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The award collection
Published scholarships
These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.
Where does your student land?
President's Award — In-State$6,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
Published awardAcademic thresholds
President's Award — In-State
$6,000/year
Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.5 weighted (or 3.0 unweighted if only unweighted GPA available)
SAT
1360+
ACT
30–36
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for President's Award — In-State
Who qualifies
Apply by May 1 of senior year; SC resident
How to keep it
Must maintain cumulative 3.0 GPA and complete 24 semester hours per academic year (excluding summer). Scholarship renewable for up to four years from initial enrollment. Automatic renewal if standards met; appeal available if not.
Worth knowing
Grid is labeled '2025-2026 Requirements' on the page as of 2026-06-04 — stale-risk flag; confirm 2026-2027 amounts with aid office. Out-of-state version is separate tier.
President's Award — Out-of-State$4,000/year + $8,000 abatementAutomaticRenewable
Published awardAcademic thresholds
President's Award — Out-of-State
$4,000/year + $8,000 abatement
Published award termsAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.5 weighted
SAT
1360+
ACT
30–36
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for President's Award — Out-of-State
Who qualifies
Apply by May 1 of senior year; non-SC resident
How to keep it
Must maintain cumulative 3.0 GPA and complete 24 semester hours per academic year. Renewable up to four years.
Worth knowing
Abatement reduces non-resident fees. Grid labeled '2025-2026 Requirements' — stale-risk flag. Total effective value not broken down further on the page.
Trustee's Award — In-State$4,500/yearAutomaticRenewable
Published awardAcademic thresholds
Trustee's Award — In-State
$4,500/year
Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.5 weighted
SAT
1230–1350
ACT
26–29
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Trustee's Award — In-State
Who qualifies
Apply by May 1 of senior year; SC resident
How to keep it
Must maintain cumulative 3.0 GPA and complete 24 semester hours per academic year. Renewable up to four years.
Transfer Scholarship — 3.0+ GPA$2,000/yearNot automatic
Published awardOther selection criteria
Transfer Scholarship — 3.0+ GPA
$2,000/year
Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.0 cumulative (post-high school)
Open award details for Transfer Scholarship — 3.0+ GPA
Who qualifies
At least 12 post-high school credit hours earned, no more than 90 attempted; must have earned at least 67% of attempted hours; must enroll full-time at Lander
Renewal terms
Page does not specify renewal terms for transfer scholarships beyond the general scholarship renewal policy (3.0 GPA, 24 hrs/yr).
Worth knowing
A limited number of scholarships available. Automatic consideration not stated — may require admission inquiry.
Transfer Scholarship — 2.7–2.99 GPA$1,000/yearNot automatic
Published awardOther selection criteria
Transfer Scholarship — 2.7–2.99 GPA
$1,000/year
Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
2.7–2.99 cumulative (post-high school)
Open award details for Transfer Scholarship — 2.7–2.99 GPA
Who qualifies
At least 12 post-high school credit hours earned, no more than 90 attempted; must have earned at least 67% of attempted hours; must enroll full-time
Renewal terms
Page does not specify renewal terms for this transfer tier beyond the general policy.
Worth knowing
Limited availability.
Alumni Heritage Scholarship$500/semester ($1,000/year; $4,000 total over 4 years)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Alumni Heritage Scholarship
$500/semester ($1,000/year; $4,000 total over 4 years)
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
Start with the award’s published eligibility.
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Alumni Heritage Scholarship
Who qualifies
Child or grandchild (biological or adopted) of a Lander alumnus/alumna. Must complete the Alumni Heritage Scholarship Application. Must submit enrollment/housing forms and deposits by August 1.
How to keep it
Renewable for up to seven additional semesters (eight semesters total). Must maintain full-time status and be in good standing with the university.
Worth knowing
Separate application required. Available to first-time freshmen or entering transfer students.
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Transfer Scholarship$1,000/year (stacks with Transfer Scholarship: combined $3,000/year)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Transfer Scholarship
$1,000/year (stacks with Transfer Scholarship: combined $3,000/year)
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
Start with the award’s published eligibility.
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Transfer Scholarship
Who qualifies
Active PTK member transferring into Lander with at least 12 post-high school credit hours. Submit copy of active PTK membership card to Office of Financial Aid.
How to keep it
Renewable by remaining in good standing with the University.
