$900 in Lottery Tuition Assistance Available for Technical College Students for Fall 2008
July 18, 2008
COLUMBIA, SC – July 18, 2008 – The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has set the maximum lottery tuition assistance (LTA) award amounts for the 2008 Fall semester. The maximum award amount for eligible students enrolled full-time (12 or more semester hours) will be $900 and the maximum award amount for eligible students enrolled part-time (6-11 semester hours) will be $75 per credit hour.
Lottery tuition assistance is available to eligible students enrolled at one of the colleges within the South Carolina Technical College System, at any two-year branch campus of the University of South Carolina or at a two-year independent college in the state. Funds for the lottery tuition assistance program come from the South Carolina Education Lottery, and a total of $47 million from lottery proceeds was designated by the General Assembly for use in the program this year. More than 175,000 students have received LTA awards since the program’s inception in 2002.
“We’re very pleased that the General Assembly continues to appropriate this money for the lottery tuition assistance program,” said System President Barry Russell. “Many of the students who benefit from this allocation do not get any other federal or state financial assistance, a fact which highlights the value of the program.” To be eligible for lottery tuition assistance, students must meet the following requirements: Complete a 2008-2009 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA forms can be found online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and at each technical college*; Be able to qualify for in-state tuition rates and be a South Carolina resident for a minimum of one year, and be a US citizen or a permanent resident that meets the definition of an eligible non-citizen; Be enrolled in a certificate, diploma or associate degree program and maintain at least six credit hours each semester; Make reasonable progress toward completion of a certificate, diploma or associate degree; Not be a recipient of a LIFE scholarship award; Not be in default on any government student loan program.
* The eligibility requirement relating to the submission of the FAFSA may be waived if: The applicant is a high school student enrolled in a dual enrollment program; The applicant already has earned a bachelor’s degree and will provide a transcript or copy of his/her diploma; The applicant is not enrolled in a program that is eligible for Title IV aid; The applicant is a dependent student who can not obtain his/her parents’ or guardians’ tax form(s).
Those seeking a waiver of the FAFSA requirement should contact the Financial Aid Office at the technical college they plan to attend.
More information about the South Carolina Education Lottery and lottery tuition assistance can be found by visiting the South Carolina Technical College System’s web site at: http://www.sctechsystem.com/lottery/eligibility.htm.
