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james f. byrnes foundation scholarships

Eligibility And Requirements For Byrnes Scholarships

Since the first scholarships were awarded by Governor James F. Byrnes in 1949, more than 1,000 young South Carolinians have been assisted in obtaining a college education.

  1. All applicants must have lost one or both parents by death.

  2. They must also have financial need and a satisfactory scholastic record.

  3. It is important that excellence in character, ability and enterprise be shown to indicate that the individual will make worthwhile contributions to society.

  4. Applicants must plan to pursue a bachelor's degree as scholarships cannot be used at technical schools or for associate degrees.

Scholarship recipients are named by the directors of The James F. Byrnes Foundation after preliminary screening to determine semifinalists and personal interviews with those semifinalists. Scholarships are for four years (or less for students already in college) and are contingent upon the recipient's maintenance of adequate academic standing, personal involvement in the program for Byrnes Scholars and continuing need for financial assistance. Application blanks are available from the Foundation office in Columbia or by downloading from this site using the link below, and completed applications are to be submitted by snail-mail to that office by February 15 of the scholarship year. The new scholars are announced in May, and the scholarships become effective for the school term beginning the following fall.

Any qualified high school or college student who is interested in applying for a Byrnes Scholarship should see his guidance counselor or write to the following snail-mail address to request the necessary forms: The James F. Byrnes Foundation, Post Office Box 6781, Columbia, SC 29260-6781.

The 2008 application package is availabe as an Acrobat form. The application deadline is February 15, 2008.

Please note: Applications will not be considered if:

  • Postmarked before January 02
  • Any part is missing or incomplete, or
  • Any part, including references, is postmarked after February 15th.
  • Please mail the hard copy of your application; electronic applications will not be accepted.

Acrobat Reader software is availabe as a free download from the Adobe web site.