North Carolina College Grants

When you step into many areas of North Carolina, it seems like a step back in time, with farming and textile industries being a large source of state income. However, many residents of North Carolina aspire to something different, which is only attainable through a college education. In order to support such goals and dreams, the state of North Carolina has a variety of grants and scholarships available to students who wish to study in state.

Several sources of college funding focus on need. For example, the North Carolina Student Incentive Grant, offered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, is for residents who intend to enroll in a full-time study program and earn a low income. Awards are set at about $700.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina Scholarship offers benefits to employees of the state, as well as spouses and children, who are in need of aid in paying for technical or trade school, community college, or a four-year university. Amounts are awarded between $500 and $1000. The State Employees' Credit Union Foundation People Helping People Scholarships are also offered to these individuals and their families in sums as much as $10,000 over 8 semesters (also available for community college in sums of up to $5000 over 4 semesters).

If you are a resident in a rural area of North Carolina and plan on attending a two- or four-year state college or university, you may be eligible for the Golden LEAF Scholars Program, which can offer you up to $750 per semester for a two-year program and up to $3000 for a four-year program.

List of North Carolina College Grants

• North Carolina Community College Grant Program — $683 awarded each year to up to 13000 community college undergraduate students attending North Carolina college.


• North Carolina Student Incentive Grant — up to $700 awarded each year to undergraduate student who is North Carolina resident.


• University of North Carolina Need Based Grant — varied amount awarded each year to undergraduate student attending North Carolina college.

Paying for school is not easy, but we are here to help. OEDb's student finance section will help you find the money you need to pay your tuition and other college expenses. We cover scholarships, college grants, and student loans. Scholarships and grants are both forms of "free money", meaning they don't need to be paid back. Scholarships are typically awarded by businesses or individuals, with the money being earmarked specifically for tuition. They can be awarded based on a student's location or by religious affiliation, such as Catholicism or Islam. Grants are typically awarded by governments or non-profit organizations and the money often can be applied to several different expenses a student may incur, not solely tuition. They can be awarded based on location or ethnicity, for instance African American or Hispanic. Loans are not considered "free money", because unlike scholarships and grants, they do need to be paid back after graduation. Common federal loans include Perkins and Stafford. Loans are also available by location.