Metro guide
The Columbia metro area covers Richland County and Lexington County in South Carolina, with principal cities including Columbia and Lexington. We haven’t confirmed a scholarship limited to this metro yet, so this guide leads with local foundations, statewide awards and state aid.
The IRS lists 1 community foundation with at least $1 million in assets based in the area’s principal cities; the largest is Central Carolina Community Foundation in Columbia ($264 million in assets). Community foundations hold hundreds of small donor-funded scholarships, often limited to graduates of specific high schools or residents of one county, and many use a single shared application each winter.
Statewide, 3 more open awards are limited to South Carolina residents, and state aid includes SC Need-Based Grant. Federal Pell Grants stack on top for students who file the FAFSA.
Where local money hides: ask your school counselor for the local scholarship bulletin (many high schools keep one), check employer and union awards from your parents’ workplaces, and look at service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions) and credit unions near you. These awards rarely appear on national sites, which is why their applicant pools are small.
None confirmed right now. See the foundations and statewide awards below.
Up to $3,500 per year full-time
Official page ↗High school seniors no older than 20 on Aug 1, 2027, living in AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC; financial need is a major factor.
High school seniors, graduate students and non-traditional students; each of the 150+ funds sets its own criteria (many are for students in the Charlotte region of North and South Carolina).
South Carolina high school seniors who meet Palmetto Fellows academic requirements (SAT/ACT, GPA and class rank) and enroll full-time at an eligible South Carolina two- or four-year college.
Full South Carolina guide → · All community foundations
We haven’t confirmed one that’s open right now, but the IRS lists 1 community foundations in the area’s principal cities, and most run local scholarships.
Donors set up funds with rules such as a specific high school, county, major or need. The foundation advertises them together, usually with one online application each winter or spring, and matches applicants to every fund they qualify for.
SC Need-Based Grant. Most require the FAFSA.