• Colonial Scholarship
• College of Charleston Merit Scholarship
• National Merit Scholarship
• James E. Clyburn Scholarship
• Upward Bound Scholarship

The Colonial Scholarship was established as the College of Charleston’s most prestigious scholarship. Recipients are selected among the highest qualified students from South Carolina in each freshman class.  The academic credentials of the students at the time of admission, prior academic and community service involvement, and personal interviews with members of the Scholarship Committee are considered in the selection process.

All students must enroll full-time (12 hours) each semester in order to be eligible for any scholarship funds.

Continuing Eligibility 

A recipient 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 Colonial Scholarship must maintain a cumulative College of Charleston GPA of 3.5.

The Colonial Scholarship will be renewed automatically, if the student maintains the required academic standards.  Renewals are made in the summer of each year for the upcoming year.

Students failing to meet the renewal standards will be notified in writing in early summer. Students unable to meet the renewal standards 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, cannot regain eligibility in subsequent years.

General Requirements

Students can only receive scholarship funds for 4 years from their initial college enrollment.
Scholarships will be terminated when the student completes the requirements for a first undergraduate degree.

Scholarship funds are not available during summer school.

Acceptance Required

Students must accept their scholarship offer online through MyCharleston. See the general information page for details on how to accept awards via MyCharleston.