SC WINS: New Scholarship Helps Further Reduce Tuition Cost

Thanks to state and federal financial aid, local Promise programs, and a thriving Foundation scholarship program, 70 percent of students attending Piedmont Technical College (PTC) are able to attend tuition-free. Now, a new South Carolina scholarship is poised to make the cost of attending the college even more affordable.

The South Carolina General Assembly recently voted to launch the SC Workforce and Industrial Needs Scholarship (SC WINS)—a statewide program designed to address workforce shortages. The scholarship supplements Lottery Tuition Assistance to help further reduce tuition cost for eligible students.

The new program will start awarding funds in Fall 2019.

“This new opportunity will make getting an education more affordable for our students,” said Dr. Ray Brooks, PTC president. “SC WINS doesn’t just remove a financial barrier. It’s designed to grow the workforce in key business sectors in the state. Eligible students will pay less for tuition and build a skill set that will make them highly employable.”

Students will be eligible to receive the SC WINS scholarship if they meet one of two criteria.

In one scenario, a student must be receiving Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) and majoring in a critical workforce area. These areas include health care, computer and information technology, advanced manufacturing and construction.

In the other scenario, a student must be receiving LTA and meet the USDA income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced price meals.

Recipients will receive $50 per credit hour, up to $600 total per semester, after applying all other scholarships or grants. There is also a book allowance of up to $300 per year if a student is enrolled in at least one course in a critical workforce area during the semester.

In addition, promise and community scholarship offerings continue to expand in the region. Students are already benefiting from the Abbeville Promise Scholarship, Greenwood Promise Scholarship and Laurens Future Scholarship, while the Charlie Foundation Scholarship, for Saluda County, is slated to launch in Fall 2019.

Equally important, the Piedmont Technical College Foundation awards scholarships to students each year. This academic year alone, the foundation awarded over 200 scholarships for a total of $165,100 in academic assistance.

With all of these funding options, students can be confident that starting an education after high school can be affordable.

“We want everyone to know that they can go to college,” said Brooks. “We are very thankful to the General Assembly for taking this step, and we continue to be grateful to all those in our community who support the needs of our students through scholarships.”

For additional SC WINS eligibility information and a full list of programs, visit www.ptc.edu/win.