School Choice in South Carolina
South Carolina runs 3 private school choice programs, together serving about 12,095 students. None of them reaches a universal tier, so eligibility is limited.
South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program
Education Savings Account- Students
- 10,000
- Eligible
- 58%
- Average award
- $7,500
- Launched
- 2024
The average award is 54% of what the state spends per pupil in its public schools.
Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children Fund
Tax-Credit Scholarship- Students
- 1,450
- Eligible
- 12%
- Average award
- $2,261
- Launched
- 2014
The average award is 32% of what the state spends per pupil in its public schools.
Refundable Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children
Individual Tax Credit/Deduction- Students
- 645
- Eligible
- 12%
- Average award
- $7,752
- Launched
- 2015
The average award is 64% of what the state spends per pupil in its public schools.
Homeschooling in South Carolina
Homeschooling is legal in every state. South Carolina recognises three legal routes to it, compulsory attendance runs from age 5–17, and notice to the state is not required. The South Carolina homeschool requirements are set out in full on their own page.
How South Carolina compares
Nationally, 36 jurisdictions run 82 private-choice programs serving roughly 2,279,109 students, and 18 have at least one program any student may apply to. The state-by-state guide sets out how the programs differ.
Where this comes from
Program data from EdChoice's School Choice in America dashboard, retrieved 2026-09-16; homeschool requirements from HSLDA. Participation and award figures are the most recent EdChoice publishes and lag the current school year. Educational information, not legal or financial advice — confirm eligibility with the program before you rely on it.
More on South Carolina: its freedom score and rank