The Stamps, Carolina and 1801 Scholars Awards are the most prestigious awards offered by the university to South Carolina residents. Fifty students with strong academic records and leadership qualities are offered a Top Scholar award each year. Five will be named Stamps Scholars, 20 will be named Carolina Scholars, and up to 25 will be named 1801 Scholars. Candidates for these awards will be invited to participate in a mandatory interview and an in-person Top Scholar Weekend. Last year (2024), S.C. Top Scholars had an average SAT score of 1530 (ACT score of 34) and an average high school GPA of 5.3 and were in the top 1% of their high school class, on average.

To apply for these awards, you must submit both a generaluniversity application and an Honors College application to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The deadline for the Honors College application is Nov. 15.

Monetary Award: $15,000 per year + $10,000 one-time enrichment stipend to use for research, internships, study abroad and more.

The four-year value is $70,000.

Faculty Mentor: First-year students are assigned a university faculty member within their major or another area of interest.

Calendar of Programs: Spring dinner with donors and other programs planned as resources allow.

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