Your ticket to a free college application – NC Education Lottery
Ella always dreamed of helping children navigate foster care and adoption, a passion that hits home as an adoptee herself. Thanks to scholarship money, she pursued a degree in family therapy — turning her personal experience into a mission to give back.
Ella’s story stands as one of thousands made possible by scholarships funded in part by the lottery.
This week, North Carolina students have a chance to take their own first step toward college — for free. Many public community colleges and universities are waiving application fees as part of College Application Week running through Sunday.
College Foundation of North Carolina’s statewide Countdown to College campaign prepares students for higher education throughout the month of October. That includes help with completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for a Next NC Scholarship. Funded in part by lottery proceeds, the scholarship can fully cover tuition and fees at any community college or more than half, if not all, tuition and fees to attend any public university in the state for most North Carolinians making $80,000 or less.
The Next NC Scholarship is the newest way the state uses lottery money to provide financial aid. In the 2024 school year, the lottery provided $34 million in scholarships to make college more affordable for students in North Carolina. More than 500,000 scholarships have been awarded over nearly two decades thanks to money raised by players like you.
The countdown is on, and now is the time to see if the scholarship could open the door to the degree of your dreams.
Visit the Moving NC Students Forward website to hear more stories and learn how the $1 billion raised annually for education makes a difference. If you’ve already received a Next NC scholarship, share your story with us for the chance earn $2,000.
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