State Financial Aid programs are administered by the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) and the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). Detailed information concerning each of these funds may be obtained from the College Foundation of North Carolina at www.cfnc.org.

The programs that the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs directly awards to our students are listed below.

North Carolina Community College Grant (NCCCG)

The North Carolina Community College Grant is need based grant given to community college students across the State of North Carolina.

To be eligible, students must be:

North Carolina residents
Enrolled for at least 6 credit hours per semester in curriculum programs

Eligibility is determined based on the same criteria as the Federal Pell Grant; students not eligible for the Federal Pell Grant may be considered for the grant based on their estimated family contribution as determined on the Student Aid Report. Students who have earned the baccalaureate (4 year) college degree are ineligible.

The value per grant will vary according to information that is generated from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship (NCELS)

The North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship (ELS) was created by the 2005 General Assembly to provide financial assistance to needy North Carolina resident students attending eligible colleges and universities located within the state of North Carolina.

To be eligible, an applicant must:

Be a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes
Enroll for at least six credit hours per semester in a curriculum program
Be admitted, enrolled and classified as an undergraduate student in matriculated status in a degree, certificate or diploma program at an eligible North Carolina institution (UNC campuses, Community College Campuses, Independent College Campuses and certain other private colleges)

Eligibility is determined based on the same criteria as the Federal Pell Grant with one exception; students not eligible for the Federal Pell Grant with an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of 5000 or less will be eligible for an Education Lottery Scholarship. Students who have earned baccalaureate (four-year) college degrees are ineligible.

Education Access Rewards North Carolina Scholars Fund (EARN)

EARN was established by the 2007 North Carolina General Assembly to provide grants to eligible students to enable them to obtain an education beyond the high school level at community colleges, public universities, and independent colleges and universities in North Carolina without incurring student loans during the first two years of their postsecondary education.

To be considered for funding:

The student must qualify as a legal resident of North Carolina and the United States and must qualify as a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes.
The student must enroll full-time for the first time, exclusive of any college credits earned while in high school, at an eligible North Carolina post-secondary school within seven months of graduation from a North Carolina high school or home school or receipt of a GED from a North Carolina institution.
The student must be classified as "dependent" for Federal Title IV programs or is a ward or dependent of the court.
The student must demonstrate total family income not exceeding 200% of the applicable federal poverty guideline.
The student must meet all other eligibility requirements for the federal Pell Grant.
In order to retain eligibility for a grant for a second year, the student must meet the satisfactory academic progress standards established by the eligible college or university in which the student is enrolled.
The student may not receive a grant through this program for more than the equivalent of two academic years.

The maximum grant for which a student is eligible is $4,000 per academic year. The EARN grant plus other financial aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance established by each college or university.

NC Student Incentive Grant (NCSIG)

This program is offered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority through College Foundation Inc. Applicant must:

Be a US citizen
Be a North Carolina resident
Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment on a full-time basis at a North Carolina postsecondary institution
Not be enrolled in a program designed primarily for career preparation in a religious vocation
Maintain satisfactory academic progress
Demonstrate substantial financial need.

The award amount for the current year is $700.