Gateway to Success Scholarship

The Gateway to Success Scholarship was established to increase enrollment of first generation, underserved, and economically disadvantaged students with strong competitive academic credentials.  There is no application for a Gateway To Success Scholarship. Students are identified from their admission application and supporting academic credentials.  This scholarship is only open to students who have completed their admissions application and submitted supporting documentation by December 1.

Scholarship amounts vary and are contingent upon funding. Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident. All students must enroll full-time (12 hours) each semester in order to be eligible for any scholarship funds.

Gateway to Success Scholarship Continuing Eligibility

Academic Standards
Recipients of the Gateway to Success Scholarship must complete 30 credit hours per academic year (fall, spring and subsequent summer). Earned hours do not include repeat courses, AP, IB, CLEP, or Placement hours or transfer hours from a previous academic year. 

Recipients of the Gateway to Success Scholarship must maintain a cumulative College of Charleston GPA of 3.0.

If the student maintains the required academic standards and experiential requirements, the scholarship will be renewed automatically. Renewals are made in the summer of each year for the upcoming year. Students failing to meet the renewal academic standards and experiential requirements will be notified in writing in early summer.

Students unable to meet the renewal standards and experiential requirements will be given the opportunity to appeal based on mitigating circumstances (e.g. serious health condition, death or serious health condition of an immediate family member, or a traumatic event). Students who wish to appeal may complete the Scholarship Appeal Form

A continuing student that has lost eligibility, or was not previously eligible, cannot regain eligibility.

Experiential Requirements

Beginning with fall 2012, first-year students are required to:

• Attend the SPECTRA/SCAMP Summer Transition Program http://msps.cofc.edu/academicservices/spectra.php  SPECTRA  is a summer residential program designed to assist incoming multicultural and/or first generation students in making a smooth transition from high school to college. SPECTRA provides an opportunity for a limited number of  students to enroll in summer school courses, live on campus and participate in co-curricular activities which give them a great start on their first-year college experience.
• Attend the Gateway to Success Scholars Orientation program
• Attend three (3) multicultural programs or approved equivalent programs per academic semester
• Attend two (2) mandatory individual academic reviews per semester.
• Attend the First Year Experience (FYE) Peer Facilitator sessions.

During the sophomore, junior and senior years, students are required to:

• Maintain a cumulative College of Charleston GPA of 3.0.
• Complete 30 credit hours per academic year (fall, spring and subsequent summer). Earned hours do not include repeat courses.
• Attend two (2) mandatory individual academic reviews per semester.
• Attend two (2) multicultural programs or approved equivalent programs per academic semester