Scholarships
South Carolina: National Merit and competitive major scholarships
USC’s Finalist award and its Top Scholar competition are separate opportunities, with different residency amounts.
Updated · Official sources
National Merit is one route
At the University of South Carolina, eligible National Merit® Finalists naming USC first choice can receive the Provost Scholars Award. The published resident amount is up to $10,000 annually; it may combine with another university merit award. These are current published terms checked November 8, 2026, not a confirmed future-cohort offer. USC: scholarships for South Carolina residents.
For nonresidents, USC lists $6,000 annually for Provost Scholars, also combinable with another university merit award. General scholarship renewal requires full-time enrollment and a 3.0 USC system GPA. USC: scholarships for nonresidents.
These stated amounts do not themselves promise all college costs. Semifinalist recognition alone also does not meet the Finalist condition.
Larger competitive awards have another selection process
USC's resident Top Scholar awards include Stamps and Carolina. Candidates submit the university and Honors College applications, with November 15 listed as the Honors deadline, and selected candidates attend interviews. This is a competitive process, not an automatic consequence of a PSAT/NMSQT® score. USC: scholarships for South Carolina residents.
For nonresidents, USC currently lists Stamps at approximately $25,810 annually plus a reduction to in-state tuition, with a $15,000 enrichment fund across four years. The published four-year headline includes the tuition reduction; it is not an annual cash stipend. The application also requires the Honors supplement and selection process. USC: scholarships for nonresidents.
Build the budget from the award letter
Use each college's written offer to distinguish an annual payment, a tuition-rate reduction and restricted enrichment money. Ask what remains for housing, meals, travel and personal expenses, and whether other awards change the package.
This article describes USC examples, not a statewide entitlement or an inventory of every South Carolina college. Check the official residency page and entering-year deadlines before applying. For an explicitly cost-of-attendance-based comparison, see Texas National Merit options.