Did you know the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was the first public university in the United States? It comes as no surprise that residents in North Carolina and students of the Tar Heel State make higher education a priority. In addition to UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina has some fantastic colleges and universities to consider including East Carolina University (ECU), North Carolina State University (NC State), Wake Forest University, High Point University, and Duke University just to name a few!
North Carolina is a popular place to go to college with over half a million students attending 110 colleges and universities in North Carolina in 2024! With the rising costs of tuition, the dreams of a college education may seem almost out of reach. Luckily, there are plenty of scholarships in North Carolina for students to help pay for the costs of college.
$2,500
Award Amount
20
Awards
Mar 25
Deadline
This scholarship is available for current undergraduate students in North Carolina who are employed by a grocery store or who have a parent/guardian who is employed by a grocer.
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$14,000
Award Amount
14
Awards
Mar 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. high school seniors who are residents of Durham, Orange, or Wake counties in North Carolina and plan to attend a North Carolina postsecondary institution. Applicants must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher and must submit ACT and/or SAT scores; financial need will be considered.
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$7,500
Award Amount
1
Award
Mar 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. students who are residents of the Triangle Area of North Carolina (Durham, Orange, and Wake counties) and attend a North Carolina postsecondary institutions. Students must be pursuing a career in the health professions or be a single working parent.
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$7,500
Award Amount
1
Award
Mar 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to students who reside in the Triangle Area of North Carolina (Durham, Orange, and Wake counties) and plan to attend a North Carolina technical institution. Financial need will be considered in the selection process.
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$4,375
Award Amount
4
Awards
Apr 12
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. high school seniors who attend a high school in the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina's service area (Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham counties, and the city of Thomasville). Students will be judged in the areas of leadership, community service, academics, and an essay; students must also obtain a letter of recommendation from a BBB Accredited Business affiliated with the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Mar 14
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students who reside within the North Carolina counties of Wake, Durham, Orange, or Johnston (may attend school outside the area). Students must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher; male and female students may apply.
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$3,000
Award Amount
40
Awards
Oct 28
Deadline
This scholarship is open to North Carolina students who are enrolled in an academic program yielding a degree in accounting or its equivalent and have completed 36 or more semester hours. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Jul 1
Deadline
This grant program is open to undergraduate students who reside in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. Students must have a family adjusted gross income up to 300 percent above the federal proverty guidelines.
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$1,767
Award Amount
4
Awards
Jul 31
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. undergraduate students who are children of Vietnam veterans and reside in Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, Surry, Stokes, Yadkin and Wilkes counties in North Carolina. Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher; financial need will be considered when awarding scholarships.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Jul 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to residents of Forsyth County, NC, who will pursue a full-time undergraduate degree, certificate, or diploma from an accredited postsecondary institution. Students must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher and demonstrate financial need.
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$1,767
Award Amount
4
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to dependent children of slain officers from the Winston-Salem Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, or N.C. State Highway Patrol (located in Forsyth County). Students may be high school seniors or already enrolled in postsecondary education; students who have already left home and are self-supporting are not eligible.
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$1,800
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to incoming and current undergraduate nursing students from Forsyth County, NC, who have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students must demonstrate some financial need, although merit is given greater consideration; preference is given to African-American students.
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$900
Award Amount
4
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students who live in housing owned or managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Winston-Salem. Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher (college students who have been out of school for two or more years with lower grades may be considered on a case-by-case basis).
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$1,500
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who attend a Forsyth County (NC) high school and reside in the Winston-Salem Foundation's service area. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrated financial need (not limited to lower incomes).
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$12,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors from Forsyth County, North Carolina, who are African-American or Hispanic. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need; academic merit will be given greater consideration than financial need.
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$6,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors who attend a Forsyth County (NC) public high school. Students must plan to pursue an undergraduate mathematics degree and rank in the top 15 percent of their class.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is for graduating high school seniors from Forsyth County (NC) high schools who will attend North Carolina State University's College of Engineering. Students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and high ACT/SAT scores; students must also demonstrate financial need, although merit will be given greater consideration.
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$12,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors from Forsyth County (NC) high schools who have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and a challenging course selection. Students must also demonstrate financial need, although merit will be given greater consideration.
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$3,500
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 30
Deadline
This scholarship is available for U.S. high school seniors and undergraduate students in the AIST Southeastern Chapter (Southern Virginia, Eastern Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida) who are planning to major in engineering and pursue a career in iron and steel technology. Applicants must be AIST members or dependents of AIST members.
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$5,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Dec 1
Deadline
This scholarship is available to U.S. and international undergraduate students who attend a school within the geographic boundaries of ASHRAE's Region IV (NC, SC, GA), or students who have graduated from a high school in Region IV. Applicants must be majoring in mechanical or architectural engineering and plan to pursue a career in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) profession.
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$3,000
Award Amount
2
Awards
Jan 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors and community college transfer students who reside in qualifying North Carolina counties and plan to attend a participating four-year North Carolina institution. All applicants must demonstrate financial need; grade point average will also be considered in the selection process.
