Get money for college that you don’t have to pay back!

That’s right... The Next NC Scholarship is a financial aid program that helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue higher education by fully covering tuition and fees at any community college or more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees to attend any public university in the state. The best part? It’s money that doesn’t have to be repaid.

The Next NC Scholarship combines the federal Pell Grant with the state-funded financial aid program to form a simplified and predictable scholarship award that’s easier to understand and makes education more affordable for most North Carolinians. It’s an opportunity to pursue the degree you need for the career you want – and the future you choose.

Who is eligible?

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 for the 2024-2025 academic year

• Taking at least 6 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 2024-2025 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.)

Find out more: https://nextncscholarship.org/

The first step to completing your FAFSA is to create an FSA ID (a username and password). Your FSA ID gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online system and serves as your legal signature. To protect your personal information, please keep this information in a safe and secure place. It can take 3-5 business days for your FSA ID application to be processed, so students will NOT be able to complete their FAFSA the same day they apply for the ID. 

Create FSA ID here: studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch  

Information and Instructions in English and Spanish