South Carolina has hundreds of private schools, from church-run kindergartens in small towns to college-preparatory campuses in Charleston and Greenville. Our directory lists 339 of them, each with an address and phone number so you can contact the school directly. This page explains how the system works in South Carolina: who oversees what, how the regions differ, and what to do before you apply. Use it to narrow your options before you pick up the phone.

How Private Schools Are Regulated in South Carolina

South Carolina does not run a single licensing system for private K-12 schools. The State Department of Education in Columbia oversees public schools and their districts. Independent and religious schools operate on their own authority. They set their own curriculum, hire their own teachers, and answer to their own boards. That freedom is why two schools a few miles apart can differ sharply in cost, academics and daily routine.

The state's compulsory attendance law still applies. Children from age five through seventeen must attend school or an approved alternative, and enrolling in a private school is one lawful way to meet that rule. Ask each school how it records attendance and what it does after repeated absences.

Child care and preschool programs follow different rules. The South Carolina Department of Social Services licenses child care centers and runs the ABC Quality rating program. Some listings, such as Aldersgate Child Development in Greenville and Fairview Early Childhood Center in North Augusta, appear to serve young children. If a listing serves children under five, ask whether it is licensed, registered or exempt, because church-sponsored programs are sometimes treated differently. Also ask when it was last inspected.

Health rules apply everywhere. South Carolina requires a Certificate of Immunization on file for students entering school or child care. Since 2024 the Department of Public Health has handled this area, taking over most public health duties from the former DHEC. Medical and religious exemptions exist, and the department can explain the process for each.

What Accreditation Tells You About a South Carolina School

Accreditation is voluntary, so it is the closest thing to an outside check on a private school. Several bodies are active in the state. The South Carolina Independent School Association, known as SCISA, accredits member schools and organizes their athletics and academic competitions. Cognia, a national accreditor, reviews schools of many types. The Diocese of Charleston, which covers the entire state, supports its Catholic schools through a central schools office.

A school with no accreditation can still be a good one, especially a small church school. Treat the label as one data point, and ask these questions:

Private Schools Across South Carolina's Main Regions

Where you live shapes what you can choose. Private school supply follows population, and South Carolina's population clusters in a few corridors and along the coast.

Upstate: Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson

The Upstate has the densest concentration of listings. Greenville County leads the state in our database. Its campuses range from Southside Christian School in Simpsonville to Prince of Peace Catholic School in Taylors and Aldersgate Child Development on Shannon Drive. Neighboring Spartanburg County includes Westgate Christian School on Old Reidville Road, and Anderson has West Anderson Christian Academy. Commutes along I-85 and I-385 matter here. A school twenty minutes away on a map can feel much farther at 7:45 on a weekday morning.

Midlands: Columbia, West Columbia and Lexington

Richland County, home to the capital city of Columbia, has 29 listings, and Lexington County adds 17 more. Center For Learning, Inc. on Covenant Road in Columbia and Colonial Christian Academy on Meeting Street in West Columbia show the range. Lake Murray Montessori School on North Lake Drive in Lexington serves families who prefer a Montessori approach. Many Midlands families live in one county and work in another, so check both county pages when you compare schools.

Lowcountry and Coast: Charleston, Summerville and Hilton Head

Charleston County has 36 listings. They include Charleston Christian School on Plainview Road, Saint John Catholic School in North Charleston, and the Oquinn Schools of Porter-Gaud campus in Mount Pleasant. Summerville Catholic School on Black Oak Boulevard sits in Dorchester County, and many Summerville families commute toward Charleston. Farther south, St Francis Catholic School on Hilton Head Island and Ec Montessori & Grade School in Beaufort serve Beaufort County. Coastal schools plan for hurricane season, so ask how closures and remote learning work after a storm.

Pee Dee and Rural Counties

Outside the metro areas, options thin out. Florence has 13 listings, including Jack Hanna Junior Academy on Oakland Avenue. Sumter has William Thomas Academy on Florence Highway, and Orangeburg has Orangeburg Christian Academy on Joe S Jeffords Highway. Hartsville has a church-based program at First Baptist Church Hartsville, and Walterboro has Colleton Preparatory Academy. In small counties there may be only one or two private schools, so your decision often comes down to a single phone call and one tour. Some listings show only a post office box, so confirm the campus location before you drive.

Church-Affiliated, Catholic, Montessori and Independent Schools

Most private schools in the state fall into four groups. Knowing which group you are looking at helps you predict tuition, admissions and daily life.

Christian and church-affiliated schools are the largest group in our listings. Charleston Christian School, Westgate Christian School, Southside Christian School and East Side Christian School in Greenwood are examples. These schools usually pair a Bible-based curriculum with a statement of faith, and some ask families to agree to it or to attend a partner church. Tuition tends to be lower than at large independent schools, though it varies by school.

Catholic schools in South Carolina all belong to the Diocese of Charleston. Saint John Catholic School, Summerville Catholic School, St Francis Catholic School and Prince of Peace Catholic School fit this group. Many accept students of other faiths and set tuition by their own policy, so ask about parish rates and family discounts. Lutheran schools, such as St Peter Lutheran School in Pawleys Island, follow a similar church-linked model on a smaller scale.

