20% of the loan(s) canceled for each full year, or 10% for each complete term of teaching experience, up to a maximum of 100% of the amount of the loan(s) plus the interest thereon. Th…

62-540. Introduction. The primary purpose of the African-American Teacher Loan Program is to attract African-American males to the teaching profession in the State of South Carolina. The African-American Teacher Loan Program has been designed pursuant to proviso 19.89 of the 1994…

62-550. Borrower Eligibility. A. To be eligible to receive a loan under the African-American Teacher Loan Program, a student shall: (1) Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States; (2) Be a bona fide resident of South Carolina as defined in applicable State statutes g…

62-560. Loan Maximums. A. The maximum amount an eligible student may borrow shall not exceed the cost of attendance— tuition and fees, educational materials, and room and board—at the respective participating institution. HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 20, Issue No. 5, e…

62-570. Loan Administration. A. All loans shall be secured by a Promissory Note. Loans shall bear interest from the date of the disbursement of funds to the borrower at the rate as may be specified by the Commission on Higher Education for use by the South Carolina Student Loan C…

62-580. Loan Repayment. A. The African-American Teacher Loan may be canceled if a recipient is employed as a teacher in South Carolina following receipt of initial certification. The loan shall be canceled in increments of $5,000 (or portion thereof) for each full year of employm…

62-590. Reporting Requirements. A. Each participating institution shall prepare an annual report to be submitted to the Commission on Higher Education. The report shall include the disbursement of funds, number of forgivable loans distributed to students, loan repayments, student…

62-6. Licensing Criteria. The Commission may license the institution after due investigation has revealed that the institution and its programs have met the following criteria: A. The course, program, curriculum, and instruction are of quality, content, and length as may reasonab…

62-6.1. Distance Education. Programs offered by distance education must meet the licensing requirements of the Nonpublic Postsecondary Institution License Act, this Chapter, and policies, guidelines, and procedures regarding distance education adopted by the Commission. HISTORY: …

62-6.2. Evaluation and Assessment. The institution must have a clearly defined process by which the curriculum is established, reviewed, and evaluated. The institution must provide for appropriate and regular evaluation of the institution and its program and course effectiveness …

62-600. Rates of Tuition and Fees. A. Resident classification is an essential part of tuition and fee determination, admission regula- tions, scholarship eligibility, and other relevant policies of the state. It is important that institutions have fair and equitable regulations t…

62-601. Code of Laws Governing Residence. Rules regarding the establishment of legal residence for tuition and fee purposes for institutions of higher education are governed by Title 59, Chapter 112 of the 1976 South Carolina Code of Laws, as amended. HISTORY: Added by State Regi…

62-602. Definitions. A. ‘‘Academic Session’’ is defined as a term or semester of enrollment. (62-607.B) B. ‘‘Continue to be Enrolled’’ is defined as continuous enrollment without an interruption that would require the student to pursue a formal process of readmission to that inst…

62-603. Establishing Residency, Citizens and Permanent Residents. A. Independent persons who have physically resided and been domiciled in South Carolina for twelve continuous months immediately preceding the date the classes begin for the semester for which resident status is cl…

62-604. Non-Resident Aliens, Non-Citizens, and Non-Permanent Residents. A. Except as otherwise specified in this section or as provided in Section 62-609 (1) & (2), independent non-citizens and non-permanent residents of the United States will be assessed tuition and fees at the …

62-605. Establishing the Requisite Intent to Become a South Carolina Domiciliary. A. Resident status may not be acquired by an applicant or student while residing in South Carolina for the primary purpose of enrollment in an institution or for access to state supported programs d…

62-606. Maintaining Residence. A. A person’s temporary absence from the State does not necessarily constitute loss of South Carolina residence unless the person has acted inconsistently with the claim of continued South Carolina residence during the person’s absence from the Stat…

62-607. Effect of Change of Residency. A. Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, any dependent person of a legal resident of this state who has been domiciled with his/her family in South Carolina for a period of not less than three years immediately prior to his/her e…

62-608. Effect of Marriage. A. In ascertaining domicile of a married person, irrespective of gender, such a review shall be determined just as for an unmarried person by reference to all relevant evidence of domiciliary intent. B. If a non-resident marries a South Carolina reside…

62-609. Exceptions. A. Persons in the following categories qualify to pay in state tuition and fees without having to establish a permanent home in the state for twelve months. Persons who qualify under any of these categories must meet the conditions of the specific category on …

62-610. Application for Change of Resident Status. A. Persons applying for a change of resident classification must complete a residency applica- tion/petition and provide supporting documentation prior to a reclassification deadline as established by the institution. B. The burd…

62-611. Incorrect classification. A. Persons incorrectly classified as residents are subject to reclassification and to payment of all non-resident tuition and fees not paid. If incorrect classification results from false or concealed facts, such persons may be charged tuition an…

62-612. Inquiries and Appeals. A. Inquiries regarding residency requirements and determinations should be directed to the institutional residency official. B. Each institution will develop an appeals process to accommodate persons wishing to appeal residency determinations made b…

62-7. Bond Requirement. A. Before an institution is licensed, a surety bond must be provided by the institution. The obligation of the bond will be that the institution, its officers, agents, and employees will faithfully perform the terms and conditions of contracts for tuition …

62-700. Authority. Pursuant to the authority granted to the Commission on Higher Education by Section 59-103-45 (4)(c) and (5), regulations for the development of standards for performance in higher education; a funding mechanism based on an institution’s achievement towards thos…

62-710. Definitions. As used in this section: (1) ‘‘Critical Success Factors’’ are the nine performance areas identified in Section 59-103-30(A) of the South Carolina Code of Laws. (2) ‘‘Education and General Costs’’ are the expenditures associated with the following activities: …

62-720. Measures and Standards. The Commission on Higher Education will define measures, standards and applicability of perform- ance indicators that will guide the institutions in the State toward nationally and globally competitive performance. These measures and standards will…

62-730. Performance Funding Allocation Plan. As required by Section 59-103-45(4)(d), the Commission on Higher Education will utilize a mechanism to determine the funding needs of the State’s postsecondary education institutions. This methodology, referred to as the Mission Resour…

62-740. Performance Evaluation. A. The Commission on Higher Education will approve a methodology for scoring and assessing overall performance, subject to its periodic review. B. The Commission on Higher Education will assess annually each institution’s performance in relation to…

62-750. Process for Review for Reduction, Expansion, Consolidation or Closure. A. The Commission on Higher Education will identify institutions for possible reduction, expan- sion, consolidation or closure by reviewing institutions that are unable to achieve standards, as defined…