Palmetto Fellows SAT Requirements: South Carolina 2026-27

Updated October 2026 by Carson Flowers, from South Carolina's official program pages.

The short answer: Palmetto Fellows, South Carolina's top award, takes a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT with a 3.50 GPA and top 6% class rank, or a 1400 SAT or 31 ACT with a 4.00 GPA and no rank. It pays $6,700 the first year and $7,500 each year after. The LIFE Scholarship pays up to $5,000 a year and needs any two of three: an 1100 SAT or 22 ACT, a 3.0 GPA, or top 30% class rank.

The score and GPA for each tier

Tier	SAT	ACT	GPA	What it pays
Palmetto Fellows (standard path)	1200	25	3.50 SC UGP	$6,700 in year 1, $7,500 in years 2 to 4
Palmetto Fellows (no rank needed)	1400	31	4.00 SC UGP	$6,700 in year 1, $7,500 in years 2 to 4
LIFE Scholarship	1100	22	3.0 SC UGP	Up to $5,000 a year ($4,700 toward tuition plus a $300 book allowance)

Beyond the score:

Palmetto Fellows (standard path): Top 6% of the class at the end of sophomore or junior year (Early Award), or sophomore, junior, or senior year (Late Award).
Palmetto Fellows (no rank needed): No class rank required. Students at high schools that do not rank use this path.
LIFE Scholarship: Meet any two of three: the test score, the GPA, or top 30% class rank.

How the test score counts

Palmetto Fellows superscores. CHE pairs the highest SAT Math score from any date with the highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score from any date, and for the ACT it averages the highest subject scores across sittings. Scores count through the March test date of senior year for the Early Award, or the June test date for the Late Award. Official scores must go straight to CHE (SAT code 4313, ACT code 6326).

How the GPA is calculated

GPA is figured on the South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy (SC UGP), not the report card GPA. It is reported to at least two decimal places and never rounded, so a 3.49 does not count as a 3.50. Palmetto Fellows checks GPA at the end of junior year for the Early Award or senior year for the Late Award.

Which class year these rules cover

The Palmetto Fellows lines of 1200 SAT or 25 ACT, and 1400 SAT or 31 ACT, are the current rules published by CHE. The LIFE ACT line dropped from 24 to 22 effective Fall 2023.

Deadlines

What	When
Palmetto Fellows Early Award application (your teen's counselor submits it to CHE)	April 15 of senior year, or the Friday before if it falls on a weekend or holiday
Palmetto Fellows Late Award application (counselor submits)	June 30 of senior year, or the Friday before
June SAT or ACT scores for the Late Award, received at CHE	July 31

Testing has its own clock: see every 2026-27 date in South Carolina SAT test dates.

Keeping it in college

Palmetto Fellows needs a 3.0 cumulative college GPA and at least 30 earned credit hours each academic year, plus continuous full-time enrollment and South Carolina residency. AP, CLEP, and dual enrollment credit earned before high school graduation do not count toward the 30 hours. LIFE needs a 3.0 cumulative LIFE GPA and an average of 30 credit hours per academic year.

Where it pays

Eligible South Carolina public and private two-year and four-year colleges. Your teen must enroll full time the fall right after high school graduation, unless CHE approves a gap year or term.

The misconception: a 1200 SAT is enough for Palmetto Fellows

On the standard path, Palmetto Fellows needs the score, the 3.50 GPA, and the top 6% rank at the same time. A 1250 SAT with a 3.2 GPA does not qualify, even though the score clears the bar. Find your teen's weakest piece and work on that one first.

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Quick answers

What SAT score does my teen need for South Carolina's top scholarship?

A 1200 for Palmetto Fellows, if your teen also has a 3.50 GPA and top 6% class rank. Without the rank, the line is a 1400 SAT with a 4.00 GPA. The ACT lines are 25 and 31.

Can my teen combine the best Math score from one SAT date with the best Reading and Writing score from another?

Yes, for Palmetto Fellows. CHE takes the highest Math score from any SAT sitting and the highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score from any sitting.

What if my teen is not in the top 6% of the class?

Your teen can still qualify on the no-rank path. That path takes a 1400 SAT or 31 ACT and a 4.00 GPA, and it pays the same award.

Which South Carolina scholarship is easiest to qualify for?

LIFE is the easier one to reach. Your teen needs only two of three: an 1100 SAT or 22 ACT, a 3.0 GPA, or top 30% class rank. It pays up to $5,000 a year.

How much is Palmetto Fellows worth?

$6,700 the first year and $7,500 each year after. The STEM Enhancement can add $2,500, for up to $10,000 a year. The award covers up to 8 full-time terms at a four-year school.

Does hitting the SAT number alone guarantee Palmetto Fellows?

No. The standard path needs the score, the GPA, and the class rank together. Missing any one rules out that path, though the no-rank path is still open at a higher bar.

Sources

Rules change by class year. Confirm with the program's own pages before you plan around any summary, ours included.

Turn the cutoff into a plan

Knowing the number is the easy part. In a free Strategy Session we put your teen's current score next to the Palmetto Fellows line and the ranges at their South Carolina colleges, then build the six to twelve week plan to close the gap. More for South Carolina families: South Carolina SAT prep and SAT Scores for South Carolina Colleges.