Navigating Scholarships for North Carolina Students: A Comprehensive Guide

With 553,180 students enrolled in college in North Carolina as of 2025, financing higher education can seem daunting. Scholarships offer a valuable avenue to alleviate the financial burden, acting as financial aid awards that, unlike loans, do not require repayment. This guide provides a detailed overview of various scholarship opportunities available to North Carolina students, encompassing eligibility requirements, application processes, and key resources.

Understanding North Carolina Scholarships

North Carolina scholarships are financial aid awards designed to help students residing in North Carolina or attending a college or university within the state. These scholarships can be based on various criteria, including residency, GPA, financial need, intended major, or minority status. Some scholarships are institution-specific, offered only to students attending a particular North Carolina school.

Finding the Right Scholarships

The best approach to finding scholarships tailored to your individual circumstances is to create a free account on Scholarships.com. This platform allows you to view a comprehensive list of scholarships, along with their specific eligibility criteria and step-by-step application instructions. Because every student has different life circumstances and every scholarship has different criteria, there is no universal best North Carolina scholarship; rather, the best scholarship for any particular student will vary. Generally, you can determine which scholarships are best for you by assessing your personal traits and looking for awards tailored to them.

Scholarships for High School Seniors

Of all student age groups, high school seniors have the most scholarships offered to them. Not every senior will be eligible for every scholarship, though, so it’s important to narrow down your options when looking for scholarships to ensure you apply to the ones you have the best chance of winning. For instance, high school seniors in North Carolina who live in the Northwest corner of the state might find that the Donna Easter Student Ethics Awards are their best scholarship options. The Better Business Bureau of Central and Northeast North Carolina provides essay-based scholarships of up to $2,500 to 4 North Carolina high school seniors in select counties each year.

Scholarships for Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students who attend college in North Carolina may qualify for scholarships whether or not they hold permanent residence there. North Carolina undergraduate students involved in the arts, for example, can apply for the Spirit Square Center for the Arts and Education Scholarship. The exact award amount varies. Applicants must be rising juniors or seniors in the Carolinas, with preference given to those from particular counties.

Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide

Scholarships for Continuing and Graduate Students

While the majority of scholarships cater to students entering their undergraduate studies for the first time, there are also many options for continuing and adult students, including those who plan to attend or are attending graduate school. For example, the Winston-Salem Foundation awards numerous scholarships to North Carolina students of all different grades, including graduate-level students.

Scholarships for Minority Students

There are countless scholarship organizations dedicated to diversifying higher education in the United States, including in North Carolina. The Brighthouse Scholar Connections program, for instance, awards underrepresented Charlotte-area students with up to $40,000 for college. An even more specific award for minority students in North Carolina is the Carolinas Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) Scholarship.

Need-Based vs. Merit-Based Scholarships

Many North Carolina scholarships require students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need to be eligible to apply. However, there are plenty of solely merit-based awards available to North Carolina students as well. One merit-based scholarship for North Carolina students is the Ruff Ryders of Raleigh Scholarship Giveaway. Worth $1,000, this essay scholarship is open only to graduating high school seniors in Wake County with a consistent record of community service.

Specific Scholarship Examples

Pearl Berlin Scholarship Fund: This scholarship, offering $3,000, supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied students who demonstrate courage and leadership in their schools and communities. Applicants must be residents of Guilford, Forsyth, Rockingham, Randolph, or Alamance County, North Carolina. The deadline for this scholarship is February 28, 2026.

The Next NC Scholarship

The Next NC Scholarship is a financial aid program designed to make higher education more accessible for North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less. This scholarship fully covers tuition and fees at any community college or covers more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees to attend any public university in the state. Students attending a community college will receive at least $3,000. Those attending a public university in North Carolina will get a minimum of $5,000. The Next NC Scholarship combines the federal Pell Grant with the state-funded financial aid program to form a simplified and predictable scholarship award. To apply, simply submit the FAFSA form.

Opportunity Scholarship Program

The Opportunity Scholarship is available to North Carolina families of students entering kindergarten through 12th grade. Awards range from approximately $3,000 to $7,000, based on a family’s household income. The 2025-26 new student application currently remains open. The State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA) will continue to make awards each month in the order applications are received. Opportunity Scholarship funds are used to pay for tuition at participating private schools. The maximum scholarship amount allowed is 100% of the average per-pupil state K-12 allocation based on the prior fiscal year, not to exceed the private school’s actual tuition and fees. The maximum amount is reserved for students from families earning at or below the federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch (FRL) program. Families earning above this threshold receive lesser amounts in graduated tiers. To be eligible, students must:

Read also: Benefits of NSHSS Scholarships

Live in North Carolina on the day your school begins for the 2025-26 school year.
Be at least 5 years old by August 31 or at least 4 years old by April 16 and approved for kindergarten according to the head of the school after finding “that the child is gifted and that the child has the maturity to justify admission to the school” according to state guidelines.
Not have graduated from high school.
Not have enrolled in post-secondary institution full-time.

Students may participate in both the Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ program.

