Admissions Criteria
- Be between the ages of 18 – 26 upon enrollment to be considered for residential programming. Students over 26 may still be considered for admission as commuter students.
- Have completed high school (a high school diploma is not required).
- Have a documented intellectual disability.
- Prospective students who demonstrate support needs reflective of our current student population and support model but who do not specifically have an intellectual disability will be considered if spots are available. Students without a diagnosis of ID are not eligible for federal financial aid or state funds for needs-based scholarships and/or grants.
- Demonstrate a desire to attend CarolinaLIFE and work toward independence while utilizing natural supports and adhering to the policies and procedures of the University of South Carolina and those specific to the CarolinaLIFE program regarding attendance, participation, grades, and conduct.
- Work to achieve their desired post-college goals and outcomes by:
- Maintaining respect for self and others.
- Attending all university and program classes, employment commitments, and academic lab sessions.
- Undertaking activities of daily living without direct supervision (e.g., personal hygiene, self-administering medication, basic first aid and safety needs, etc.)
- Navigating campus independently (e.g., cross roads independently, ask for assistance when needed, communicate needs effectively).
Admissions Process
CarolinaLIFE is a non-degree certificate program. Transfer credits from other colleges or postsecondary programs do not apply. The application for the 2026 -2027 CarolinaLIFE cohort will open on August 1, 2025. It is to your advantage to plan ahead and apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis (for details on this review process, see bulleted list below). Applications with missing items, or those submitted after October 17, may not be considered. After submitting the required documentation, candidates will be invited to participate in a 1:1 virtual interview with a CarolinaLIFE staff member. Based on committee review, final candidates will be invited to an on-campus interview. Admission to CarolinaLIFE is selective. Meeting basic requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.
Admissions Materials
- Completed CarolinaLIFE online application
- Most current IEP
- Psychoeducational Evaluation (including WISC/WAIS and WIAT/Woodcock Johnson scores) completed within the last 3 years
- 3 completed reference forms (*one must be completed by a mental health/guidance/VR counselor)
Fall 2026 Cohort Admissions Calendar
All application materials must be completed by the APPLICANT. Applications completed by family members or support personnel will not be considered. Applicants may have support in physically typing responses; however, responses must be their own. We are interested in learning about the applicant in their own words.
- Applications Open: August 1, 2025
- Early Action Application Deadline: September 19, 2025
- Early Action Zoom Interviews: August 18 – September 23, 2025
- Early Action On-campus Interview Invitations Sent: September 26, 2025
- Early Action On-campus Interviews: October 10, 2025
- Early Action Admissions Decision: October 20, 2025
Please Note: We cannot guarantee application review after October 17th.
- Wave 1 Application Deadline: October 17, 2025
- Wave 1 Zoom Interviews: September 24 - October 24, 2025
- Wave 1 On-campus Interview Invitations Sent: October 31, 2025
- Wave 1 On-campus Interviews: November 14, 2025
- Wave 1 Admissions Decision: November 21, 2025
Please Note: On-campus interviews are by invitation only.
*CarolinaLIFE has the right to continue to review applications after the October 17th deadline if cohort spots remain available. Review of applications after October 17th is NOT guaranteed. Please contact the CarolinaLIFE office (carolinalife@sc.edu) with questions about the Wave 2 consideration process. Admissions priority is given to Early Action and Wave 1 applicants.
- Wave 2 Application Deadline*: January 23, 2026
- Wave 2 Zoom Interviews*: December 1 - January 27, 2026
- Wave 2 On-campus Interview Invitations Sent*: January 28, 2026
- Wave 2 On-campus Interviews*: February 6, 2026
- Wave 2 Admissions Decisions*: February 13, 2026
Waitlist Decisions: no later than February 13, 2026
A Note About the Waitlist
CarolinaLIFE uses the term Waitlist in the same way that the college admissions process uses the term Waitlist, not like many social service organizations use the term. It is not a “wait your turn” model. A ‘waitlist’ status from our program is not a guarantee of admission, nor is it an outright rejection. It means that your application materials are still under consideration. While we may occasionally extend offers to waitlisted applicants, this is not guaranteed and does not occur automatically when spots become available. The waitlist status is made final on the deadline indicated and there is no carry-over from year to year. If a candidate is not accepted from the waitlist, they would need to reapply the following year. We encourage students who receive an offer of ‘waitlist’ to continue their college search and application process for full consideration at other IPSE programs.
How to Apply
Our application for the Fall 2026 Cohort will open on August 1, 2025 at 8:00 am EST. Use this link to apply.
Application Checklist
Please note that the application cannot be saved and reopened. The application must be completed all in one sitting, or the tab/browser must be kept open.
- Most recent IEP
- Psychoeducational Evaluation (including WISC/WAIS and WIAT/Woodcock Johnson scores) completed within the last three years
To submit a reference form, please copy and paste the following link and send it to your references to complete. You will need to submit three references using this form: CarolinaLIFE Applicant Reference Form
Please note that one of your reference forms must be completed by a counselor (mental health, guidance, VR). Your other 2 reference forms can be completed by a person of choice, but should not be family members or friends.
CarolinaLIFE WILL NOT review your application until ALL THREE reference forms are received. References should not be family members or friends. References may be contacted by CarolinaLIFE to ensure that their form is reflective of their true opinion of the applicant's ability and/or drive to be successful in college. Falsification of this information is subject to immediate loss of consideration. Applicants are responsible for ensuring the completion of reference forms. CarolinaLIFE will confer with the applicant once all materials are received.
The reference form must be completed in one session. The form cannot be saved and reopened.
The reference form will open on August 1, 2025 at 8:00 am EST.
Please Note
- All application materials submitted will be destroyed immediately after final decisions are made for those students who are not accepted.
- Students are required to complete the application process in full if they are resubmitting an application.