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The Next NC Scholarship will allow many NC students to go to community college for free

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As the calendar year comes to an end, high school students are in the process of figuring out their postsecondary plans. Many will spend the next few months filling out the FAFSA, writing admission essays, and applying for scholarships.

One scholarship in particular, the Next NC Scholarship, will provide thousands of dollars to eligible students across the state, even covering tuition and fees for eligible students attending one of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges.

Read on to learn more about the scholarship, who is eligible, and how to apply.

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What is Next NC?

The Next NC Scholarship covers tuition and fees at any North Carolina community college for students from families making $80,000 a year or less. If interested in a university, students can get a minimum of $5,000 towards tuition and fees at any of the 16 UNC system schools.

The scholarship combines the federal Pell Grant with the state-funded financial aid program in an effort to provide a simplified and predictable scholarship award. All that is required to apply is filling out a FAFSA form.

The scholarship was created in partnership by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, the North Carolina Community College System, and the University of North Carolina System. State funding is provided in part by the NC Education Lottery.

How much money is available?

Scholarships ranging in the thousands of dollars are available for many students. Community college students can receive at least $3,000, which is more than the cost of full-time tuition at any of the 58 community colleges across the state. This means that eligible students can have all of their tuition and fees 100% covered by the scholarship. In addition to tuition and fees, the scholarship can also be used for books, food, housing, and other educational expenses. 

Students attending a public university in North Carolina can receive a minimum of $5,000 from the scholarship. That amount would pay for more than half of the tuition and fees at any of the 16 public universities across the state.

You can find out how much you might be eligible to receive using the Next NC Scholarship calculator.

Who is eligible?

In order to receive the Next NC Scholarship, you must be:

  • A North Carolina resident who is eligible for in-state tuition
  • A high school graduate (high school equivalency completers are eligible)
  • From a household with an annual Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $80,000 or less
  • Enrolled in an eligible undergraduate curriculum program
  • Taking at least six credit hours per semester (part-time students will receive a partial award)
  • Meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards of the school you plan to attend
  • A student who has completed the FAFSA, with a resulting Student Aid Index (SAI) at or below 7,500 (once complete, the financial aid office at the college/university you plan to attend will determine and confirm eligibility.)

You can look at all of the eligibility requirement details here.

How to apply

To apply, students need to fill out the FAFSA form. If a student is eligible, they will receive the Next NC Scholarship without having to fill out any additional forms.

You can find the FAFSA form here.