North Carolina Scholarship Opportunities and Changes to FAFSA
If you have a child that is, or soon will be, applying for postsecondary education, I'm sure that paying for college is at the top of your mind. Here are some resources that may be of interest to you.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, usually opens in October, but the 2024 application is undergoing some major changes and will instead become available this month. The FAFSA unlocks a variety of aid at the federal level such as Federal Pell Grants, work-study programs, scholarships and loans. Additionally, in North Carolina most colleges and universities use the application to divide and disburse state aid and scholarships, so while the FAFSA can seem like an exhaustive process, it is a key initial step to ensuring your student is able to secure all of the student aid they qualify for.
I'm also excited to share information about a new scholarship available! 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 university within the UNC System.
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. Students with the greatest need for financial aid could qualify for even more funding to help make paying for college more manageable.
Eligible community college students will receive at least $3,000 per year, and those attending a university within the UNC System will receive a minimum of $5,000 per year. Along with tuition and fees, the scholarship can be used to cover any other expenses that support students through college like books, food, and housing.
Learn more about the Next NC Scholarship and eligibility requirements here.
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