Florence, SC & the Pee Dee Region
Your Community Guide
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FAFSA deadlines. Scholarship windows. FDTC enrollment dates. SC Works registration. Everything Florence students need, in one place, in order.
The summer before senior year is not a break. It is a runway. Every week that passes between June and August is a week that either builds momentum toward graduation or quietly closes a door.
Most Florence families find this out too late. They hear about the FAFSA in October, the Palmetto Fellows deadline in April, and the FDTC registration window after it has already closed.
The checklist below is built for Florence 1 students specifically, with real dates, real programs, and real local resources organized by the month they matter most.
The students who do well in this process are almost never the smartest ones.
They are the ones who started in June.
School is barely out and senior year feels distant. That distance is the point. Everything you do in June costs you nothing but time and pays you back in October when everyone else is panicking.
SC Works Pee Dee
1558 West Evans Street, Florence
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
July is when the work becomes specific. You are not browsing anymore — you are building a list of scholarships with real deadlines and identifying exactly what each one requires.
Requires a 3.0 final high school GPA. Worth up to $2,800 for your freshman year at a four-year South Carolina institution.
Awarded automatically once your final transcript is verified — but only if your GPA holds through senior year.
Requires a 3.0 GPA and either a 1100 SAT or 17 ACT, or graduation in the top 30 percent of your class.
Worth up to $5,000 per year for up to four years at an eligible South Carolina institution.
Requires either:
Worth up to $6,700 freshman year and $7,500 each year after.
⚠️ Your school counselor must submit this application — start that conversation now.
Florence 1 students can apply for 11 different scholarship funds through a single application.
2026 window closed Feb 28. 2027 window opens late fall — watch for the announcement.
In 2025, ECCF awarded $47,000 to 26 Pee Dee students.
For Florence-area students pursuing healthcare careers. Contact McLeod Health directly to confirm the current application window.
Includes a paid summer internship for the recipient.
Apply through the ECCF unified application portal at easterncarolinacf.org/scholarships/apply/
SC Need-Based Grants
Submit as soon as possible — awarded first-come, first-served
SC Tuition Grants
Deadline: August 1, 2027
Federal Deadline
Waiting that long is a costly mistake
Note from Francis Marion University: FMU encourages submission as early as possible after October 1 to maximize your financial aid package.
South Carolina awards need-based grant money on a first-come, first-served basis. The student who submits on October 1 and the student who submits in January are not in the same position.
Florence 1 Schools' first day for students in 2026-2027 is July 28. The summer checklist transitions directly into the fall. Complete these items in August and September.
Tuition Due
August 3
For 15-week and first 8-week classes
Instruction Begins
August 10
First day of Fall 2026 classes
Add/Drop Window
Aug 10-12
Final drop: August 19
FDTC Registration Day
August 4
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
FDTC Contact
The Palmetto Fellows Early Award deadline for school counselors is April 15 of your senior year. If you meet the early eligibility criteria, your counselor must submit your application to the SC Commission on Higher Education by that date.
That conversation needs to happen in August, not March.
October 1 is the single most important date on this checklist.
The 2027-28 FAFSA opens October 1, 2026.
Families who submit in October receive more aid than families who submit in January. This is how South Carolina distributes need-based grant money.
Go to fafsa.gov on or as close to October 1 as possible.
Use the IRS Direct Data Import tool to pull your family's tax information automatically. Most families finish in 20 to 30 minutes.
You can list up to 10 schools. Include these key codes:
Francis Marion University
003444
FDTC
003990
+ Your Choices
Add any 4-year schools
You can update the list later.
After submitting, review your SAI. This number determines your eligibility for need-based aid. Each college uses it to build your financial aid offer.
The 2027 window is expected to open in late fall or early winter. Young Florence SC will post an announcement when it does.
SC Works Pee Dee can connect you with a financial aid counselor at no cost.
SC Works Pee Dee | 1558 West Evans Street, Florence | No appointment required
Early Decision & Action
November 1
All supporting materials — transcript, letters of recommendation, essays — must be ready by late October.
Regular Decision
January 1
Do not wait until December 31. Aim to submit everything by December 20 to allow time for technical problems.
Spring 2027 Tuition Due
January 4
Payment Option
WIOA funding, if approved, covers tuition directly
If you did not qualify for the Early Award, the Late Award gives you one more opportunity.
Late Award Deadline
June 30 of Senior Year
Your school counselor submits this application.
May 1
National Reply Date
You must notify your chosen college of your decision by May 1. Colleges cannot require a deposit or commitment before this date.
Ask your Florence 1 counselor to send it directly to the college you will attend.
Your HOPE, LIFE, or Palmetto Fellows scholarship is confirmed once your final transcript is received and verified.
Advising and open registration for Summer and Fall 2027 begins October 5, 2026.
Popular sections fill quickly — register early.
Florence County students have access to more tools, more scholarships, and more free support than most families realize.
The gap is not in what is available — it is in knowing what exists and acting in the right order.
Young Florence SC is here to help close that gap. Bookmark this page and check back — we update it as new deadlines are confirmed.
Keep these handy throughout your senior year
1558 West Evans Street, Florence
(843) 407-9679
Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
2715 West Lucas Street, Florence
843-661-8289
[email protected]
11 scholarship funds available
Apply at easterncarolinacf.org/scholarships/apply/
fafsa.gov
Opens October 1, 2026
studentaid.gov
Do this in June — takes 3 days to verify
Florence 1 School Counselors
SC Commission on Higher Education
(803) 737-2260
These resources are free and available now. Start with the one that matters most to your path.
Explore 60+ programs
Free career resources
11 scholarships, one app
Step-by-step guide
The "Complete the FAFSA" button links to the Florence Forward Story #1 for step-by-step guidance.
HelloFlorenceSC
Florence County Senior Year Checklist • A Florence Forward Resource