Understanding the Tuition Costs at the University of South Carolina School of Law

The Joseph F. Rice School of Law at the University of South Carolina, established in 1867, is located in Columbia, South Carolina. Understanding the tuition structure and associated fees is crucial for prospective students. This article provides a detailed overview of the tuition costs, fees, and financial aid options available to students at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Tuition and Fees Overview

The cost of attending law school is a significant investment. For the University of South Carolina School of Law, the tuition varies depending on residency status.

In-state Tuition: \$23,722 (full-time)
Out-of-state Tuition: \$41,500 (full-time)

These figures represent the tuition costs for the full-time program.

Additional Fees

Beyond tuition, students should also budget for additional fees, which can include:

Student Health Center Fee: Assessed for students enrolled in 6 or more units.
Student Health Insurance Fee: Applicable if a student has not obtained an insurance waiver.
Digital Course Material Fees: Access to required textbooks and course materials is provided through the Norman H.
Deferment Service Charge: Thirty-day deferments are granted for up to \$2,000 of the tuition balance.
Late Fees: Assessed if tuition, fees, housing, dining, and other charges are not paid or deferred by the settlement deadline.

Housing and meal plan charges are billed to the student account. Housing rent charges for undergraduate buildings and all meal plans are billed once per semester. Rent for most graduate and family buildings is billed on a monthly basis. All utilities are included in rent charges.

Third-Party Billings and Sponsored Students

Students with pre-authorization for third-party billings from entities recognized by the university will have their agency credits posted on their student accounts. They will be required to pay any amounts not covered by the agency. Approved agencies may include local, state and federal governments, private corporations, foreign governments and the United States Armed Services. Sponsored students must meet the terms and conditions agreed upon by the university and the agency.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Opportunities

Scholarship Assistance

The School of Law offers scholarship assistance based both on merit and financial need. Merit-based scholarships may range from \$500 to full tuition. There is no separate application for merit-based scholarships.

Grants and Loans

Grants: Assistance is available through grants, which are often awarded based on financial need.
Loans: Students can explore loan options from federal, state, or private sources.

Student Employment

Students may also seek part-time employment to help offset the costs of law school.

Tuition Refund Insurance

Elective insurance that provides full coverage for tuition and mandatory fees (excluding health insurance) is available for you if you suffer a serious illness or accident that makes it necessary for you to leave the university before the semester is completed. Students are enrolled automatically at the time they register for classes but may opt out until the end of the third week of the fall semester. Read more about Tuition Refund Insurance. This video will show you how to opt in to or out of Tuition Refund Insurance, which protects your investment in USC tuition and may be purchased for a small fee during fall, spring and summer terms. It provides a refund of tuition and fees to a student who must withdraw from all classes due to an illness or accidental injury. USC has contracted with A.W.G.

Important Information Regarding 1098-T Forms

USC is required to provide students and the I.R.S. with form 1098-T each year. This form reports general information about enrollment status, qualified charges and financial aid posted to a student’s account during the calendar year just ended. In addition to the 1098-T, USC provides students with supplemental information that includes a breakdown of all financial activity by category. The 1098-T assists students and families in determining their eligibility for the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits.

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Cost-Saving Strategies and Considerations

College is challenging in many ways, but paying for it shouldn’t be. Another is your need-based qualification for financial aid. may be available for you. S.C. S.C. plan. View the full estimated cost to attend, or get a better estimate of your costs using our cost calculator. Scholarships are available for S.C. Earn assistance through grants, which are often awarded based on financial need. Explore loan options from federal, state or private sources. or part-time employment. Choosing where you’ll go to college is just one step toward your academic goals.

Additional Fees and Charges Explained

Housing and Meal Plans

Housing and meal plan charges will appear on your student account. Housing rent charges for undergraduate buildings and all meal plans are billed once per semester. Rent for most graduate and family buildings is billed on a monthly basis. All utilities are included in rent charges. All housing assessments must be paid at the time of billing or they will be considered past due and may be subject to finance charges and/or late fees.

Military Tuition Rates

Active Duty Military pay the resident rate for distance courses. Active Duty Military - This is applied across USC System Institutions.

Other Fees

Athletics Fee: An athletics fee may be applied.
Program Fees: Some programs may have additional fees.

Tuition Refund Policy

All requests for refunds must be received during the academic year for which the fees were paid. Refunds may be requested at any time during the academic year in which the applicable term occurs.