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$789
Award Amount
1,900
Awards
Jan 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to students who plan to attend or are currently attending a participating North Carolina community college and reside in a qualifying North Carolina county. Students must demonstrate financial need.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Mar 28
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. students who are pursuing a degree in environmental sciences or environmental education at a community college in North Carolina during the upcoming academic year. Students must have a grade point average of 2.75 or higher.
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$4,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Mar 28
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. students who are first-year graduate students studying engineering with a concentration in the water environment in an ABET-accredited engineering curriculum at a University of North Carolina campus. Students must be residents of North Carolina and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
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$6,000
Award Amount
26
Awards
Jan 15
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors at and recent (within two years) graduates of North Carolina high schools who are of Hispanic/Latino descent. Students must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
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Understanding Scholarships In North Carolina
Before we introduce the various grants and scholarships available for going to college in North Carolina, it is important to understand the cost of going to school in North Carolina. If you are attending UNC Chapel Hill and are a resident of the Tar Heel state, you will pay $7,020 in undergraduate tuition and just under $2,000 in fees, for the 2024-25 school year. Out of state students can expect to pay over $40,000 in tuition and fees.
Tuition and fees at NC State is roughly the same for North Carolina residents and $33,034 for out-of-state residents. Tuition and fees at other North Carolina public universities are a little more affordable. For example, in-state tuition and fees at East Carolina is $7,516 and $23,793 for students who do not live in the state.
If you are looking to attend a private college or university in North Carolina, you can expect to pay tuition and fees of up to $69,000 at Duke University. Tuition and fees at Wake Forest are just about the same. High Point University is considerably more affordable with 2024-25 tuition and fees of $47,712.
The great news is there are a good number of grants and scholarships available for students who want to study in North Carolina, that can make going to school much more affordable!
Many NC scholarships also help those who demonstrate financial need. To qualify for financial aid based on need, you fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a standard form that may help you receive a Pell Grant and other federal aid.
States also use the FAFSA to provide grants for college. The North Carolina Community College Grant is one. It is from the NC State Education Assistance Authority. Funds are up to $2,400 depending on availability. You must be a full time student in need to qualify. You also must be pursuing an undergraduate degree program.
Your scholarship search should also include scholarship programs from NC colleges. All admitted first year students at NC State University may be automatically considered for merit scholarships. Eligibility entails a 3.0 GPA. Award amounts range from $1,000 to $10,000. They could also be renewable each year.
10 North Carolina Scholarships You Should Apply for in 2025
There are so many scholarship opportunities in the state of North Carolina. Some awards are only for North Carolina residents. Submit your application before the deadline!
Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship
Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarship
Glaxo Smith Kline Opportunity Scholarship
Winston Salem Foundation Scholarship
Wake Forest University Nancy S. Reynolds Scholarship
Safety in North Carolina Scholarship
Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship
PFLAG Greensboro Chapter Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship
NC Sheriffs Association Undergraduate Criminal Justice Scholarships
Couch Oil Cares Scholarship
How Much Does College Cost in North Carolina?
According to the NCES, attending a public four year college costs North Carolina residents an average of $17,343 per academic year. If you are an out of state student, tuition and fees average $24,274 which is slightly below the national average. It’s about $2,499 per year for a two year college or $8,496 for out of state. Private colleges also tend to cost more.
Full Ride North Carolina Scholarships
Some NC colleges like NCSU, Duke, and UNC Chapel Hill offer full ride scholarships in NC. Full ride scholarships may cover tuition, fees, and room and board. It tends to pay for your entire four year degree program. These awards typically are given to college students with outstanding academic achievements. NC colleges with these scholarship funds typically offer them to new high school seniors entering as incoming freshmen.
Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill offer the Robertson Scholars Leadership program. It covers eight semesters of full tuition, fees, and room and board. Scholars also access funding for up to three summer experiences. Other benefits also include paid conferences and two study abroad semesters.
North Carolina State University offers the Park Scholarship. It is a four year full ride scholarship. About 40 new undergraduate students receive an award each year. The current award amount is $112,000 for in state students and $203,000 for out of state students. It also typically covers tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, and personal expenses. Selectees also access early course registration and score an invite to the University Scholars or Honors program.
Scholarships for Graduate Students in NC
There are plenty of scholarships for graduate students in NC if you need financial assistance. According to NCES, in 2017 to 2018, the average tuition and fees of graduate school was $18,416. Various colleges partner with the National Science Foundation. For example, NSF Cyber Corps Scholarship for Service is a full ride scholarship for graduate students in NC. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is one of the providers.
Eligible students must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in cybersecurity. Each SFS scholar receives support for up to two years or three years for PhD. That includes tuition, fees, stipend for housing, meals and more. You also must be a United States citizen. Selected recipients also sign a contract to work in a government cybersecurity job after graduation.
Our Scholarships
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$1,500 – I Have a Dream
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$10,000 – Unigo $10K Award
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$1,500 – Sweet and Simple
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$2,500 – Superpower
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$3,000 – All About Education
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$1,500 – Fifth Month Scholarship
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$1,500 – Do-Over
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$1,500 – Flavor of the Month
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$1,500 – Make Me Laugh
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$1,500 – Shout It Out
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$2,000 – Zombie Apocalypse
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$5,000 – Education Matters
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$1,500 – Top Ten List
Written by Dave Moniz
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Edited by Unigo Staff