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.
$4,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who attend a Forsyth County high school and reside in The Winston-Salem Foundation's service area. Students must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher; demonstrate outstanding leadership, school service, and community involvement; and demonstrate financial need.
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$500
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to African-American 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 demonstrate financial need.
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$1,000
Award Amount
4
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to residents of Davie, Forsyth, Surry, Wilkes, or Yadkin counties in North Carolina who are 21 years of age or older and plan to pursue an undergraduate degree. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, be employed 20 or more hours monthly, and demonstrate financial need.
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$4,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors at Forsyth County (NC) public high schools who have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and are ranked in the top 25 percent of their class. Students must also demonstrate athletic excellence, social responsibility, and leadership.
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$2,500
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. 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 3.5 or higher; demonstrate moral character, school service, and community involvement; and demonstrate financial need.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who are residents of Forsyth County, NC, and plan to pursue a degree in music (preferably percussion). Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
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$500
Award Amount
4
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who reside in Forsyth County, NC. Students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and demonstrate financial need; merit will be considered to a greater degree than need.
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$20,000
Award Amount
4
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. high school seniors who are residents of Forsyth County, NC, who have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and demonstrate financial need. Applicants must demonstrate leadership, school service, and community service during high school.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to women who are 23 years of age or older and attend or plan to attend select NC institutions. Students must have a grade point average of 2.6 or higher, pursue a liberal arts degree, and demonstrate financial need.
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$600
Award Amount
2
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who reside and attend school in Stokes County, NC, and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students must demonstrate financial need as well as outstanding leadership, school service, and community involvement.
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$9,000
Award Amount
2
Awards
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors from a Forsyth Cty. (NC) high school or home school who intend to pursue an undergraduate degree in engineering. Students must have a grade point average of 3.25 or higher and demonstrate some financial need.
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$6,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who attend a Dare County (NC) high school and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students must demonstrate artistic talent and an interest in pursuing active involvement in the visual arts.
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$6,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Apr 1
Deadline
This scholarship is open to high school seniors who reside in Forsyth County, NC, and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to applicants who are African American or multi-racial.
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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
5
Awards
May 1
Deadline
North Carolina high school seniors or older students who are enrolled in a state- or federally recognized tribe are eligible for this award. Students must pursue a two- or four-year degree.
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$3,000
Award Amount
1
Award
May 31
Deadline
Undergraduate students at North Carolina A&T State University who are majoring in transportation, safety, urban planning, environmental disciplines, public services, or a specific transportation-related discipline are eligible for this award. Students must have demonstrated leadership skills and an active commitment to community service.
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$1,000
Award Amount
5
Awards
May 31
Deadline
Registered nurses who are residents of North Carolina and have been admitted to a bachelor's or master's degree program in nursing in North Carolina are eligible for this award. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
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$10,000
Award Amount
5
Awards
May 31
Deadline
Residents of Chatham, Durham, Orange, Wake, or Person counties in North Carolina who are incoming or current undergraduate nursing students are eligible for this award. Students must demonstrate financial need.
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$5,000
Award Amount
5
Awards
May 31
Deadline
Residents of North Carolina who have been admitted to a program in North Carolina offering a master's degree or doctoral degree in nursing education, practice, or administration are eligible for this award. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
May 31
Deadline
The Safety in North Carolina Scholarship is available for residents of North Carolina currently enrolled at an accredited college, university, or graduate program in the United States.
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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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$2,000,000
Award Amount
40
Awards
Oct 15
Deadline
This scholarship is available for U.S. high school seniors who plan to attend North Carolina State University. Students must have taken AP or IB courses; recipients typically have a grade point average of 'A' and an SAT score above 1190.
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$10,000
Award Amount
12
Awards
Oct 25
Deadline
This award is for high school seniors with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher who demonstrate critical financial need and are residents of North Carolina.
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$5,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Nov 15
Deadline
This scholarship is available for international and U.S. high school seniors who plan to attend Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Successful applicants have pursued the most challenging curriculum available to them and have achieved grade point averages and SAT scores that are often in the top 1 percent of their class, with SAT-1 scores above 1500.
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$50,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Nov 15
Deadline
This award is available for graduating high school seniors who are planning to attend Duke University or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Applicants must enroll full time, and be high-achieving, well-rounded students. Scholars also have access to generous funding for two semesters of study abroad.
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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 2024
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