Deadline for South Carolina State Fair College Scholarships is March 15
Circle K stores and EMC Tickets donates $37,000 to provide three additional scholarships — increasing the total to 53 available scholarships
Thursday, March 6, 2025 (Columbia, S.C.) – The South Carolina State Fair’s Ride of Your Life Scholarship application window will close soon and eligible South Carolina high school seniors are encouraged to apply. Now in its 28th year, this initiative allocates more than $500,000 annually in college scholarships to high school seniors across South Carolina. Applications are open until March 15, 2025 and can be submitted online at scstatefair.org/scholarships.
The S.C. State Fair is proud to announce an expansion of its scholarship program, made possible through a generous collaboration with Circle K stores and EMC Tickets. Circle K has donated $37,000, which will allow the S.C. State Fair to award an additional three scholarships — increasing the total to 53 scholarships this year.
“Education is at the heart of our mission at the South Carolina State Fair, and we are honored to support students in their journey toward higher learning,” says Nancy Smith, general manager of the South Carolina State Fair. “Thanks to the generosity of Circle K and EMC Tickets, we’re able to expand our scholarships and provide even more opportunities for South Carolina’s students. With the March 15 deadline approaching, we encourage all eligible high school seniors to apply and take advantage of our Ride of Your Life Scholarship program.”
Since 1997, the S.C. State Fair has awarded more than $5 million to South Carolina students through the Ride of Your Life Scholarship program, reflecting the fair’s commitment to community-focused initiatives.
Scholarship Details and Application
This year, $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to 53 high school seniors across South Carolina and will be paid out at $2,500 per year over four years. Students pursuing two-year degrees will receive $2,500 per year over two years.
The scholarship funds must be used at a South Carolina university, college or institution, and may cover tuition or other educational expenses such as on-campus housing, a computer or textbooks. Scholarships are awarded based on academic and extracurricular achievement, communication skills, need and completeness of the application. Recipients must retain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and enroll in no less than 30 credit hours each academic year to receive funding for that year.
To learn more about this program, visit scstatefair.org/scholarships or contact Betsy Cooper at betsyc@scstatefair.org or 803-799-3387, ext. 110. Scholarship applications must be completed online at https://www.scstatefair.org/scholarships by March 15, 2025. Scholarship award recipients will be notified in mid-May of their award status.
This year’s S.C. State Fair will take place October 8-19, 2025.
About the South Carolina State Fair
The South Carolina State Fair, a self-supporting 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was organized in 1869 and is dedicated to preserving and promoting South Carolina’s agricultural roots while supporting statewide education. In addition to the 12-day South Carolina State Fair, the charitable organization manages annual football parking and is a popular event venue. The South Carolina State Fair has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships since 1997.
More information can be found at SCStateFair.org.
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