S.C. State Fair increases 'Ride of Your Life' Scholarship, students must apply soon

The South Carolina State Fair announced a 67 percent increase in awards for its 2023 annual Ride of Your Life Scholarship program Tuesday morning. For the first time in over a decade, the individual award amount per student has increased from $6,000 to $10,000. All students are encouraged to apply before the March 15 deadline.

The scholarships will be awarded to 50 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. Recipients are chosen based on academic and extracurricular achievement, communication skills, need, and completeness of the application.

The scholarships must be used at a public or private South Carolina college, university, or technical college. They may cover tuition or other educational expenses like on-campus housing, a computer, or textbooks.

Recipients need to retain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and enroll in at least 30 credit hours each academic year to receive funding for that year.

The South Carolina State Fair has awarded more than $4 million in scholarships since 1997 to more than a thousand South Carolina students through the Ride of Your Life Scholarship program.

“The South Carolina State Fair’s continued growth and year-long offerings allow us to always stay true to our commitment to education,” said Nancy Smith, South Carolina State Fair general manager. “Some of our newer events, such as the Spring Fair Food Drive Through and Carolina Lights, are enabling us to bring in additional revenue, which ultimately reflects in how much we are able to invest back in our community.”

Scholarship winners are announced in mid-May each year. Visit scstatefair.org/scholarships for more information about the Ride of Your Life Scholarship and other scholarship opportunities.