Federal Grants
Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who are enrolled in an eligible program, have not received a bachelor’s degree, and who demonstrate financial need. The amount of the grant is determined by the Federal Pell Grant Program based on the applicant’s family’s financial circumstances.
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded by the Director of Student Financial Aid to students demonstrating financial need. Students showing exceptional need and who complete will be given first consideration for these grants as long as funds are available.
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
If your parent or guardian died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan, you may be eligible for an Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. Like other federal grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants provide money to college or career school students to help pay their education expenses. Recipients of this grant had a parent or guardian who died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan.
- Eligibility
Students are eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if:
- The student is not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant on the basis of your Expected Family Contribution but
- The student meets the remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements, and
- The student’s parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11, and
- The student was under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent’s or guardian’s death.
The grant award is equal to the amount of a maximum Federal Pell Grant for the award year but cannot exceed your cost of attendance for that award year. For the 2022–23 award year (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024), the maximum Federal Pell Grant award will be $7,395.
TEACH Grant
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants up to the maximum set by the U.S. Congress (currently $3,772 per year for grants disbursed 10/01/21 - 9/30/24) to students who are completing or plan to complete course work needed to begin a career in teaching. As a condition for receiving a TEACH Grant, students must agree to teach in a high-need field at a school that serves students from low-income families for at least four academic years within eight years after completing their degree.
- Requirements & How to Apply
If a student does not complete the service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds are converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid to the Department of Education with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed.
Requirements
Columbia College students will need to meet the following criteria to be eligible for the TEACH Grant:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Be enrolled in a program of study (including MAT5) that is designed to prepare you to teach as a highly qualified teacher in a high-need field that leads to a bachelor's or master's degree. Students seeking a second bachelor's degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant.
- Federal high-need areas include:
- Bilingual Education
- English Language Acquisition
- Foreign Language
- Mathematics
- Reading Specialist
- Science, including, but not limited to, Computer Science
- Special Education
- South Carolina high-need areas for 2023-2024 include:
- Art
- Dance
- Elementary Education
- English as a Second Language
- Gifted Education
- Health Education
- Library/Media Specialist
- Literacy
- Middle Level/Secondary Education
- Montessori Education
- Music
- Physical Education
- Special Education
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Theatre
- World Languages (Chinese, French, German, Spanish, etc.)
- School Counseling & School Psychologist majors are not eligible as they do not meet the federal definition of teaching their subject in a classroom K-12 setting.
- Out-of-State High-Need Teacher Subject Areas as of the time recipients receive the grant or as of the time they begin teaching in that field.
- Columbia College has determined that Early Childhood Education is not an eligible program of study for the Federal TEACH Grant.
- Not all TEACH Grant majors are offered at Columbia College.
- GPA or test scores:
- New First-Year Students
- Have a high school GPA of 3.25 or greater on a 4.00 scale OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT or ACT) that is above the 75th percentile. Columbia College's Office of Admissions does not receive the percentile of your scores. You will need to provide this documentation to the financial aid office. You may be charged a fee to receive archived SAT/ACT scores. Therefore, you may want to first check with your high school to see if they can provide the information.
- Note - New Freshmen cannot be reviewed for the TEACH Grant until the final high school transcript has been received and processed by Columbia College.
- New Transfer Students
- Your transfer GPA must be 3.25 or higher OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT or ACT) above the 75th percentile. Your GPA will be calculated using only the courses and grades that have been accepted toward your degree program at Columbia College.
- New Graduate Students
- Have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA in undergraduate program OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT, ACT, GRE) above the 75th percentile.
- Teachers seeking a Graduate degree
- No GPA is required for current teachers or retirees from another occupation with expertise in a high-need field who are seeking a master's degree, as well as current or former teachers who are completing a high-quality alternative certification, such as Teach for America.
- Continuing Students (Undergraduate and Graduate)
- Maintain a cumulative Columbia College GPA of at least 3.25 OR have a test score on a nationally recognized college admissions test (e.g. SAT or ACT) above the 75th percentile.
