10 College Scholarships for North Carolina Students
What’s Covered:
Graduating in the Tar Heel State? Congratulations! Moving forward, you’re probably thinking about how you’re going to pay for college. Luckily, there are many scholarships for students in North Carolina. Most of these scholarships require North Carolina residence and attendance at a North Carolina-located university, but are otherwise applicable to most NC students.
Before you take a look at these scholarships, make sure you complete the FAFSA and a CSS profile. These are some of the easiest ways to get aid for college. Done with those? Let’s take a look at some scholarships in North Carolina.
10 College Scholarships for North Carolina Students
1. Greenhouse Scholarship
Amount: Varies per recipient
Deadline: September 1st
Eligibility:
- Graduating high school senior planning to attend a four-year accredited academic institution
- US citizen or permanent resident and legal resident of Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, or North Carolina
- Cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above
- Annual household income no greater than $70,000
Application Requirements: Complete the online application
The Greenhouse Scholars program hopes to inspire change in low-income communities through cultivating leaders and role models for those communities. Scholarship recipients must possess excellent leadership skills, the ability to persevere through difficult circumstances, and a strong interest in and commitment to their community. The application consists of four rounds, including essays, a video, and informational responses. Students who make it to the final rounds will participate in an in-person interview and will be notified of their acceptance by phone and email.
2. Riding Forward Scholarship
Amount: $3,500 or $5,000
Deadline: March 31st
Eligibility:
- Legal US resident of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Texas
- Age 13 or older
- Enrolled in 12th grade at a public, private, or home school
- Minimum 2.0 GPA
- Plan to attend an accredited college in the next school year
Application Requirements: Complete the online application and submit an essay
The Regions Riding Forward Scholarship is meant to celebrate Black progress and achievement from the Civil Rights Movement into today. Students will choose a Black American who has inspired and motivated them. In their essay, students should discuss how this person’s story has been an inspiration in their lives, and how their contributions have inspired or motivated the student. 15 high school seniors will receive $5,000 as the winners of the essay contest.
3. Jagannathan Scholarships
Amount: Amount varies
Deadline: Rolling deadline
Eligibility:
- Resident of North Carolina
- Graduating seniors planning to enroll as a college freshman in a full-time degree program at one of the University of North Carolina system schools
- Demonstrated academic achievement
- Nominated by the financial aid office of the school they plan to attend
- Demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA
Application Requirements: Complete the FAFSA and receive a nomination from the financial aid office at your university
The Jagannathan Scholarships are awarded by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority to students who have demonstrated financial need and academic achievement. Award recipients must be nominated by the financial aid office at their school, so make sure you contact the scholarship coordinator there!
4. State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation “People Helping People” Scholarship
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility:
- Senior at a North Carolina public high school accepted into one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina system
- Minimum 2.5 GPA
- Demonstrate financial need
- SECU member or eligible for membership through a parent/guardian who is a SECU member
Application Requirements: Complete the FAFSA and application forms
The People Helping People scholarship covers four years of school for North Carolina undergraduates. Each North Carolina school district receives at least one of these scholarships per year. The $10,000 award is spread over four years, meaning the student gets $1,250 per semester. Scholarship recipients are submitted by the Scholarship Selection Committee at each school district, the Foundation does not review individual applications. For more information about earning this scholarship, speak with your school counselor!
5. NC Education Lottery Scholarship
Amount: Up to $3,588
Deadline: Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1st
Eligibility:
- North Carolina resident
- Enroll for at least six credit hours per semester
- Meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the institution
- Admitted as an undergraduate at an eligible North Carolina institution
Application Requirements: Complete the FAFSA
Consideration for this scholarship is automatic once a student completes the FAFSA. The NC Education Lottery determines eligibility based on the same criteria as the Federal Pell Grant. Make sure you get that FAFSA in quick, as it’s first-come-first-serve!