Montessori and early childhood programs include Lake Murray Montessori School and Ec Montessori & Grade School. Montessori classrooms mix ages and rely on hands-on materials. Ask whether teachers hold credentials from a recognized Montessori training body, since the name alone is not protected.

Independent college-preparatory schools tend to cluster in Charleston, Greenville and Columbia, where Porter-Gaud and its Mount Pleasant campus are examples. Expect entrance testing, interviews and winter application deadlines for the following August. South Aiken Presbyterian School on Whiskey Road in Aiken shows how a church-linked school can serve as a neighborhood option in a mid-sized city.

Private schools in South Carolina are licensed and regulated by the state's department of education, which sets minimum standards for safety, curriculum, and accreditation while allowing institutions significant freedom in operations and admissions. South Carolina may also offer education savings account or voucher programs that provide public funding assistance to eligible families attending private schools.

Private Schools locations are available in 115 cities across South Carolina. They are spread across 44 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of private schools include Columbia, Greenville, Charleston, reflecting larger population centers where demand for diverse educational options tends to support a wider range of private school institutions.

Families in South Carolina exploring private school options should contact each school's admissions office to request a prospectus, schedule a tour, and learn about financial aid availability, as tuition and assistance programs vary significantly from one institution to the next.

Private Schools by Counties

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Families in South Carolina comparing private school options should check each school's accreditation status through the state department of education and request standardized test score data, graduation rates, and college placement outcomes. Many private schools in South Carolina hold open house events in the fall that are open to prospective families without an appointment.

Browse Private Schools by county across South Carolina to find the nearest location.

Enrolling in a South Carolina Private School: Calendar, Costs and Paperwork

Most private schools in South Carolina start classes in mid-August and finish in late May, close to the public district calendar, but each school sets its own dates. Popular schools often open applications in the fall or winter before the school year. Smaller church schools may accept students into the summer. Call early, ask for the deadline, and ask whether there is a waitlist.

Tuition is set by each school and varies widely. Ask for a written fee schedule that lists registration, books, uniforms and after-school care. Ask about sibling discounts, payment plans and the school's own financial aid. State scholarship programs have shifted through legislation and court rulings, so confirm current rules with the South Carolina Department of Education before counting on public money.

Bring a birth certificate, the Certificate of Immunization, your child's latest report card and any testing records. Ask the previous school to release records in writing.

In Beaufort County, where St Francis Catholic School on Hilton Head Island and Ec Montessori & Grade School in Beaufort are listed, families who relocate mid-year should ask whether seats are open outside the usual admissions window. Availability depends on grade level and class size.

Phone before you visit. Most Midlands numbers begin with 803, Upstate numbers with 864, and coastal and Pee Dee numbers with 843.

South Carolina does not issue a general operating license to private K-12 schools, and the State Department of Education does not approve their curriculum. Schools set their own standards, so families should check credentials themselves. Accreditation through groups such as the South Carolina Independent School Association or Cognia is voluntary, but it gives you an outside review to examine. Child care centers and preschool programs are a separate case, because the Department of Social Services licenses most of them. Ask any school for its accreditation certificate, its licensing status if it serves children under five, and the name of its admissions contact.

Compulsory attendance in South Carolina covers ages five through seventeen, and children generally need to be five on or before September 1 to enter public kindergarten. Private schools set their own entrance dates. A school may admit a child who misses the public cutoff, or it may require an older starting age. Many private schools also run programs for four-year-olds and younger children. Ask the school for its age cutoff in writing, ask whether a readiness screening is required, and ask how it handles a child who turns five just after the deadline. Do not assume the public rule applies.

State law calls for a Certificate of Immunization for children entering school or child care, and private schools generally ask for it before the first day. Your pediatrician or a local public health office can provide the certificate once the required vaccines are recorded. Medical and religious exemptions exist, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health can explain how to obtain the exemption certificate. Schools may keep unvaccinated children home during an outbreak. Many schools also ask for a physical form, emergency contacts and medication authorizations, so request the full forms list when you apply so nothing delays the start date.

These two counties hold the most listings in our database, so you will have real choice. Start by sorting by type. Independent schools include the Oquinn Schools of Porter-Gaud campus in Mount Pleasant. Catholic options include Saint John Catholic School in North Charleston and Prince of Peace Catholic School in Taylors. Christian schools include Charleston Christian School and Southside Christian School in Simpsonville. Then compare commute time, tuition, class size and grades offered. Book tours at two or three schools in the same week so the differences are easier to see, and ask current parents about homework load and how the school communicates.

Federal law requires public school districts to locate and evaluate children with suspected disabilities, including children enrolled in private schools within district boundaries. Contact the special education office at your local public district and ask about an evaluation. Services for a privately enrolled child are usually more limited than those given to a public school student, so do not assume a full individualized education program will follow. Ask each private school what support it provides, such as tutoring, learning specialists or small-group instruction, and get the answer in writing before you enroll.

Towns such as Kingstree, Chester and Walterboro tend to have one or two private options rather than a dozen. Williamsburg Academy in Kingstree, Holy Place Christian Academy in Chester and Colleton Preparatory Academy in Walterboro are examples. Some listings show a post office box instead of a street address, so confirm the campus location before visiting. Class sizes can be small, but sports, language and advanced course choices may be narrower than at a metro campus. Ask whether bus service is offered, and ask where graduates continue for high school or college.