Worth knowing
The page states: 'All PTK scholarship recipients also qualify for the highest Lander Transfer scholarship ($2,000/year). Thus these students will receive scholarships totaling $3,000/year.' PTK must stack with Transfer Scholarship per official language.
LIFE Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)$5,000/yearNot automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
LIFE Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)
$5,000/year
Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.0 final high school cumulative GPA on Uniform Grading Scale (one of three criteria; must meet two of three)
SAT
1,100 (one of three criteria)
ACT
22 (one of three criteria)
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for LIFE Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)
Who qualifies
SC resident; enroll full-time; must meet two of three criteria (GPA, SAT/ACT, or top 30% of HS class)
How to keep it
Annual renewal requires earning at least 30 semester hours per year of attendance and a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Worth knowing
State portable award documented on Lander's own scholarships page. Lander documents its own renewal interaction (30 hrs + 3.0 GPA at Lander).
LIFE Scholarship Enhancement — STEM or Education$2,500 additional (total $7,500/year with LIFE)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
LIFE Scholarship Enhancement — STEM or Education
$2,500 additional (total $7,500/year with LIFE)
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.0 (LIFE renewal standard)
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for LIFE Scholarship Enhancement — STEM or Education
Who qualifies
Must be LIFE Scholarship recipient; enrolled full-time in CHE-approved program; STEM or Education track as described
How to keep it
Must meet LIFE renewal criteria (30 hrs/yr, 3.0 GPA). Available beginning sophomore year, renewable up to two additional years. STEM: must earn 14 credit hours of approved STEM coursework before start of second year. Education: must sign service commitment to SC public schools.
Worth knowing
Page states '$5,000 Life Scholarship + $2,500 Enhancement'.
HOPE Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)$2,800 — first year onlyNot automatic
Published awardOther selection criteria
HOPE Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)
$2,800 — first year only
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.0 final high school cumulative GPA on Uniform Grading Scale
Open award details for HOPE Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)
Who qualifies
SC resident; entering freshman
Renewal terms
Not renewable. Students who earn 3.0 GPA and 30 hours in freshman year become eligible for LIFE Scholarship in year two.
Worth knowing
One-year-only award. Pathway to LIFE if standards met after first year.
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
Minimum 3.50 high school GPA
SAT
1,200
ACT
25
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Palmetto Fellows Scholarship (SC State Portable Award)
Who qualifies
SC resident; top 6% of HS class (end of sophomore or junior year); apply by December deadline of senior year via SC Commission on Higher Education; selected by CHE
How to keep it
Must have 3.0 Lander GPA (transfer courses do NOT impact LU GPA) and 30 credit hours EACH academic year. AP and Dual Enrollment credits do NOT count toward the 30-hr requirement at Lander for renewal purposes. Transfer hours may count toward 30-hr requirement even if not affecting GPA.
Worth knowing
Recipients selected by SC Commission on Higher Education, not Lander. Lander's page documents the renewal rules as they apply at Lander specifically.
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement — STEM or Education$2,500 additional (total $10,000/year with Palmetto Fellows upperclassman amount)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement — STEM or Education
$2,500 additional (total $10,000/year with Palmetto Fellows upperclassman amount)
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
“it told me what to ask and what the renewal GPA looked like, which I was not going to find on my own”Melissa
The fine print
Renewal ruleAlumni Heritage Scholarship: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Renewable for up to seven additional semesters (eight semesters total). Must maintain full-time status and be in good standing with the university. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.
Aid capHard $26,355 cost-of-attendance ceiling
Institutional aid at Lander cannot push the package past $26,355. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.
What makes Lander different
South Carolina public liberal-arts university offering four tiers of automatic freshman merit scholarships (up to $6,000/yr in-state) plus SC state awards (LIFE, Palmetto Fellows) and dozens of departmental scholarships requiring a separate application.
Merit tiers188 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJun 2026By our research team
More than one award path
Separate the two paths.
Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.
Match the published criteria
Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.
Check the application dates
Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.
Know what happens next year
Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.
The fine print / Three questions to carry forward
Before you count on it.
Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.
Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.
Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.
A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.
See what could change an award+
What families often miss
The scholarships page labels the freshman merit grid '2025-2026 Requirements' as of the June 2026 retrieval date. The 2026-2027 amounts may not have been updated yet. Verify current-year amounts directly with the Lander Financial Aid Office before quoting them.
Freshmen are automatically considered if they apply for admission by May 1 of their senior year — no separate scholarship application is needed for the four named tiers (President's, Trustee's, Provost's, Dean's). However, departmental scholarships and named scholarships (Alumni Heritage, PTK, etc.) require separate applications.