UNC Academic Scholarships

The University of North Carolina (UNC) offers Academic Scholarships to a select group of outstanding students each year. These scholarships are awarded based on a detailed review of the application for admission, considering academic achievement, leadership qualities, commitment to service, and potential for success at the University. There is no minimum GPA or test score required for consideration, nor is there any GPA or test score that guarantees a scholarship offer. Scholarships range in value from $3,000 all the way up to full cost of attendance. If you are selected for an Academic Scholarship, you will see your scholarship offer letter in your MyCarolina portal, notifying you of the scholarship and its value. Non-resident students (self-disclosed or as determined by RDS), who receive a full scholarship (tuition, fees, housing, and meals), are charged for tuition at the NC resident rate, beginning their first fall semester. This means the offered value of your scholarship is based on the resident rate instead of the non-resident rate. Please note that if you take Summer School at Carolina before you first fall semester, this provision does not apply. Some Academic Scholarships take financial need into consideration. There are three UNC scholarships that have supplemental requirements in addition to completing the admissions application. Please reference the links for more information. UNC also hosts private scholarship foundations, which may require supplemental applications or interviews.

NC State Scholarships

NC State University offers scholarship opportunities to enrolled students through the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. New students can apply upon acceptance by visiting go.ncsu.edu/packassist. Each college at NC State also offers scholarship opportunities to students enrolled in its academic programs. To apply for scholarships with the colleges listed below, visit go.ncsu.edu/packassist. The application opens December 1. Eligibility for employer affiliated scholarships requires the applicant’s parent(s) to have a particular employment affiliation. Frequently the FAFSA is also required. Students are considered for employer affiliated scholarships based on their Pack ASSIST application responses.

NC State offers a limited number of competitive scholarships for entering freshmen in an effort to recognize and encourage academic ability and talent.

Goodnight Scholars Program: This unique scholarship is for outstanding students in the STEM and education disciplines. It is available to students from low- and middle-income North Carolina families and covers the cost of tuition, fees, room, and board per year for up to four years.
Caldwell Fellows: The Caldwell Fellows program invests in students selected during their first year at NC State who share a passion to learn, grow, and serve others.

Prospective and current students wishing to be considered for fellowship and grant opportunities should contact Dr. David Shafer, assistant dean of the Graduate School.

Read also: Scholarship Guide

Applying for NC State Scholarships via Pack ASSIST

Use the Pack ASSIST application to apply for most NC State scholarships. Once you have been admitted, you can access Pack ASSIST and apply for scholarships to NC State. To apply for the Goodnight Scholarship, click HERE. The Pack ASSIST application opens for continuing students on December 1. The last date to submit a General Application in Pack Assist is August 1st. However, please be aware that scholarship selections are made considerably sooner. For maximum consideration, we recommend that students apply by February 15th. It is also important to note that application deadlines vary by scholarship and by department/program. Once you complete it, you may be presented with additional questions from your department. When your application is submitted, you will be auto-matched to the scholarships for which you meet the minimum requirements.

The Pack ASSIST application is independent of the admissions application. It is encouraged to complete the Pack ASSIST application in its entirety.

Pack ASSIST Application Tips

Save your application frequently by clicking Save and Keep Editing at the bottom of the page.
ACT/SAT scores are not required for merit scholarships.
You may be presented with a few additional scholarship opportunities after submitting the General Application.

Most departments and scholarship committees will notify newly admitted students by April 1 and continuing students after Spring grades are final.

NCCF Universal Scholarships Application

Approximately 130 North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF) scholarships use the NCCF Universal Scholarships Application, which opens for 2025 applications on Jan. 7 and closes on March 3. About a dozen other scholarships have separate applications with different due dates. It's advisable to apply well before the deadline. Reviews will begin after the posted due date for the scholarship. Students must complete a follow-up form to be awarded the scholarship.

Applying for NCCF Scholarships

Create an Account: Begin by creating an account in the NCCF Scholarships Portal.
Explore Opportunities: Once you’ve created an account, you’re ready to start applying for scholarships. Click on the Opportunities link at the top right.
Complete General Questions: After completing the general questions, you will be provided a list of scholarship opportunities for which you may be eligible.
Financial Need Information: Complete and submit the separate NCCF Financial Need Information Form and FAFSA Student Aid Index if either or both are required. Upload your Student Aid Index to our Scholarships Portal by March 3, 2025, to meet our deadline!
Separate Applications: While our universal application is used by most of our scholarships, we have about a dozen scholarships that have separate applications. You must apply to each of those scholarships individually within our Scholarships Portal. Review this list of scholarships.
Foundant Technologies: Foundant Technologies provides the software NCCF uses for our Scholarships Portal. They have instructions and tutorials that can help guide you through the process and answer your questions.

If you have a question about a specific scholarship, please reach out to the scholarship’s local contact.

Required Information

To be considered for some NCCF scholarships, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov. Within the application, you will be asked to select your intended major or field of study.

Additional Resources

Foundant Technologies: Offers instructions and tutorials for navigating the NCCF Scholarships Portal.
Scholarship Counselor: Contact your scholarship counselor for questions regarding the general application.
NCCF Scholarships Portal: For questions about a specific scholarship, reach out to the scholarship’s local contact.

Co-Enrollment Options

Yes. There are a variety of co-enrollment options, depending on the policies of your local public school district.

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