Palmetto Fellows Scholarship — South Carolina Commission on Higher Education

Palmetto Fellows is a state merit scholarship for high-achieving high-school graduates who were legal South Carolina residents at graduation. Strong grades do not trigger an automatic award: the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) reviews academic eligibility, while a counselor verifies class rank and transcript. The Class of 2027 has two application windows, early and late. As of October 12, 2026, the early window is open; deadlines are strict and CHE does not accept late submissions.

The most common route requires a 3.50 GPA under the SC Uniform Grading Policy and an SAT score of 1200 or ACT 25, plus a class rank in the top six percent. For early consideration, the rank may be from the end of sophomore or junior year; the GPA is measured at the end of junior year. The late route may use rank from sophomore, junior or senior year and GPA at the end of senior year. Students whose schools do not rank, or who apply without rank, may use the alternative route: a 4.00 GPA and SAT 1400 or ACT 31. GPA is not rounded, and the official packet has detailed SAT/ACT superscore, homeschool and private or out-of-state school rules that applicants should check rather than assume.

For the Class of 2027, the early application runs from September 1, 2026 through May 1, 2027; the late application opens June 1 and closes July 15, 2027. The last test dates accepted for early review are the March 6, 2027 SAT and April 10 ACT. For late review, they are the June 5 SAT and June 12 ACT; scores must reach CHE by July 15. The student completes the electronic application; the counselor sends rank and transcript information, and applicants who need score reports must use CHE codes SAT 4313 or ACT 6326. Watch your email and Palmetto Fellows dashboard: a notice of eligibility is not the last step—the College Designation Form identifying your institution is also required.

Current maximum awards are $6,700 in the first year and $7,500 in later years, subject to continued eligibility and the cost-of-attendance calculation after other gift aid. A STEM, Education or Accounting enhancement can add up to $2,500 a year beginning in year two, but it is not automatic: the major and program must be approved, and some pathways require 14 math/science credits before year two. Annual renewal requires a 3.0 cumulative institutional GPA, 30 earned credits in the academic year, residency and full-time enrollment; AP, IB, dual-enrollment and pre-graduation credits do not count toward those 30. A student may receive only one of Palmetto Fellows, LIFE or HOPE, although the scholarship may be combined with the state need-based grant if the student qualifies.

Students asking when the award will appear need to distinguish state review from campus posting: CHE reviews the application, but the college determines the final award and posts it in its aid system. The Commission tells applicants to watch their email and dashboard and submit the college designation; its Student Affairs guidance also covers cases where a scholarship has not appeared yet. We did not find a recent, verifiable individual recipient account in the sources consulted, so this guide does not invent one. If the dashboard remains pending, ask the counselor whether rank and transcript were submitted, then contact CHE at 803-737-2260; confirm amount and disbursement with the college financial-aid office.