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💰 University of South Carolina Aiken Merit Scholarships

Total Scholarships

Automatic

Typical Requirements for Automatic Merit

3.5 GPA / 24 ACT

University of South Carolina Aiken awards merit scholarships automatically on GPA and test scores, with no separate application. Eligibility starts at 3.5 GPA / 24 ACT.

Official Scholarship Information

View complete details on University of South Carolina Aiken's website

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Automatic merit scholarships at University of South Carolina Aiken — no separate application

2 awards granted on your admission application, based on GPA and test scores.

Automatic freshman academic scholarship consideration

In-State Requirements

GPA 3.5+ • ACT 24+ • SAT 1100+

Eligibility: Incoming freshmen who have been admitted to USC Aiken are automatically considered for academic scholarships. Students are strongly encouraged to complete their Application for Admission by December 1 or February 1 of their senior year of high school to be considered for awards. Generally, students should meet all of the following criteria to be competitive: * Graduate in the top 15 percent of their high school class. * Score 1,100 math and verbal or better on the SAT or 24 on the ACT. * Have at least a 3.5 GPA on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale.

How to apply: ["Application for Admission by December 1 or February 1 of senior year", "No separate scholarship application required (automatic consideration upon admission)", "SAT/ACT (optional but preferred for scholarship consideration)"]

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Automatic transfer scholarship consideration

In-State Requirements

GPA 3.5+

Eligibility: Transfer students who are admitted by July 15, who are transferring at least 30 hours but less than 90 hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at all institutions, and who are not currently receiving a scholarship are automatically considered for any funds that remain after renewals have been issued to students already receiving scholarships. Transfer students also must have satisfactorily completed 67 percent of all attempted courses.

How to apply: ["Admitted by July 15", "Transferring at least 30 hours but less than 90 hours", "Cumulative GPA of 3.5 at all institutions", "Satisfactorily completed 67 percent of all attempted courses", "No separate scholarship application required (automatic consideration)"]

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Other scholarships at University of South Carolina Aiken (4)

These require a separate application, or the school does not publish their eligibility criteria.

Departmental Scholarships

Eligibility: Scholarships in varying amounts are available to entering and current USC Aiken students through many of USCA’s academic departments. Some may require applications or auditions. However, most of our departmental scholarships do not require a separate application; therefore, we encourage students to speak to their academic departments in early spring to find out more about scholarship availability.

How to apply: ["Some departmental scholarships require applications or auditions", "Most departmental scholarships do not require a separate application", "Speak to academic departments in early spring for availability"]

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Donor-funded scholarship listing (various named scholarships)

Eligibility: Annual scholarships reflect a donor’s commitment to support a scholarship in a specific area or for a specific purpose.

How to apply: ["Contact the Financial Aid Office for application information"]

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USCA LIFE Scholarship Fund (donor-funded awards)

In 2024–2025, we awarded $120,000 in scholarships thanks to the generosity of our donors.

Eligibility: Unfortunately, traditional scholarships often exclude students with ID, relying on merit-based criteria like GPA and test scores. For the 2024–2025 academic year, more than half of our students did not qualify for needs-based financial aid.

How to apply: ["Contact Assistant Director, Adrienne Patterson at 803-641-3712 for more information"]

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USCA Scholarships (general institutional scholarships)

Eligibility: At USCA, we are committed to recognizing and rewarding academic excellence through our institutional academic scholarships. These scholarships are designed to support students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, leadership qualities, and a commitment to their community.

How to apply: ["Complete the FAFSA", "Check Scholarship Deadlines", "Submit Required Documents (some scholarships may require essays or letters of recommendation)"]

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Deadlines that affect merit consideration at University of South Carolina Aiken

Regular Decision

07/15/2026

Common questions about University of South Carolina Aiken scholarships

What GPA or test scores do you need for a scholarship at University of South Carolina Aiken?

The lowest published threshold across automatic awards is 3.5 GPA / 24 ACT. Individual scholarships set their own cutoffs.

Is there a full-ride scholarship at University of South Carolina Aiken?

No full-ride award is published on the school's scholarship pages.

Do you have to apply separately for merit scholarships at University of South Carolina Aiken?

2 of the published awards are granted automatically on your admission application, with no separate scholarship application.

When is the scholarship deadline at University of South Carolina Aiken?

Merit consideration usually follows the admission deadline, which is 07/15/2026. Confirm scholarship-specific dates with the financial aid office.

💡 Tip: Award amounts and cutoffs change year to year. Confirm current figures with University of South Carolina Aiken's financial aid office before making decisions — or check their scholarship page.

More on University of South Carolina Aiken

Admissions, cost & outcomes → 🏈 Athletics & sports 📍 All schools in SC 💰 Schools with automatic merit

Other SC schools with automatic merit scholarships

Allen University Columbia, SC → Anderson University Anderson, SC → Charleston Southern University Charleston, SC → Claflin University Orangeburg, SC → Clemson University Clemson, SC → College of Charleston Charleston, SC → Francis Marion University Florence, SC → Lander University Greenwood, SC →