How to Apply
For 2023-24, if you meet the requirements for the TEACH Grant, please complete and submit the 2023-2024 TEACH Grant Application) to the Office of Financial Aid. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing. Students who received the TEACH Grant in the previous academic year will be reviewed in early summer and offered the TEACH Grant award if they meet the TEACH Grant renewal criteria (e.g. eligible major and GPA).
For 2024-25 - the application will be posted here in June 2024.
After You Apply
You must complete the Agreement to Serve or Repay (Agreement) and Initial Entrance Counseling before your TEACH Grant can be disbursed. The Agreement and Subsequent Entrance Counseling must be completed each year that you receive the TEACH Grant.
The amount of your Teach Grant disbursement each semester will depend on the number of credit hours you are enrolled in (75% of the award for three-quarter time enrollment; 50% of the award for half-time enrollment; 25% of the award for less than half-time enrollment). You must maintain eligibility to receive the TEACH Grant (e.g. eligible major and GPA). A student's eligibility will be reviewed prior to each TEACH Grant disbursement.
Undergraduate students can receive up to $16,000 in TEACH Grant funding during their program. Graduate students can receive up to $8,000 in TEACH Grant funding during their program.
After Graduation or Not Enrolled in School
You will have 8 years to complete your four-year teaching service obligation. It can only be fulfilled at a low income area school. Your teaching service must be in a high-need field.
You must provide the U.S. Department of Education with documentation of your progress toward completing your service obligation. If you do not keep them informed or do not meet the requirements of your service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed.
Federal Loans
Federal Subsidized Direct Loans
The Federal Subsidized Direct Loans are based on demonstrated financial need. The interest and payments are deferred while the student is enrolled. Repayment begins 6 months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. A student can borrow up to $3,500 as a freshman, $4,500 as a sophomore, and $5,500 as a junior or senior. A student can borrow an aggregate of $23,000 for his or her undergraduate study. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Subsidized Loan is 8.25%.
Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans
The Federal Unsubdued Direct Loans are non-need-based loans. Interest on unsubsidized Direct loans accrues while the student is enrolled. Repayment begins 6 months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. If a dependent student does not qualify for a subsidized Direct loan, the dependent student may borrow from this program at the same loan limits as the Federal Subsidized Direct Loans. An independent or qualified dependent freshman and sophomore student may borrow up to $6,000 per academic year. The undergraduate loan limit for an independent or qualifying dependent student who is a junior or senior is $7,000 per academic year. Graduate students are eligible for up to $20,500 per year, not to exceed the Cost of Attendance for Columbia College. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Unsubsidized Loan for undergraduate students is 8.25%, and for graduate students and low-income is 9.50%.
Federal Parent PLUS Direct Loans
The Federal Parent PLUS Loans are loans taken out by parents of dependent undergraduate students, enrolled at least half-time, to help pay for their child’s college expenses. Parents are responsible for repaying Parent PLUS loans. PLUS loans are in addition to the loans taken out by your child, and your PLUS loan will cover the entire cost of tuition, room and board, and other school-related expenses that your child’s financial aid doesn’t cover. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Parent PLUS Loan is 10.50%. Parents cannot borrow more than the cost of attendance for the child’s education minus other financial aid received.
Direct Loan Disclosures
Loan for undergraduate students enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours) or graduate students enrolled in at least three (3) credit hours. Students can get a loan regardless of income, but the federal government pays interest only on need-based subsidized loans while a student is enrolled at least half time. The interest accrues on unsubsidized loans while the student is in school. Interest rates can vary depending on the type of loan and academic year. Students must sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the Department of Education, and new borrowers must complete entrance counseling online at www.studentaid.gov.
- How it Works
The Federal Graduate Plus loans are federal student loans available to students attending graduate school and professional school. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan is 10.50%.
The undergraduate Loan Grade Level is determined by the total number of semester hours earned at Columbia College plus any hours accepted in transfer.
| Level | Number of Hours Earned | Classification |
| 1 | 0-29 | First Year |
| 2 | 30-59 | Sophomore |
| 3 | 60-89 | Junior |
| 4 | 90+ | Senior |
| 5 | Bachelor's Degree Earned | Graduate Student |
For a single semester, your loan eligibility is no more than half the annual amount.
