2025 Higher Education Day – Talking Points

Talking Points

S.C. Statehouse Maps

Your top message – If you only have a matter of seconds (meeting your legislator in passing):
“My name is _______, and I go to (name of college or university). Thank you for my Tuition Grant! It makes it possible for me to attend the independent South Carolina college/university of my choice.”
Point out that a SC Tuition Grant allows you to attend (name of college or university) and makes it more affordable for you and over 12,500 other South Carolina residents. TELL LEGISLATORS YOUR STORIES! TELL THEM YOUR MAJORS AND WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH YOUR DEGREE. IF YOU PLAN TO STAY AND WORK IN SOUTH CAROLINA, LET THEM KNOW.
Thank your legislators for any other state scholarship you receive (Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, or Lottery Tuition Assistance).
Let them know it’s exciting to be joined today by students from the public universities and technical colleges.
Take photos with your legislators! We would love to see photos of you with your legislator on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, or LinkedIn! Please use #SCICU in your posts.

The SC Tuition Grants Program was created in 1970 and provides grants based on financial need to eligible SC residents attending in-state, independent colleges on a full-time basis.
More than 500,000 SC residents have received Tuition Grants since program inception.
Maximum Tuition Grant for academic year 2024-2025 is $4,800, up from $4,500 in the recent years.
SC Tuition Grants are made to individual students, not the colleges.
SC Tuition Grants can only be used toward tuition and fee charges, and are contingent on satisfactory academic progress.

SCICU’s 21 member schools enroll over 36,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
About 65% of students enrolled at SCICU member schools are South Carolina residents and 48% are minorities.
Independent Higher Education students account for nearly one-quarter (22%) of the bachelor’s degrees awarded in SC.