LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS

Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (L.I.F.E.) Scholarships
2008-2009 Information Sheet for Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

 Frequently Asked Questions

Scholarship Criteria for all Students

• Citizen of the United States of America

• South Carolina resident or parent/parents who were residents at time of student's graduation

• No drug, alcohol or felony convictions

• No defaults and no refund owed to Federal or State financial aid

• Graduated from high school or completed a home school program as prescribed by law

• Enrolled in an eligible institution as a full-time degree-seeking undergraduate student

• Enrolled in at least 12 non-developmental hours of coursework (100 level or above)

• Must submit to the financial aid office each semester a copy of the student schedule.

Entering freshmen

• 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale at the time of high school graduation

• Be enrolled full-time (courses below 100 can not be counted towards full-time enrollment.)

• Your final high school transcript must reflect a 3.0 cumulative GPA calculated on a 4.0 scale and show a graduation date prior to the semester LIFE is to be awarded.

• Must submit to the financial aid office each semester a copy of the student schedule.

Continuing Students

• Maintain a 3.0 cumulative college grade point average on a 4.0 scale; and

• Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, excluding Developmental classes that begin with an “0” and remedial course work during the previous award year  – to include credit hours earned in summer.

• Must submit to the financial aid office each semester a copy of the student schedule.

L.I.F.E Scholarship is not offered during the summer and L.I.F.E. eligible students do not qualify for S.C. Lottery Assistance in the same award year. (back to top) 

Transferring Students

• Transfer students must comply with all standards for continued eligibility as defined above for continuing students, including the cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale from the transferring institution.

• Students transferring from one institution to a participating institution, who may be eligible to receive a L.I.F.E. Scholarship, must submit an official transcript from the transferring institution.  This transcript must provide evidence of current credit hours earned, and cumulative grade point average.

• Students who received the scholarship and transferred mid-year to this institution may be eligible to receive the scholarship for the spring term. The student must submit an official document from the transferring institution to verify that he/she met the requirements for continued eligibility at the beginning of the academic year prior to the transfer.

• • Must submit to the financial aid office each semester a copy of the student schedule.

Length of Eligibility

• The LIFE Scholarship is limited to two (2) semesters for a one-year certificate or diploma program and four (4) semesters for a two-year program. The availability of terms for scholarship funding is based on the time of initial college enrollment.

• Students may not receive the L.I.F.E. scholarship if they have earned an Associate or Bachelors degree. Furthermore, students cannot receive the scholarship if they have earned a certificate or diploma and have not matriculated into an associate program of study.

Renewal
In order to retain eligibility for the L.I.F.E. Scholarship after the initial year, students must:

• Enroll full-time during the period of scholarship disbursement;

• Earn and maintain at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale reviewed annually after each academic year; and

• Earn an average of 30 credit hours by the end of the academic year/15 credit hours for mid-year students. Students may make up credit hour deficit during the summer to regain eligibility for fall.

• Continuing students may not exceed 60 credit hours.

• All students must submit all transcripts from all other S.C. Colleges or Universities to be considered for 2005-2006 L.I.F.E. renewal.

• Must submit to the financial aid office each semester a copy of the student schedule.

How to get your L.I.F.E. Scholarship Award:

• An award notification will be sent to those who qualify.

• Return the L.I.F.E. Scholarship Affidavit to the Financial Aid Office.
  The Affidavit will automatically be mailed to those who qualify

• All students must submit an official class schedule to the Financial Aid Office for the current semester that LIFE is to be awarded.

• Must submit to the financial aid office each semester a copy of the student schedule.

LIFE - Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for the LIFE Scholarship?
There is no application for the LIFE Scholarship.  The college or university will automatically determine eligibility and will notify students if eligible for the LIFE Scholarship.  If you believe that you are eligible, but have not received notification from the institution, please contact the financial aid office at the college or university for additional information.

How long can I receive the LIFE Scholarship?
The LIFE Scholarship is limited to four (4) terms for the first associate’s degree program or two (2) terms for the first one-year certificate or diploma program.  The available number of terms for scholarship funding is based on the time of initial college enrollment.  For example, if a student enrolls in college in Fall 2006, the last term or eligibility to receive the LIFE Scholarship will be Spring 2008.

Can I qualify for the LIFE Scholarship if I graduated from a high school out-of-state or completed an approved home school program as prescribed by law?
Yes, as long as you can provide verification to the college that you were a dependent of a South Carolina resident at the time of high school graduation and at the time of college enrollment and you met all other eligibility criteria
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May I receive the LIFE Scholarship if I am required to take remedial courses?
First-time entering freshmen attending an eligible two-year or technical college who enroll in remedial courses during the first term(s) of enrollment will not be eligible for scholarship funds during this period unless the student is enrolled in at least twelve credit hours of non-remedial courses.  Credit hours earned during the term(s) of remedial enrollment will not be used to determine remaining scholarship eligibility at the completion of remediation unless the student has completed at least twelve hours of non-remedial coursework each term of enrollment.  The student will be eligible for the LIFE Scholarship for the term following completion of remediation if the student was eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship upon high school graduation.