The total outstanding loan debt you can accrue from the federal student loan program is:
- $31,000 as a dependent undergraduate student (only $23,000 of this can be subsidized)
- $57,500 as an independent undergraduate student (only $23,000 of this amount can be subsidized)
- $138,500 as a graduate student.
Private Loans
Private (or alternative) loans help bridge the gap between the cost of education and the limited amount of financial aid available through federal programs.
Private or alternative loans are designed to help students who need additional assistance with educational costs. In most cases, it is advantageous for students to pursue Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans and for parents to pursue Federal PLUS Loans (or Grad PLUS Loans for graduate students) before seeking private loans. A major advantage of these federal programs is that the federal government caps the interest on the loans. Additionally, alternative loans typically do not offer the same benefits as federal loans, such as consolidation, service cancellations, and military repayment.
If assistance beyond what is available through the federal loan programs is desired, there are several private lenders who offer alternative loans to cover educational expenses. Loan approval is generally based on creditworthiness and ability to repay – for students, a credit-worthy, employed co-signer might be required (and is strongly encouraged to get the best rates and terms).
Applying for a Private Loan
For funds to be available for payment purposes, we recommended that applications be submitted by these priority dates:
- June 15 for the fall semester
- November 1 for the spring semester
- April 1 for summer sessions
Please note that the credit check performed by many lenders expires after 90 to 120 days. Therefore, you should not apply for a private loan more than three months prior to the start of the loan period. However, because of processing time, you should apply as soon as possible within the three month-window.
Loan Certification
CC cannot certify private education loans that overlap multiple academic years or terms. If we receive a request to certify a private loan that overlaps multiple terms and/or academic years, we will place your private loan certification request on hold.
CC reviews your lender’s required qualifications (SAP, enrollment, etc.) before certifying your loan. You must understand and meet your lender’s requirements.
Loan Disbursement
- If your loan is certified for both the fall and spring semesters, the first half of your funds will be disbursed in the fall semester. The second half will be disbursed in the spring semester.
- If your loan is certified for a single term, your private education loan will be released in one disbursement.
- Federal regulations require all lenders of private education loans to provide borrowers three business days from the time you receive the Loan Consummation Disclosure Statement to change your mind and cancel your private education loan.
- Your private education loan will be disbursed within 10 business days from the date you receive the Loan Consummation Disclosure Statement. Lenders and schools are prohibited by federal regulations from disbursing funds until the cancellation period has passed.
Private Loan Disclosure
A Columbia College student may apply for a loan through a private lender to meet educational expenses. Private education loans are available only to enrolled students and are designed to fill the gap between other financial assistance received and the annual cost of attendance.
CC does not have a preferred lender list. Look for interest rates and repayment plans that meet your needs, and keep in mind that many of these loans don’t offer flexible repayment plans or consolidation options. With some lenders, adding a qualified co-signer can help you receive a better interest rate.
We encourage you to borrow federal student loans first before considering a private alternative loan. Visit Federal Student Aid to learn more about the difference between federal and private loans.
The amount that you or your cosigner can borrow depends on individual financial circumstances. Other variables include CC’s cost of attendance, financial aid resources, and loan limits imposed by the lender. Your alternative loan and other financial aid cannot exceed your cost of attendance.
To research private loan options, click here.
Important Note: Pursuant to Section 155 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA) and to satisfy the requirements of Section 128(e)(3) of the Truth in Lending Act, a lender must obtain a self-certification signed by the applicant before disbursing a private education loan. The school is required on request to provide this form or the required information only for students admitted or enrolled at the school. Please complete the Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form.
SC Teacher Loan Program
The South Carolina Teacher Loan Program was established by the State of South Carolina through the Education Improvement Act of 1984 to entice talented and qualified students into the teaching profession. This loan is canceled by teaching in South Carolina public schools in an area of critical need.
