Program Costs
This chart reflects the estimated costs per academic semester and does not include additional minor fees that may be charged by Housing and/or academic departments.
| Estimated Expenses Per Semester* | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition (based on 15 credit hour enrollment) | $7,680 |
| Program Fee | $1,836 |
| Room and Board | $6,331 |
| Health Center Fee | $190 |
| Estimated Total Per Semester | $16,037 |
*Students traditionally take 15 credit hours per semester. These costs reflect the
cost of tuition for this scenario. A student may enroll in additional credit hours
at their discretion, which would increase the cost of tuition.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Additional costs include an annual housing application fee, housing supplies, books, and incidentals. Meal plan costs are variable. For more information regarding USC dining and meal plan options, please visit Carolina Dining.
Financial Assistance
CarolinaLIFE is a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP), therefore students who have a diagnosis of an intellectual disability have access to federal financial aid, but not student loans. In additional to qualifying for federal financial aid, SC residents qualify for state aid via CTP Needs-Based grants totaling $7,500 per year. All SC residents, regardless of need, qualify to receive $10,000 per year in lottery funding to attend CarolinaLIFE.
Additionally, the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department provides qualifying students who are active VR clients with tuition supplements and textbook reimbursements, should they qualify.
Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and College Transition Connection SC Need-Based Grant are needs-based grants that have provided qualifying students up to a total of $8,000 in funding per semester.
Students do not automatically qualify for funding. Funding allocation is determined through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). FAFSA is available beginning January 1st of each year and must be renewed each school year. Some families may find additional funding through further grants and scholarships.
For additional information about external scholarships, please ask your school counselor and use this helpful resource from the Think College National Coordinating Center [pdf]!