What do I need to do to keep the LIFE Scholarship once it is awarded?
To keep the LIFE Scholarship, students must earn a cumulative 3.0 LIFE grade point average (GPA) and an average of 30 credit hours each academic year.  Also, remember that the academic year is considered fall, spring and summer.  Therefore, you can use the summer to bring up a GPA or earn credit hours.  Keep in mind that transfer GPA’s from an eligible SC institution may be used for purposes of the LIFE Scholarship only.
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What happens if I fall below the minimum credit hour or GPA requirement?
Students who fail to earn a cumulative 3.0 LIFE GPA at the end of the academic year or the requisite number of hours required, may regain eligibility the next academic year if their cumulative LIFE GPA is a 3.0 at the end of the academic year and they have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours if a rising sophomore.  The academic year is considered fall, spring and summer.  Therefore, you can use the summer to bring up a GPA or earn credit hours.  Please consult your college or university financial aid office to verify that credit hours earned during the summer at another institution will be accepted.  Ttransfer GPA’s from an eligible SC institution may be used for purposes of the LIFE Scholarship only.

What happens if an extenuating circumstance has caused me to fall below the required number of credit hours or grade point average?
If a truly extenuating circumstance resulted in the loss of LIFE Scholarship eligibility, you may submit an appeal to the Commission on Higher Education.  Applications for appeal may be obtained from the institution’s Financial Aid Office, the Commission on Higher Education, or"

http://www.che400.state.sc.us/StudentServices/Appeals/AppealsHm.htm. 

Applications are reviewed annually and the deadline for receipt of appeal applications is October 15^th.

What happens if I drop out of school and re-start the next semester?
The LIFE Scholarship is a continuous program.  Therefore, if you drop out or take a leave of absence from the institution, the “clock is still ticking” so to speak.  You will still have to adhere to the yearly credit hour requirements just like you would if you were still in school.  A semester missed is a semester used.
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If I need to drop a class one quarter or semester will I lose the LIFE Scholarship?
No, you will not automatically lose the scholarship.  Scholarships are awarded annually.  However, you must meet the credit hour requirement by the end of the academic year.  Therefore, you must have a total of 30 credit hours after your first year. Any credit hours attempted or earned before high school graduation, hours exempted by examination, or advanced placement credit accepted by the institution as academic credit will be reflected in the total number of cumulative credit hours earned.

What happens if I have been convicted of an alcohol or other drug misdemeanor offense?
Students who have been adjudicated delinquent or have been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any alcohol or other drug-related misdemeanor offense are ineligible for the scholarship for one academic year after the adjudication, conviction, or plea occurred. The student will lose eligibility the next academic year immediately following conviction and will lose the scholarship for the fall and spring terms.

May I qualify for the LIFE Scholarship if I complete my high school graduation requirements a semester early?
Students who complete their high school graduation requirements prior to the official graduation date reported on the final high school transcript may be eligible to receive the LIFE Scholarship pending the approval of the Commission on Higher Education.  An Early Graduation Application Form can be obtained from the Commission on Higher Education or http://www.che.sc.gov/StudentServices/LIFE/Early%20Graduation%20Form%202.doc.  The form must be submitted to the Commission on Higher Education for consideration.
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May I qualify for the LIFE Scholarship if I qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
Students who qualify under the ADA must register with the institution’s Disability Services Office.  The institutional Disability Services Provider must provide written documentation to the Office of Financial Aid each academic year verifying that the student is approved to be enrolled in less than full time status or earn less than the required annual credit hours.   In order to renew the scholarship each academic year, the student must complete the required number of hours approved by the institutional Disability Services Provider and earn a cumulative 3.0 LIFE grade point average.

If I am a LIFE Scholarship Recipient, am I eligible to receive Lottery Tuition Assistance during the summer of the same academic year?
No, according to the law, if you received the LIFE Scholarship, you cannot receive Lottery Tuition Assistance during the same academic year.  For example, if you are awarded the LIFE Scholarship during the fall and spring terms, then you are not eligible to receive Lottery Tuition Assistance during the summer term.  However, if you transfer mid-year from an eligible four-year institution to an eligible two-year institution and you received the LIFE Scholarship at the four-year institution, you may be eligible to receive Lottery Tuition Assistance.
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