Determining the Refundable Percentage

Student refunds for tuition are calculated based on the student’s liable hours after the student has dropped course(s) or withdrawn. Liable hours are calculated as the total hours for which a student is still registered plus the liable portion of the dropped/withdrawn course(s). The liable portion is computed by taking the number of dropped hours times the liability rate (which is 100 percent minus the refund percentage). The refund amount is determined to be the difference of the original assessment and the assessment based on the new liable hours. For students whose liable hours are 12 or above, no refunds are processed. Other academic fees are non-refundable after the 100 percent refund percentage. For students activated for full-time military service during an academic term, the University follows state law in Section 59-101-395. All refunds will be based solely on the percentage of time (in days) between the first day of a part-of-term and the last day of a part-of-term. Exceptions to this rule will only be made by the Bursar’s Office. In these instances, any change in the refund percentage would be moved out to the next closest business day. See the Schedule of Classes on the appropriate campus for refund schedules.

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Federal Financial Aid and Withdrawals

Federal financial aid funds are awarded with the expectation that students will complete the entire period of enrollment. Students "earn" a percentage of the funds that are disbursed with each day of class attendance. When a student who has received federal aid funds (Title IV Funds) leaves school before the end of the semester or period of enrollment, federal regulations require the University of South Carolina to calculate the percentage and amount of "unearned" financial aid funds that must be returned. Once a student has completed more than 60 percent of the enrollment period, they are considered to have earned all funding received. This calculation may have the effect of requiring the student who withdraws before this time frame to repay funds that have already been disbursed to the student or credited towards their current account for tuition, fees, housing and/or meals.

Return of Funds

For fully withdrawn students receiving federal and/or state funds, the refund will be governed by the current Federal Title IV refund policy. The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships determines the amount of the funds that are distributed back to Title IV, HEA Programs or other Financial Aid sources. For students and their parents who have received student loans or other forms of financial aid, funds will be returned in the order prescribed by federal regulations. The institution must return the funds to the financial aid program other than College Work Study, up to the amount of assistance that the student received from those programs. Exit interviews are required before leaving the University of South Carolina for all students who withdraw and have received Stafford, Perkins or Federal Nursing/Health Professions Loans.

Military Tuition Assistance (TA)

For fully withdrawn students receiving military TA funds, the university will return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which funds were provided.

Appeals

A process for appeals exists for students or parents who believe circumstances warrant exceptions from published policy. The Withdrawal Refund Appeals Committee for each campus reviews and acts on all appeals.

Other Academic Programs and Associated Fees

There are additional programs and associated fees.

Specific Program Charges

School of Business: Additional amounts may be charged for School of Business programs.
(MIB): Assessed on a per-credit-hour basis.
Experiential Learning: Fees may apply for experiential learning opportunities.
High School Drama Conservatory: A three-week immersive theatre experience with associated costs.

Health-Related Programs

MHA Professional Program: Tuition and fees are associated with the MHA professional program and other services for student success.

Housing-Related Charges

USC Columbia Housing: Cancellation fees, fines, and damage charges may apply. A \$100 deposit is required for room confirmation.

Payment Options and Deadlines

To avoid late fees, you must register and have your tuition, fees, housing, dining and all other charges paid or deferred by 5:00 PM PT on the settlement deadline. If you fail to register and settle your account, you will be assessed late fees each week in accordance with the following schedule.

Payment Methods

Payment is accepted by electronic check and credit card.

Campus-Specific Information

USC has campuses in Aiken, Beaufort, Columbia, and Upstate. Each campus may have specific fee structures and scholarship rates.

USC Aiken

USC Aiken applies scholarship rates to UG students only. Aiken is reviewing dining vendors for a new contract to begin in Fall 2025.

USC Beaufort

USC Beaufort applies scholarship rates to UG students only.

USC Upstate

USC Upstate applies scholarship rates to UG students only. - This rate is inclusive of all course and program fees incurred by student. or student health insurance.

Student Population, Academics, and Career Opportunities

Student Population

Understanding the student demographics can provide insights into the diversity and community within the law school.

Academics

The School of Law offers various programs and courses, including:

Clinical training
Dispute resolution
Environmental law
Health care law
Intellectual property law
International law
Business/corporate law
Constitutional law
Contracts/commercial law
Criminal law

The School of Law also offers combination J.D. programs. Students may also pursue a three-year dual degree, earning a J.D.

Career Opportunities

Exploring career data can help prospective students understand the potential career paths and outcomes for graduates.

Library Resources

The School of Law houses a major research library with a collection of more than 500,000 volumes; electronic resources such as LexisNexis, Westlaw, HeinOnline, Bloomberg Law, and SSRN; and the South Carolina Legal History Collection. Study and meeting rooms are available throughout the building, while the Student Commons has additional study space equipped with computers and printers.

Application Process

The application deadline for the full-time program is March 1. The application fee is \$60.

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