All four freshman merit tiers require a 3.5 weighted GPA. Students with only an unweighted GPA must have at least a 3.0 unweighted. A 3.0 unweighted student still must meet the ACT/SAT threshold for whatever tier they qualify for, but the 3.5 weighted GPA requirement gates all four tiers.
Lander's official policy explicitly states 'Departmental scholarships may reduce other Lander institutional aid.' Winning a departmental award does not necessarily add to a student's total — it may replace part of another Lander institutional award.
Lander requires students to report any outside scholarship. Failure to do so can result in a total-aid-over-COA violation, since the university caps total aid at the cost of attendance.
The Honors College page lists no dedicated scholarship dollar amount. Honors College membership offers perks (priority registration, housing preference, study-abroad supplemental funding through the Global Scholars Program) but no separate named merit dollar award is documented on the Honors College page.
Palmetto Fellows recipients are selected by the SC Commission on Higher Education, not Lander. Students must apply directly to CHE by the December deadline of their senior year. LIFE is automatically assessed at enrollment using SC admissions data.
Lander's page explicitly states that for Palmetto Fellows renewal, 'Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment credits do NOT count' toward the required 30 credit hours per academic year at Lander.
The HOPE Scholarship is explicitly 'not renewable' — it is $2,800 for the first year only. Students who earn a 3.0 GPA and 30 hours in the freshman year may then become eligible for LIFE in year two.
All institutional scholarships require full-time enrollment at Lander. Students enrolled less than full-time in a semester do not receive their scholarship for that semester, and missed semesters are not extended to the end of their academic career.
Lander's policy states 'Scholarships are awarded for up to, but never exceeding, four years from the initial term of college enrollment.' Late or interrupted enrollment does not extend the four-year window.
Students who have accepted Graduate Assistantship positions are explicitly not eligible for Lander graduate scholarships. Additionally, individuals may receive only one Lander graduate scholarship.
See costs and school data+
Who this school may work for
South Carolina residents and out-of-state freshmen who want a clear automatic merit-aid grid with no separate scholarship application; transfer students with 2.7+ GPA; PTK honor-society members; and students in specific majors seeking departmental awards through AcademicWorks.
Published yearly cost: Approximately $26,355 for 2026-2027. On/Off-Campus SC resident total: Tuition $10,700 + Fees $1,000 + Housing $7,300 + Food $5,700 + Books $1,200 + Avg Course Fees $85 + Avg Loan Fees $70 + Computer $600 (first-year only) = $26,655 with computer; recurring annual on/off-campus SC = $26,055 (no computer). Non-resident adds $9,600. With Parent SC: $10,700+$1,000+$3,100+$4,500+$1,200+$85+$70+$600=$21,255 first year. Graduate in-state: $6,540+$7,300+$5,700+$600+$160=$20,300. Values below use SC resident on/off-campus excluding first-year-only computer allowance for a recurring full COA figure. Source
Cost and graduation facts
Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Lander, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.
Average annual net price by family income at Lander, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family income
Average net price paid
$0–$30,000
$11,450
$30,001–$48,000
$11,778
$48,001–$75,000
$13,842
$75,001–$110,000
$18,319
$110,001+
$19,102
All income levels (average)
$15,363
Sticker price vs. what students actually pay
Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$11,700
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$21,300
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$15,363
That works out to roughly a 44% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $27,277 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).
Lander is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.
Outcomes for students who enrolled here
Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
50%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
70%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$25,000 (~$265/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$42,396
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
45%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
63%
See other scholarships and cost examples+
If your student brings another scholarship
Total aid (scholarships + grants + loans + other awards) may never exceed the total Cost of Attendance. Departmental scholarships explicitly may reduce other Lander institutional aid. Students must report outside/private scholarships to the Financial Aid Office. No explicit COA-displacement rule favoring loans or grants over merit is published; the cap is COA. The PTK scholarship explicitly stacks with the highest transfer scholarship ($3,000 combined).
Institutional Scholarship Eligibility Policy states: 'Students may never receive any combination of scholarships, financial aid, and other awards that exceeds the total cost of attendance for the academic year.' Departmental scholarships may reduce other Lander institutional aid. Outside scholarship recipients must report awards. The policy does not specify whether loans are displaced before grants or vice versa when COA is approached — that interaction is not published on official pages. Graduate students: 'Individuals may receive only one Lander graduate scholarship. Students who have accepted Graduate Assistantship positions are not eligible for Lander graduate scholarships.'
