GraduateSmart
GraduateSmart
$12,688
per year
In-State Tuition
64%
Acceptance Rate
79%
Graduation Rate
92%
Retention Rate
University of South Carolina Columbia is an educational institution in Columbia, SC. Check program requirements, costs and credit policies with the institution.
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21 of 21 CLEP exams accepted
Conditions University of South Carolina Columbia places on CLEP credit
The Registrar accepts certain CLEP exams; retakes cannot earn passing credit. Current business thresholds depend on receipt of the official paper score report by mail. Course hours are verified against the current Columbia bulletin, with no unlisted lab credit. South Carolina CHE policy applies to Fall 2026 entrants; catalog and website updates are due Fall 2027. Confirm current institutional thresholds and degree applicability before testing.
Technology & Computer Science
Major: Computer & Information Sciences
Business & Finance
Engineering
Arts & Communications
Sports & Fitness
Hospitality & Culinary
Law & Criminal Justice
Broad degrees built to transfer into a bachelor’s program rather than lead to one specific career. They’re a common starting point at community colleges — you pick your major after you transfer.
A broad program across the humanities, social sciences, mathematics and natural sciences, most often taken as a transfer degree into a bachelor's program. NCES CIP 24.0101 "Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies".
Liberal arts, general studies and humanities programs that do not fall under a more specific code. NCES CIP 24.0199 "Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other".
11
Sports
7
Men’s teams
9
Women’s teams
Team Sports(7)
Football
Basketball
Baseball
Softball
Soccer
Volleyball
Beach Volleyball
Individual Sports(2)
Tennis
Golf
Aquatic Sports(1)
Swimming and Diving
Equestrian Sports(1)
Equestrian
Typical Admitted Student
Application Requirements
Historical data for first-time undergraduate applicants seeking a degree or certificate; requirements may have changed. This does not specify a number of recommendation letters.
Confirm current admission requirements with the school, including any program or transfer requirements.
In-State Students
Out-of-State Students
The University of South Carolina considers fall first-year applicants for merit awards automatically: $1,000-$3,500 a year for S.C. residents and $6,500-$30,000 a year packages for nonresidents.
Dean's Scholars Award
Competitive$3,500 per year
Renewable: Full-time enrollment and a cumulative 3.0 USC system GPA
Considered automatically when you apply by the regular decision deadline and submit required credentials by Jan. 15
South Carolina residents. No published minimums; last year's recipients averaged a 1382 SAT (31 ACT), a 5.2 high school GPA and top 3% class rank. State Palmetto Fellows automatically qualify. Cannot be combined with another general university award (except Provost, Presidential and STEM Supplement). Test scores optional.
University Scholars Award
Competitive$2,500 per year
Renewable: Full-time enrollment and a cumulative 3.0 USC system GPA
Considered automatically when you apply by the regular decision deadline and submit required credentials by Jan. 15
South Carolina residents. No published minimums; last year's recipients averaged a 1323 SAT (28 ACT), a 5.0 high school GPA and top 10% class rank. Cannot be combined with another general university award (except Provost, Presidential and STEM Supplement). Test scores optional.
Garnet Scholars Award
Competitive$1,000 per year
Renewable: Full-time enrollment and a cumulative 3.0 USC system GPA
Considered automatically when you apply by the regular decision deadline and submit required credentials by Jan. 15
South Carolina residents. No published minimums; last year's recipients averaged a 1286 SAT (27 ACT), a 4.9 high school GPA and top 15% class rank. Cannot be combined with another general university award (except Provost, Presidential and STEM Supplement). Test scores optional.
Academic Scholar Award package (out-of-state)
Competitive$6,500–$30,000 per year
Renewable: Full-time enrollment and a cumulative 3.0 USC system GPA
Apply by December 1 to be considered (first-time freshmen entering in the fall)
Nonresident first-time freshmen entering in the fall. Package includes an Academic Scholar Award and a USC Scholarship of at least $500. No published minimums; last year's recipients of $26,000-$30,000 a year averaged a 1450 SAT (33 ACT), 4.7 GPA and top 6% rank; of $6,500-$12,000 a year, a 1300 SAT (28 ACT), 4.4 GPA and top 14%. Only one Admissions Merit Award per nonresident (Provost Scholars Award can be added). Test scores optional.
Students: add profile GPA and scores to check.
Requirements change yearly; colleges may recalculate GPAs. Confirm requirements and deadlines with the college.
College scholarship pageChecked Oct 30, 2026
From the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, most recent reporting cohort.
Net Price(family income < $30K)
$12,634
Per year, after grants & scholarships
Median Earnings
$62,177
10 years after entry, working full-time
Median Debt at Graduation
$21,500
Among completers who borrowed
Verified on Oct 2026
Conditions University of South Carolina Columbia places on CLEP credit
The Registrar accepts certain CLEP exams; retakes cannot earn passing credit. Current business thresholds depend on receipt of the official paper score report by mail. Course hours are verified against the current Columbia bulletin, with no unlisted lab credit. South Carolina CHE policy applies to Fall 2026 entrants; catalog and website updates are due Fall 2027. Confirm current institutional thresholds and degree applicability before testing.
⚠️ Partial acceptance — not all exams listed below may be accepted. Verify each with the registrar before planning your CLEP strategy.
| Exam | Credits | Min Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
CLEP American Government Political Science | 3 | 65 | Accepted |
CLEP American Literature Literature & Humanities | 3 | 55 | Accepted |
CLEP Biology Biology & Science | 4 | 57 | Accepted |
CLEP Calculus Mathematics | 4 | 60 | Accepted |
CLEP Chemistry Science | 3 | 63 | Accepted |
CLEP College Algebra Mathematics | 3 | 60 | Accepted |
CLEP College Composition English & Writing | 3 | 55 | Accepted |
CLEP Financial Accounting Accounting | 3 | 72 | Accepted |
CLEP History of the United States I History | 3 | 54 | Accepted |
CLEP History of the United States II History | 3 | 55 | Accepted |
Type
Public University
Location
Columbia, South Carolina
Richland County
Control
Public
Programs Listed
75 career paths
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