The starting point
The Citadel awards merit scholarships to entering cadets in three competitive tiers — Full Academic Scholarship (covers catalog costs), Honors Program Scholarship (four-year, invitation-only), and 1842 Scholars Program — all requiring a separate application after admission; GPA/test thresholds are not published as an automatic grid.
More than one award path. Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.
Awards to discuss
First 3 of 7 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.
SC HOPE Scholarship (SC state portable — first-time freshman only)
$2,800/year · Published amount
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 3.0 final high school GPA · SAT: Not required for HOPE · ACT: Not required for HOPE (students who do NOT qualify for LIFE or Palmetto Fellows)
Eligibility: SC resident; graduated from SC high school (or dependent of SC resident parent); does not qualify for LIFE or Palmetto Fellows; must complete The Citadel's HOPE Scholarship Affidavit
Renewal: Only available for two semesters (freshman year). At end of freshman year the HOPE Scholarship is lost or translates into the LIFE Scholarship for sophomore year. SC residents only.
Other terms: The Citadel's own financial aid page documents this state portable award. Current annual value $2,800. COA-cap stacking rule applies (see stackingPolicy).
https://www.citadel.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/state-scholarship-programs/
SC LIFE Scholarship (SC state portable)
$5,000/year (up to $7,500/year with STEM Enhancement) · Variable or qualified amount
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 3.0 final high school cumulative GPA (one of three criteria; must meet two of three) · SAT: 1100 SAT (one of three criteria; must meet two of three) · ACT: 22 ACT (one of three criteria; must meet two of three)
Eligibility: SC resident; SC high school graduate (or dependent of SC resident); rank in top 30% of HS class is the third criterion. STEM Enhancement (up to $7,500/year) available starting sophomore year for eligible STEM majors who completed 14+ credit hours of math/science by end of freshman year.
Renewal: Available up to 8 semesters. Upperclass renewal requires 30 credit hours/year and cumulative 3.0 'LIFE GPA' (all post-secondary institutions). Annual LIFE GPA evaluated at end of each summer. Must complete The Citadel's LIFE Scholarship Affidavit. SC residents only.
Other terms: STEM Enhancement majors: computer science, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biology, mathematics, chemistry, physics. COA-cap stacking rule applies.
https://www.citadel.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/state-scholarship-programs/
SC Palmetto Fellows Scholarship (SC state portable)
$6,700/year (freshman); $7,500/year (soph/jr/sr); up to $10,000/year with STEM Enhancement · Variable or qualified amount
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: Set by SC Commission on Higher Education (eligibility criteria identified by SC high school officials) · SAT: Set by SC Commission on Higher Education · ACT: Set by SC Commission on Higher Education
Eligibility: SC resident; SC high school officials identify eligible students and report to CHE by established deadlines; separate CHE application process. STEM Enhancement requires 14+ credit hours of math/science by end of freshman year.
Renewal: Administered by SC Commission on Higher Education; must complete The Citadel's Palmetto Fellows Affidavit each year. STEM Enhancement available starting sophomore year. SC residents only. COA-cap stacking rule applies.
Other terms: The Citadel's own financial aid page documents the current values. STEM Enhancement majors same as LIFE. COA-cap stacking rule applies.
https://www.citadel.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/state-scholarship-programs/
Ask before you decide
- Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
- What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
- How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?
Recorded stacking policy: Total aid from all sources (federal, state, institutional, and private) may not exceed the student's Cost of Attendance as defined by Title IV regulations. State scholarships (SC HOPE, LIFE, Palmetto Fellows) combined with all other aid are subject to this COA cap; a student's actual award may be reduced if it would cause an over-award. No explicit statement was found on official pages about institutional merit scholarships displacing loans first or grants first.
Our unanswered questions / Family notes