The loan is canceled at the rate of 20 percent or $3,000, whichever is greater, for each full year of teaching in a critical subject or critical geographic area within South Carolina. If you teach in both a critical subject and a critical geographic area,, your loan will be canceled at the rate of 33.33 percent or $5,000, whichever is greater, for each year of full-time teaching. The subject areas deemed critical at the time you apply, or subsequently, will be honored for cancellation when you begin teaching; a critical geographic area must be deemed critical at the time of your employment. If you decide not to teach, the interest rate will be the interest rate charged on Stafford Loans plus 2 percent. This variable rate is capped at 10.25 percent.
For more information regarding cancellation benefits and current critical geographical and subject needs, visit the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation's website at http://www.scstudentloan.org/.
Note: Because of limited funding, meeting all criteria and deadlines does not mean you will be accepted into the Teacher Loan Program.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a United States citizen.
- Must be a resident of South Carolina.
- Must be enrolled in good standing at an accredited institution on at least half-time basis.
- Must be enrolled in a program of teacher education or have expressed an intent to enroll in such a program.
- Entering freshmen must have been ranked in the top 40 percent of their high school graduating class and have an SAT or ACT score equal to or greater than the South Carolina average for the year of graduation from high school or the most recent year for which such figures are available.
- Enrolled undergraduate students, including enrolled freshmen, must have taken and passed the South Carolina Education Entrance Exam (EEE) and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
- Entering graduate students must have at least a 2.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Graduate students who have completed at least one term must have a grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or better.
- Must be seeking initial certification in a critical subject area if you already hold a teaching certificate.
Loan Amounts
Freshmen and sophomores can borrow up to $2,500 per year. Juniors, seniors, and graduate students can borrow up to $5,000 per year.
Application Process
Applications for the South Carolina Teachers Loan / Career Changers can be obtained in the Financial Aid Office when available, generally around late January or early February for the upcoming academic year. The application may also be downloaded from the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation website. The priority application deadline is April 30. However, because of limited funding, we suggest that you apply as soon as the application for the new academic year is available because these funds are limited by the state each year. Priority is given to renewal applicants. Incomplete applications are not guaranteed priority processing.
The Office of Financial Aid helps students participate in the most beneficial work experience possible while at Columbia College.
The following describes two programs coordinated through the Office of Student Employment:
Federal Work Study (FWS)
Federal Work Study, as its name implies, is a federally subsidized program awarded to students based on financial need. Students are approved to receive Work Study awards as part of their financial aid package. To be considered for FWS, the student must:
- Complete the FAFSA by March 15th
- Have financial need as determined by the FAFSA
Workship (WS)
Workship is institutionally funded aid awarded to students based on their skills and the campus student work needs. This program also assists students who do not qualify for FWS funds but express a desire to work on campus.
FWS and WS applications must be submitted via Handshake.
Summer Aid
Financial aid is primarily awarded in the nine-month academic year, but specific programs are available year-round to students who attend Summer Sessions.
South Carolina state scholarships may be available to eligible full-time students who have already used aid in the Fall and Spring.
The Federal Pell Grant is available to eligible students enrolled at least half-time. However, students who borrowed the Federal Direct Loan maximum during the academic year are not eligible for additional Direct Loan assistance in the Summer unless they have progressed to a higher grade level with a higher loan limit. As an alternative, students may benefit from the Federal Direct PLUS (for parents or graduate students) or a private loan. Please note that the aid used in the Summer counts against lifetime limits.
To initiate the summer aid process, once you have completed a summer loan application AND finalized your summer registration, you will need to email the Office of Financial Aid of your intent to enroll in summer school at fa@smxjjl.com.
Students receiving a state scholarship (LIFE or Palmetto Fellows) may request to receive a summer disbursement by completing the Summer Scholarship Request Form. Please note that you will need to be enrolled full-time (12 hours or more) to receive a scholarship stipend after a co-op/internship or if you are requesting to use your LIFE or Palmetto Fellows.
