Merit-Based Scholarship Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for Merit-based Scholarships?

Answer : New, incoming undergraduate students, both freshmen and transfer students, are eligible. Continuing CCU students who are not already receiving a merit-based award, returning transfer students, and re-admitted students are not eligible for consideration of merit-based scholarships.

How do I apply for a Merit-based Scholarship?

Answer : After a student has been accepted to CCU, they are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. There is no separate application process.

What are the requirements to qualify for a Merit-based Scholarship?

Answer : A complete listing of requirements is available on our merit-based scholarship webpage. - When reviewing the requirements please note;

All references to SAT scores refer to the combined critical reading and math sections only. The third, ‘writing section’, is not evaluated.

All references to the ACT scores refer to the composite score from one individual test.

For freshman awards; the cumulative weighted high school GPA as reported on the student’s high school transcript will be reviewed.

For transfer awards; the cumulative collegiate GPA, which includes all college coursework not just that earned from last institution attended, will be reviewed.

When will I be notified if I have been awarded a Merit-based Scholarship?

Answer : The initial awarding process will begin in November of each year. Eligible students will be notified with an official offer letter sent via US mail.

General Merit-based Scholarships: After the initial awarding cycle has begun, typically within two weeks following acceptance to CCU.

Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Merit-based Scholarships: After the Scholarship Office has received a recommendation to award from the Chair of the Music, Theatre, or Art department.

PGM Merit-based Scholarships: After the Scholarship Office has received confirmation from the Director of PGM, that the student has been officially accepted into the PGM program.

Am I eligible to receive multiple Merit-based Scholarships?

Answer : No, a student is able to receive only one scholarship from the merit-based scholarship program. This includes the VPA Merit-Based and PGM Merit-based Scholarships.

If I was initially classified as an out of state student for tuition and fees purposes, and have since established my South Carolina Residency with CCU’s Residency Office, thus allowing me now to be considered an instate student for tuition and fees purposes, what changes would be made to the Merit-based Scholarship I had been offered/had been receiving?

Answer: At the point the Scholarship Office receives confirmation from the Residency Office that a Merit-based Scholarship recipient has been approved for a change from out of state to instate tuition and fees, the Merit-based Scholarship will be adjusted from the out of state amount to the equivalent instate amount (Example: An out-of-state Coastal Scholar Award would be changed from $6,000 per year to the instate equivalent of $1,000 per year).

What if I am not meeting the requirements to qualify for a Merit-based Scholarship?

Answer : CCU is fortunate that our applicant pool is highly competitive and we have many students that meet the minimum criteria therefore we are not able to award students who do not meet the minimum criteria.

However, students have the opportunity to re-take the SAT/ACT, and re-submit their transcripts throughout the year in order to try to meet the criteria. The Scholarship Office will continue to award until funding is depleted, therefore all new information needs to be submitted to the Admissions Office by April 1st in order to be considered (by July 1st for transfer awards). At the point a student is meeting all requirements; they will be awarded and notified with an offer letter, provided funding is still available. Please note: final high school transcripts (final HS GPA’s), and tests taken after the April testing dates, will not be able to be considered for Merit-based Scholarship eligibility.

What if I’ve recently taken a test (SAT/ACT) and have gotten a higher score?

Answer : If you are now meeting the requirements for the next level of merit-based scholarship, you will be eligible for an ‘up-grade’ to that award, provided funding is still available. Be sure your new scores are sent to the Admission’s Office, so they may be included in your record. Students are automatically considered for an upgrade if/when they meet the requirements. To help ensure (but not guarantee) funding is still available, it is best to have any new scores submitted by April 1st. Please note: final high school transcripts (final HS GPA’s), and tests taken after the April testing dates, will not be able to be considered for Merit-based Scholarship eligibility.

Are Merit-based Scholarships offered on a ‘First Come, First Serve’ basis?

Answer: Generally no; merit-based scholarships will continue to be awarded to any student who is meeting the minimum requirements until funding has been depleted. However, there are priority deadlines stated for each award which indicate the timeframe a student should be accepted in order to receive the award. Please see the merit-based scholarship webpage for priority date listings.

Students accepted to CCU by the priority deadline indicated, will be assured the scholarship if they are meeting the requirements. Students accepted to CCU after the priority deadline indicated, will not be guaranteed the scholarship, but will be able to be considered if funding is still available. Generally, final offers are made in April for Freshman Awards and in July for Transfer awards (Note: this is subject to change each year).

What if I was offered a Merit-based Scholarship and was not able to enroll that semester, but will enroll in a future term; will I be able to still receive the Merit-based Scholarship I was offered?

Answer: The Merit-based Scholarship Offer is only granted if you enroll in the term stated on the offer letter. If you do not enroll that specific term, your offer will be cancelled.

If you return to CCU at a later date, then you will be automatically considered in the normal review process, and will be offered the scholarship for which you are meeting the minimum requirements.

Note: A student who has attended another institution after high school graduation and later enrolls at CCU will be considered a transfer student for admission, and will only be eligible to be considered for the Transfer Merit-based Scholarships.

If I am enrolling in a summer term prior to the fall semester, will I be able to be considered for Merit-based Scholarships?

Answer: Yes, students enrolling in a summer term vs. the fall semester will be able to be considered for the merit-based scholarships under the same time frame as the fall awards. If offered, the scholarship will be awarded starting in the fall term.

If I am receiving the Academic Common Market (ACM) tuition waiver, am I also able to receive Merit-based Scholarships?

Answer: No. Students receiving the ACM tuition waiver will not be able to also receive a merit-based scholarship. Further details may be found on the ACM webpage.

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