University of South Carolina acceptance rate, scores and deadlines

Columbia, SC · public · 29,820 undergraduates

Acceptance rate 56.5% Fall 2025 · ↓3.6 pts
SAT, middle 50% 1200–1360 Enrolled, Fall 2025
Tests, 2026–27 Test-optional From the admissions site

Source: Common Data Set 2025–26 · deadlines from South Carolina's admissions site.

Chances at South Carolina
1500
unweighted, 4.0 scale —
Your odds · Regular decision Likely
79–98%
  • Your SAT 1500 is above the middle 50% of enrolled students (1200–1360).
  • Only 32% of enrolled students sent an SAT, so that middle 50% may run high.
  • South Carolina admits 56.5% of applicants overall.

Data: Common Data Set 2025–26 · Test-optional for 2026–27

An estimate, not a guarantee. Save to my list

Acceptance rate

South Carolina acceptance rate by year

33,695 of 59,630 applicants admitted for Fall 2025, against 60.2% for Fall 2024.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 201520172019202120232025 56.5%
Show the numbers
Entering classAppliedAdmittedRateSource
Fall 202559,63033,69556.5%Common Data Set
Fall 202452,70331,70160.2%IPEDS
Fall 202346,68228,70661.5%IPEDS
Fall 202242,18827,02264.0%IPEDS
Fall 202142,04525,88461.6%IPEDS
Fall 202034,95723,89468.3%IPEDS
Fall 201931,26821,46468.7%IPEDS
Fall 201830,88919,48063.1%IPEDS
Fall 201726,01518,81172.3%IPEDS
Fall 201625,05717,07368.1%IPEDS
Fall 201525,74016,61164.5%IPEDS

2026–27 applications

South Carolina deadlines for 2026–27

Apply with USC Application or Common App. Checked October 24, 2026 on South Carolina's admissions site. Dates can change; confirm them there before you submit.

  1. Early action Apply by Decisions By mid-December
  2. Regular decision Apply by Decisions By mid-March
Every 2026–27 deadline, in date order

Early rounds

Early decision and early action at South Carolina

South Carolina offers early action for 2026–27. It does not publish separate early admit rates in its Common Data Set.

Scores and GPA

Test scores and GPA at South Carolina

Scores are for enrolled students who sent them, not for everyone admitted.

SAT, middle 50% 1200–1360
40032% sent a score1600
ACT, middle 50% 26–32
1Enrolled, Fall 202536
Average high school GPA 3.68
As reported, 97.61% reported a GPA
High school GPA of enrolled first-years (Fall 2025)
  • 4.015.0%
  • 3.75–3.9933.4%
  • 3.50–3.7428.0%
  • 3.25–3.4915.4%
  • 3.00–3.246.7%
  • 2.50–2.991.4%
  • Below 2.500.1%

What counts

What South Carolina weighs

From section C7 of South Carolina's Common Data Set 2025–26.

Very important

  • GPA

Important

  • Course rigor
  • Class rank
  • Test scores

Considered

  • Essays
  • Recommendations
  • Activities
  • Talent or ability
  • State residency
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience

Not considered

  • Interview
  • Character
  • First-generation status
  • Alumni relation
  • Where you live
  • Religious affiliation
  • Demonstrated interest

Waitlist

South Carolina waitlist

8,805 students were offered a place on the waitlist for Fall 2025, 3,395 accepted it, and 293 were admitted from it (8.6% of those who stayed on).

Cost

What South Carolina costs

From the College Scorecard. For your own estimate, use South Carolina's net price calculator.

Tuition, in-state$12,688
Per year
Tuition, out-of-state$37,376
Per year
Average net price$22,197
After grants, aided students
Open South Carolina's net price calculator

Compare

Colleges with a similar acceptance rate

Close to South Carolina's 56.5%, from the same official data.

FAQ

Questions about South Carolina admissions

What is South Carolina's acceptance rate?

South Carolina admitted 33,695 of 59,630 first-year applicants for Fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 56.5%. That is down from 60.2% for Fall 2024. Source: Common Data Set 2025–26.

Is South Carolina test-optional for 2026–27?

Yes. South Carolina is test-optional for 2026–27: you can apply with or without SAT or ACT scores.

When are South Carolina's application deadlines for 2026–27?

Early action: October 15, 2026; Regular decision: December 1, 2026. Check South Carolina's admissions site before you apply, as dates can change.

What SAT score do you need for South Carolina?

There is no cutoff. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1200–1360 on the SAT (Fall 2025), and 32% of them sent a score. A score at or above 1360 is in the top quarter of enrolled students.

Where the numbers come from

Sources

Odds are estimates from public data, shown as a range. An estimate, not a guarantee.

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