Free Tuition for Children of Firefighters, Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers Killed or Disabled in the Line of Duty
State of South Carolina (SC Code 59-111-110); administered by each state-supported college
Up to four years of free undergraduate tuition at SC public colleges for children of first responders killed or totally disabled on duty.
- How much
- Free tuition for up to four years of undergraduate study
- Who qualifies
- Child of a firefighter, rescue squad member, Civil Air Patrol member, law enforcement or corrections officer (or certain state government employees) killed or totally disabled in the line of duty
- Undergraduate courses only, at SC state-supported colleges, universities and technical schools; four-year maximum across all schools. The statute sets no residency requirement for the child (federal officers must have been SC residents 18+ years).
- For students starting college, undergrads, transfer students
- When to apply
- Apply any time No deadline in the statute; apply through the college before the term.
- How to apply
- Apply to the college's governing body (start with the financial aid office) with proof of the parent's death or total disability and that it happened in the line of duty
- The college decides
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (scstatehouse.gov)
The details
SC law bars state-supported colleges, universities and technical/vocational schools from charging tuition, for up to four school years of undergraduate study, to children of: firefighters (paid or volunteer), organized rescue squad members, Civil Air Patrol members, law enforcement officers and corrections officers (including county/municipal reserve and auxiliary units) who were killed or became totally disabled in the line of duty on or after July 1, 1964; and state-retirement-system government employees killed or totally disabled on or after July 1, 1996 by a felony committed against them while working. Federal law enforcement officers qualify if they were SC residents for at least 18 years. For total disability, the waiver lasts only while the parent remains totally disabled and does not cover children born more than a year after the disability began.
More money from South Carolina
- Palmetto Fellows ScholarshipUp to $6,700 freshman year; up to $7,500 per year for sophomore, junior and senior years
- LIFE Scholarship (Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence)Up to $5,000 per year (includes a $300 book allowance)
- SC WINS Scholarship (South Carolina Workforce & Industry Needs Scholarship)Up to $5,000 per academic year after all other scholarships and grants
- South Carolina Tuition GrantsUp to $5,000 for 2026-27 (amount based on need and funding)
- South Carolina Need-based GrantUp to $3,500 per year full-time; up to $1,750 per year part-time
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Georgia, North Carolina
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.