6. North Carolina Hispanic College Fund
Amount: $500-$2,500
Deadline: December 15th
Eligibility:
- Graduated from a North Carolina high school within 2 years
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
- Identify as Hispanic
Application Requirements:
- Application forms
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Official high school transcript
- 500-word personal statement
The NCHCF is awarded by the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals to benefit Hispanic North Carolinian students. Preference is given to foreign-born applicants and native-born children of foreign-born parents. Recipients are chosen based on family economic needs, community involvement, academic achievement, volunteerism, and leadership. The society will send the funds directly to the recipient’s school.
7. Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship
Amount: $400-$3,000
Deadline: February 7th
Eligibility: High school senior in North Carolina planning to attend college in North Carolina
Application Requirements:
- Application form
- Essay
- Photograph related to what inspired your essay
- Transcript
- Current photograph
- Letter of recommendation
- Document detailing extracurricular activities, awards, community service, and work experience
- Document containing any additional information that may be helpful to the review committee
This award honors the first president of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in North Carolina, Florence Kidder. Every year, the society awards six scholarships- one $3,000, one $1,000, one $800, and three $400. These scholarships are not renewable, and can only be awarded to a college or university in North Carolina. Students must submit all requested documents along with a 500-700 word essay on a determined subject.
8. Assistance League of the Triangle Scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$10,000
Deadline: March 1st
Eligibility:
- Plan to enroll as a freshman at any NC post-secondary educational or technical institution
- Live in the Research Triangle area
- Minimum 2.5 GPA
- US citizen or have permanent resident status
Application Requirements:
- Application form
- 2 references
- Transcripts
- SAT/ACT scores
The Assistance League of the Triangle seeks to transform the lives of women, children, and families through community work and programs. Students applying should live in Wake, Durham, or Orange counties, include all necessary documentation, and ask for references early! The League will then evaluate applications, conduct interviews, and send funds directly to your school.
9. North State Law Enforcement Officers Association Scholarship
Amount: $500-$1,000
Deadline: May 15th
Eligibility:
- Resident of North Carolina
- Younger than 24
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Major in Criminal Justice or a related field
- Active in the community
- No felony convictions or convictions of serious misdemeanors
Application Requirements:
- Application form
- Most recent high school transcript
- 4 reference letters
- SAT/ACT score
The goal of the North State Law Enforcement Officers Association is to maintain law enforcement professionalism through education, training, and the lawful removal of unwanted circumstances from the communities served. They work toward creating relationships between officers and the community and eliminating police brutality. This award is meant to support students going into the criminal justice field, working toward the same principles espoused by the association.
10. African American Network of the Carolinas
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: March 5th
Eligibility:
- Graduating senior at a North or South Carolina high school
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Plan to attend a four-year college or university in North or South Carolina full-time
- Major in engineering, computer science, the sciences, accounting, finance, or business
- U.S. citizen
- Member of a race/ethnic category typically considered “people of color”
Application Requirements: Complete the online application and write an essay
This award is given by the African American Network, run by African American employees of Duke Energy. In order to bring more well-qualified, highly-educated employees into the industry, they offer this award to encourage college admission. They hope to identify pathways of growth for POC students and employees and work as a business resource.
3 Tips for Applying for Scholarships
1. Start early
All scholarships have deadlines, usually in the winter or spring before graduation. It’s important to make sure you are being proactive when you’re applying so that you don’t miss out. You want to be sure you are researching and filling out applications well before the deadline so that when it comes, you’re already good to go! That way you can spend the end of your senior year enjoying all the wrap-up festivities, and not stressing about college money.
2. Look close to home
National programs are great, and they often give large rewards, but they usually attract a large number of applicants. Local scholarships tend to have a much smaller applicant pool, making it easier for you to stand out and impress. These awards tend to be smaller than the more well-known scholarships, but you have a much better chance of wowing the committee. You can also personalize the application to where you’re from, showing how your community has impacted you. Check out your state, county, and college for specific scholarships.
3. Make a plan
The last few months of your senior year are going to be extremely hectic, and you need to be organized so you don’t miss anything. As early as possible, you should get a planner and use it! If you’re not a paper and pencil person, there are plenty of free online planners and apps you can use. Write down application deadlines for schools and scholarships, along with your high school’s end-of-year activities. Make a to do list to keep track of application requirements. This will help you stay organized and on top of things.
