Charleston Southern ‘promises’ to be first South Carolina private college to cover tuition

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Charleston Southern University has adopted a program called Buc Promise that makes it the first private school in the state with a tuition guarantee that covers the cost of tuition for qualifying students.

The university said in a news release that Buc Promise is a renewable scholarship for Pell-eligible South Carolina residents with a minimum 3.5 high school grade point average. Charleston Southern will cover the remaining costs of tuition after Pell and other gift aid are applied during a student’s four years at CSU, the news release said.

The program kicks off with the incoming fall 2024 class. 

“Higher education is the pathway to purpose,” President B. Keith Faulkner said in the release. “As a first-generation college student and an alumnus of CSU, I can relate to the challenges and choices that so many students face. Charleston Southern is where I earned the opportunity for a better life, and our commitment to creating an affordable and accessible private Christian higher education experience for South Carolina residents is a decision that will impact generations to come. To transform one student’s life is to transform his or her legacy.” 

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Students eligible for Buc Promise must be a state resident, have at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA, complete FAFSA, be Pell-eligible for more than the Minimum Pell Grant, enroll full time in a traditional degree program and be pursuing a first bachelor’s degree.

Buc Promise is renewable each year, provided the student maintains eligibility, the release stated. 

“We are excited to reveal this tuition promise program that is certain to change the trajectory of lives for the better in our state,” Anthony Turner, vice president for enrollment and marketing, said in the release. “For many students who are Pell-eligible, finances stand in the way of their dream of earning a bachelor’s degree. And many shy away from private education thinking that the educational costs are too high. Not only will Buc Promise break that barrier for our Pell-eligible applicants, but we hope this program will shine light on how students can afford a Christian higher education experience.” 

Charleston Southern University is a private, Christian liberal arts university with an enrollment of nearly 3,500 students.