Scholarships and Financial Aid Resources
Scholarships and financial aid can offset some of the costs of attending NC State.
The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid has various financial resources for which students and families can apply, including the four-year Park Scholarship, Caldwell Fellows, Goodnight Scholars, special merit awards, work-study programs, grants, and need-based scholarships.
But don’t stop there.
We encourage students and families to seek other financial assistance and scholarship opportunities available through federal student aid programs (such as submitting FAFSA) and public and private sources, including their local businesses and community organizations. Here are some additional resources to help in your search for other scholarships. You may select based on employer, freshman or transfer status, undergraduate or graduate status, or miscellaneous funding.
Our office also encourages students to reach out to their community organizations. Small businesses, religious organizations, city clubs, and other sources may have small scholarship opportunities and every penny counts! Additionally, consider using a scholarship search engine such as CollegeBoard or Fastweb to seek out national opportunities.
Please remember: you should never have to pay to complete FAFSA or apply for a scholarship.
Financial Aid Tips
To qualify for scholarships and other financial aid through the college, students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 1 national priority deadline. We use information in the FAFSA as the financial portion of the CALS Scholarships application. Submit it early for optimal consideration for scholarships.
Tips for applying for scholarships and financial aid in CALS:
- Plan ahead. The earlier you plan your finances for college, the better.
- Meet the deadlines. Missing university and national deadlines for financial aid and scholarships could prevent you from receiving an aid package or decrease the amount of aid.
- Your enrollment status and grades matter. Work hard and take a full-time course load (12+ hours) each semester. Speak with your financial aid counselor and the CALS scholarship coordinator if you cannot take a full course load.
- File the FAFSA early. While the priority deadline is March 1, our financial aid staff can begin working on your aid package as soon as possible if you file early. You do not need to be admitted to NC State to have your financial information sent to us.
- File the FAFSA even if you don’t think you will qualify for need-based awards.
- Enter the correct School Code on the FAFSA. The NC State University School Code is 002972.
- Take your time and answer every question on financial aid and scholarship applications.
Visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for more tips and information on other scholarships and financial aid available at NC State.