Homeschool benefits and savings in Abbeville County
The Abbeville Promise pays the tuition and required fees left after federal and state aid at Piedmont Technical College (PTC) for Abbeville County residents, worth $2,700 a term in tuition at 12 credit hours. Homeschool graduates qualify if they start at PTC within 24 months of finishing high school.
Who qualifies
Lives in Abbeville County
Residency is the home where your student is claimed as a dependent for IRS purposes. A student living outside the county does not qualify, even with an Abbeville County diploma.
Graduated from a homeschool or school
Graduates of Abbeville County School District 60, Calhoun Falls Charter School, or a homeschool, private, or other state-accredited program qualify.
Files the FAFSA
Your student applies for all federal and state aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) first. The award is not need-based.
Takes at least 6 credit hours
Your student meets PTC admission standards and enrolls at least half time. The Promise funds up to 15 credit hours a semester.
What it is worth
PTC charges Abbeville County students $225 per credit hour for 2026-27, or a flat $2,700 for 12 credit hours, including a $5 per hour technology fee.
- Half time (6 hours)
- $1,350
- Full time (12 hours)
- $2,700
- Promise maximum (15 hours)
- $3,375
- One year at 12 hours a term
- $5,400
- Six terms at 12 hours a term
- $16,200
PTC also charges per-term fees such as a $55 full-time facility fee and a $25 registration fee; ask PTC financial aid which of these count as required fees the Promise pays.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Apply to PTC
Apply at www.ptc.edu/apply and tell the Admissions Office you believe your student is eligible for the Abbeville Promise.
- Before the term
File the FAFSA
Submit the FAFSA so federal and state aid is applied before the Promise pays.
- By Aug. 1 or Dec. 1
Register for classes
Register by August 1 for fall or December 1 for spring, with at least 6 credit hours.
- Two weeks before term
Award is made
PTC screens students and sends the list to the Abbeville Promise for approval; awards go out about two weeks before each term.
- Each term
Keep making progress
Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress rules. Funding lasts six consecutive terms or 36 months after high school graduation.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Required fees
- Certificate and associate degree programs at PTC
Not covered
- Books
- Application fees and course-specific fees
- Summer school
- Private or out-of-state colleges
Who pays first
- Federal grants
- State aid
- Abbeville Promise
It is last-dollar aid: federal and state aid apply to the bill first, and the Promise pays the tuition and required fees that remain.
Local individuals, businesses, and civic groups raised over $1.2 million for the endowment that pays for the Promise.
Who to contact
PTC Admissions screens students for the Abbeville Promise and handles appeals; the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation runs the program.
FCCF@wctel.net 800-868-5528 PTC Promise scholarships page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in South Carolina
Choose one legal route: district-board approval (Option 1), SCAIHS membership (Option 2), or membership in a qualifying homeschool association with at least 50 members (Option 3). Follow that route’s enrollment and renewal process.
South Carolina sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach reading, writing, math, science, and social studies; add composition and literature in grades 7–12. Provide at least 180 instructional days; Option 1 also requires at least 4.5 hours per day.
- Testing: Option 1 requires the annual statewide tests for the student’s grade. Options 2 and 3 follow their association’s rules; Option 3 has no statutory standardized-test requirement.
- Records: Keep attendance and academic records. Options 1 and 3 require a planbook or diary, work portfolio, and semiannual progress reports; follow district or association submission rules.
- Teachers: A high-school diploma or GED is the minimum educational qualification. A bachelor’s degree is not required for SCAIHS (Option 2). Option 1 requires district approval under Section 59-65-40.
South Carolina also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Education Scholarship Trust Fund pays $7,634 for 2026-27. Up to $3,000 of that award may cover approved transportation; it is not extra funding. The program excludes students in Option 1, 2, or 3 homeschool associations. Families on another home-education path must confirm eligibility with the program.
Read the South Carolina homeschooling guide See statewide programs in South Carolina
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschool graduate get the Abbeville Promise?
- Yes. The foundation lists homeschool graduates alongside public, charter, and private graduates. Your student must live in Abbeville County and start at PTC within 24 months of the diploma.
- Do we have to show financial need for the Abbeville Promise?
- No. The Promise is not need-based, but your student must still file the FAFSA so federal and state aid is used first.
- Can my student go part time?
- Yes, as long as your student carries at least 6 credit hours. The Promise pays for up to 15 credit hours a semester.
- What if PTC does not offer my student's major?
- With foundation approval, your student may use the Promise at another South Carolina technical college that offers the program.
- What will we still pay for?
- Books, application fees, contact-hour and course-specific fees, summer classes, and other extra expenses are not covered.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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