For most types of aid, students must be enrolled at least half-time (currently 6 credit hours for undergraduates, 5 hours for graduate students, 12 hours for scholarships) for the period of the aid request.
- Summer Loans
Summer loans will be processed automatically based on the submission of the FAFSA. Students planning to attend the Summer Session in 2024 must submit a 2023-2024 FAFSA (if not already submitted) by the suggested deadline of April 1.
Students participating in Summer Start should file the 2023-2024 FAFSA for the summer session; we will start processing Summer Start aid in mid-May.
Students or parents applying for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan must complete a loan application/promissory note online at studentaid.gov. If applying for a private loan, students and their co-signers must complete a loan application/promissory note directly with their lender of choice. First-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers must complete a promissory note and entrance loan counseling at studentaid.gov.
- State Scholarships
Students with the Palmetto Fellows or the LIFE Scholarship may request to receive a Summer disbursement of their scholarship if they meet the eligibility requirements for their scholarship.
Summer Disbursements of State Scholarships
A Summer Session scholarship disbursement yields a potential for those eligible students who demonstrate they are on an accelerated track to graduation to earn a degree at a faster pace than on a traditional academic calendar. The availability of Summer awards allows for a decreased time-to-degree alternative, which helps students meet their educational goals at lower costs.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DETERMINATION OF SUMMER AWARD ELIGIBILITY
- The program for Summer awards applies to Palmetto Fellows and LIFE programs.
- For purposes of Summer awards, Summer Session is defined as the period between the end of the Spring term and the beginning of the Fall term.
- A student who has been verified as meeting all general and continued eligibility requirements at the end of the Spring semester is eligible to participate in Summer scholarship disbursements.
- A student can only receive a Summer scholarship disbursement at their home institution.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To participate, a student must meet the following requirements by the end of the Spring term in addition to meeting all general scholarship eligibility requirements.
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
For participation in Summer scholarship disbursement, at the end of the Spring semester, a recipient must:
- Earn a cumulative 3.0 institutional GPA.
- Earn at least 30 credit hours of nonremedial coursework during the Fall and Spring terms, excluding AP, IB, dual-enrollment, CLEP or exempted credit hours.
- A Summer Session cannot be a scholarship recipient’s first term of enrollment.
- Eligibility for the scholarship enhancement will be determined at the same time.
LIFE Scholarship
For participation in Summer scholarship disbursement, at the end of the Spring semester, a recipient must:
- Earn a cumulative 3.0 LIFE GPA.
- Earn an average of at least 30 credit hours of nonremedial coursework during the Fall and Spring terms, including AP, IB, dual-enrollment, CLEP or exempted credit hours.
- A Summer Session cannot be a scholarship recipient’s first term of enrollment.
- Eligibility for the scholarship enhancement will be determined at the same time.
General Eligibility Requirements
- A student must demonstrate having attempted and/or enrolled in at least 12 credit hours over the course of the Summer Session to be awarded. Students who drop below 12 hours at any point during the Summer and after receiving their Summer State Scholarship may lose their scholarship and will owe the College for any incurred expenses previously paid by the scholarship.
- Participating students who are determined to be a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or a LIFE Scholarship recipient and have met the continued eligibility requirements at the end of the Spring term are eligible for a Fall award regardless of their academic performance over the Summer. Continued eligibility for the scholarship will be reviewed at the end of the following Spring term.
PALMETTO FELLOWS AND LIFE SCHOLARSHIP ENHANCEMENTS
A student who has been determined to have met continued eligibility for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or LIFE Scholarship and has met the scholarship enhancement eligibility requirement is eligible to receive the enhancement funds for the Summer Session.
SUMMER ENROLLMENT FORM
Prior to the disbursement of Summer awards, students must complete the following:
- Complete the Summer Scholarship Request Form and choose Summer LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.
- Students may be required to meet with someone in the Office of Financial Aid.
Determine Residency
To receive South Carolina state funds, students and/or parents will need to prove they are a South Carolina resident each year. The residency application should be completed by independent and dependent students. To complete the residency application, the student must complete the Residency Form. State funds will not be disbursed without a complete Residency Form.