These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.
AmountUp to $1,000EligibilityFull-time (6 hrs) graduate students; need-based. Limited number available.
Renewable for one additional year. Application must be submitted one month before start of semester. Only one Lander graduate scholarship per student. Not available to graduate assistants.
AmountFull cost of tuition for final two courses of second master's degreeEligibilityStudents who have already earned a first master's degree from Lander and are pursuing a second master's at Lander. Must be in good standing with no financial holds.
Application required before start of final two courses (not at program start).
AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityArt majors at Lander; portfolio submission by March 10 deadline. Reviewed by scholarship committee. Includes Fine Arts Scholarship, Carol Brown Scholarship, Marie Chisholm Scholarship, Barbara Kinard Cornett Art Scholarship.
Departmental; requires portfolio submission. May reduce other Lander institutional aid. Apply through lander.academicworks.com.
AmountAmount not published (individual award amounts not listed)EligibilityProspective music majors, minors, and ensemble participants must audition before music faculty. Demonstrates performing ability, music theory knowledge, and music potential. Submit Lander music scholarship application and audition registration form with letter of recommendation from a music professional.
Multiple named scholarships (Arrington-Rhodes, Eula Caudle Bracknell, Paul D. Criswell, etc.). Some renewable provided 3.0 GPA maintained. Apply through lander.academicworks.com.
AmountAmount not published on Lander pageEligibilityGreenwood County students in junior and senior year of a bachelor's degree program in select majors. Must be LIFE Scholarship eligible.
External/local scholarship listed as 'outside' on Lander's page. See greenwoodpromise.com. Students must report to Lander Financial Aid Office.
AmountAmount not specified on Lander pageEligibilitySC residents attending SC college; current high school seniors entering first year of college; 3.0 GPA; at least 1100 SAT; family income under $60,000. Deadline April 1.
Application can be requested from Lander University Financial Aid Office.
AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityFreshmen and upper-class students enrolled in a science degree program; minimum 3.5 GPA in science courses AND minimum 3.5 overall GPA. Selected by vote of Biology and Physical Sciences faculty.
Not described as requiring a separate application — faculty vote process. Awarded annually.
AmountAmount not published (four-year scholarship)EligibilityEntering freshmen majoring in Environmental Science; minimum SAT 1000 (ACT 21); rising high school seniors; college preparatory or AP preferred. Reviewed by Environmental Science Steering Committee and King estate trustees.
Renewable up to three additional years provided 3.0 GPA maintained as Environmental Science major. Established 1998.
What is the application deadline for freshman merit scholarships at Lander?
Qualifying high school seniors who apply for admission by May 1 of their senior year are automatically considered — no separate scholarship application is needed.
What GPA must I maintain to keep my Lander merit scholarship?
The general renewal standard is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and completion of 24 semester hours per academic year (excluding summer), unless the individual scholarship terms state otherwise.
Do I need a separate application for departmental scholarships?
Yes. Departmental scholarships require an application through lander.academicworks.com. Applications open November 1 for continuing students and October 1 for new students.
Can I receive both a Lander merit scholarship and a SC LIFE or Palmetto Fellows award?
Lander's policy caps total aid at the cost of attendance but does not explicitly prohibit stacking institutional and state awards — however, the combination may not exceed COA. Confirm the specific interaction with the Financial Aid Office.
Does the Honors College provide an additional merit scholarship?
No dollar amount is listed on the Honors College page. Honors members may access supplemental study-abroad funding through the Global Scholars Program, but no named Honors scholarship amount is published.
What is the 2026-2027 Cost of Attendance for an in-state undergraduate living on or off campus?
Per the 2026-2027 table on the Tuition & Financial Aid page: Tuition $10,700 + Fees $1,000 + Housing $7,300 + Food $5,700 + Books & Supplies $1,200 + Avg Course Fees $85 + Avg Loan Fees $70 = $26,055 per academic year (computer allowance of $600 added for first-year students only).
When will the 2026-2027 freshman scholarship requirements grid be published?
As of June 4, 2026, the page still shows '2025-2026 Requirements.' Contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@lander.edu or 864-388-8340 to confirm 2026-2027 amounts.
See sources and other schools+
How Lander compares
235 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.
Lander is in a recognizable cluster (235 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.
665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Lander is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against Lander’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
