South Carolina scholarships: Free money for SC students

The Nurses Care Specialty License Plate Initiative was created in 2002 to provide an opportunity for nurses and the supporters of nursing to make a contribution to the profession and to increase the public's awareness of the contribution of nurses. The Nurses Care Graduate Nurse Scholarship will be awarded to students currently enrolled in a graduate nursing program pursuing a Master's or doctoral degree. Applicants must be in good academic standing as verified by an unofficial transcript that designates the cumulative GPA. The Nurses Care Undergraduate Nurse Scholarship will be awarded to students currently enrolled in an undergraduate registered nurse program in South Carolina. Applicants must be in good academic standing as verified by an unofficial transcript with evidence of a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Students must have completed and passed at least one nursing course (course evident on transcript). Students must intend to seek employment in South Carolina upon graduation. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendations from the faculty of the college or school in which they are enrolled. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is a merit-based program recognizing the most academically talented high school seniors and encouraging these students to attend college in the state. Palmetto Fellows may receive up to $6,700 their freshman year and up to $7,500 for their sophomore, junior and senior years. Palmetto Fellows may receive scholarship funding for a maximum of eight terms of study toward their first bachelor's degree at an eligible four-year institution in South Carolina. This scholarship also aims to retain talented minority students who might otherwise pursue studies outside the state. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information. In order to be eligible to apply for a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, a high school senior must be enrolled in an approved SC public or private high school, an eligible SC home school program of study or a preparatory high school located outside the State while a dependent of a legal resident of South Carolina. They must certify that they have never been convicted of any felonies and have not been convicted of any second or subsequent alcohol or other drug-related misdemeanor offenses within the past academic year by submitting a signed affidavit to the college financial aid office. Applicants must have a 3.5 UGP GPA and an SAT of 1200 and ACT of 25. They must also be in the 6 percent rank in either 10, 11, and 12. Without regard to the ranking, applicants must have a 4.0 UGP GPA and an SAT of 1400 and ACT of 42. For Early Awards, the deadline is April 15th of the student's senior year. For Late Awards, the deadline is June 30th of the student' s senior year. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The South Carolina Farm Bureau (SCFB) Youth Ambassador Scholarship program aims to surface young leaders passionate about agriculture and cultivate their ability to engage in food and farming conversations with a wide variety of audiences. The program also showcases the opportunities for careers in agriculture and its related industries, as well as providing leadership and advocacy training. Youth Ambassadors should complete their year of service more confident as an advocate for agriculture and in leadership roles. Applicants must be any unmarried male or female between the ages of 17 and 21 who resides in a Farm Bureau member home is eligible to compete. They cannot reach their 22nd birthday before the SCFB Annual Meeting. In the event that an Ambassador marries during his/her year of reign, he or she shall forfeit their title and scholarship eligibility to the first runner-up. Children or stepchildren of employees of the SCFB Federation or affiliate companies are not eligible. Past state winners are not eligible to compete. Students must use the scholarship within two years of being awarded, or if still in high school, within the first two years of post-high school education. For the essay, it is required that the applicants interview at least one farmer or agribusiness person on the essay subject and include a portion of the interview in their essay. The in-person component of the competition is comprised of one-on-one interviews with the judges and oral presentations. The scores of the written essay, application and one-on-one interview will be combined to determine six semi-finalists, three males and three females. Each semi-finalist will give a two-minute presentation based on their essay, followed by an extemporaneous question from the judges. The presentation scores of the semi-finalists will be added to their previous scores. The male and female contestants with the highest overall score will be named the SCFB Youth Ambassadors. The State Competition will be held in conjunction with the SCFB Annual Meeting in December. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The Golden Door Scholarship is open to graduating high school students or students who have graduated from a United States high school, or have earned or will earn a high school equivalency diploma. Applicants must reside in one of the eligible regional states. They must be willing to relocate to and enroll full-time in a bachelor's degree program. Applicants can not be a current college student. Scholarship recipients will receive funding for a four-year degree at a Golden Door Scholars regional partner school beginning in the Fall 2026 semester. Additional benefits include mentorship and career coaching. Students who have applied to or are interested in other colleges not considered a GDS partner school should still plan to apply. Students at non-partner schools in the regional areas of NC, SC, and GA may still receive support on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must be willing to pursue majors aligned with Golden Door Scholars' preferred majors list. Software engineering, data analytics, business analytics, and digital marketing are a few popular career paths that meet these criteria. Preference is given to applicants interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree that is career-ready and has high earning potential, meaning applicants will not require an advanced degree to begin their careers. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The mission of the South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program is to recruit talented high school seniors into the teaching profession and to help them develop leadership qualities. Students may receive up to $6,000 of yearly scholarship for four years, including $300 a year for summer enrichment. Qualifying applicants are invited to a regional screening and all applicants are notified as to whether they have been selected for this second phase of the identification process. The regional screening includes an interview, a presentation, and an assessment of writing ability. The purpose of the interview and presentation is to assess the following: communication skills, commitment to education, knowledge of educational issues, leadership potential, originality in responses, and problem-solving ability. Applicants who have been invited to participate in a regional screening also will be scheduled to complete a 30 minute assessment of writing ability. Students will be screened through a written and oral application process, and will be selected based on high academic achievement, a history of service to the school and community, and a desire to teach South Carolina's children. Please visit the award's website for more information.

The James Cothran, KD3NI, Scholarship will be awarded to those with any active Amateur Radio License Class. Applicants must be residents of the Atlantic Division, the Roanoke Division, the Southeastern Division or Washington, D.C. Applicants may be pursuing any field of study in any institution. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the ARRL Foundation Inc. for more information.

The L. Phil and Alice J. Wicker Scholarship will be awarded to those with active General Class license or higher. Applicants must be pursuing a Bachelor's degree or higher in electronics, communications, or related fields. Applicants must submit transcripts which must cover the applicant's entire high school career to date and, if in college, must include all semesters for which grades have been awarded. For students applying for graduate school assistance, high school transcripts are not necessary. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the ARRL Foundation Inc. for more information.

The James F. Byrnes Foundation College Scholarship is available to seniors in high school who have lost one or both parents and who plan to pursue a bachelor's degree. Applicants must have a satisfactory academic record and have received their SAT/ACT score. They must also demonstrate excellence in character, ability, and enterprise to indicate that the student will make worthwhile contributions to society. The annual award is applied for each year of a four-year bachelor's degree program, for the sum of 4 years. To access the application, students must submit an email request first. Upon receipt, a link to the application will be sent directly to the student. Once the application is submitted, reference forms will be sent to the listed references for completion and return. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The Watson-Brown Foundation Scholarships are awarded to students from communities in and near the Savannah River valley where Brown was raised and spent the majority of his adult life. The primary mission of the Watson-Brown Foundation is providing scholarships to select Georgia and South Carolina students attending accredited four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Eligible students must be from one of the eligible 23 counties in Georgia and South Carolina. A student's permanent address must be within the designated county region at the time of high school graduation. Current high school seniors or current undergraduate students may apply for the scholarship. Students must plan to attend a 4 year, regionally accredited, non-profit college. The Foundation recognizes colleges and universities accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies, such as SACS. Scholarship funds may only be used to cover approved cost of attendance expenses for a recipient's first four eligible years of undergraduate study. The number of eligible funding semesters awarded to new recipients is determined based on the applicant's total years of post-secondary education completed as of the initial semester of award eligibility. Applicants must submit one letter of recommendation from a teacher/professor, religious leader, coach, employer, or others who have important roles in their life. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.