To receive the Next NC Scholarship, you must be:

• A North Carolina resident who is eligible for in-state tuition
• A high school graduate (high school equivalency completers are eligible)
• From a household with an annual Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $80,000 or less
• Enrolled in an eligible undergraduate curriculum program for the 2024-2025 academic year
• Taking at least 6 credit hours per semester (part-time students will receive a partial award)
• Meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards of College of The Albemarle
• A student who has completed the 2024-2025 FAFSA, with a resulting Student Aid Index (SAI) at or below 7,500 (once complete, the financial aid office will determine and confirm eligibility.)

Adjusted gross income (AGI) is the taxable income a taxpayer earns. It’s determined by subtracting eligible deductions from a family’s gross income. You can find this number on your federal income tax return. The Student Aid Index (SAI) is a number you get from filling out the FAFSA, based on the information you share. It’s an eligibility index that each school uses to determine how much financial aid you would get should you choose to attend.

You must be a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes to qualify for the Next NC Scholarship. Students need to complete the residency determination process using the NC Residency Determination Service (RDS).

Applying is simple. Just submit the FAFSA form. If you’re eligible, you’ll receive the Next NC Scholarship. There are no additional forms to fill out.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the best place to start to access funds for tuition and other school-related expenses. Once you gather all the information you need, filling out the application online should take about an hour. After submitting your FAFSA form, you’ll receive an award letter from the colleges you apply to telling you what you can get in the form of scholarships, grants, and work-study options and loans—including the Next NC Scholarship. Of course, whether you choose to accept the funding or not is totally up to you.

An overview of what you’ll need to have ready to fill out the FAFSA form:

• FSA ID (You’ll create this to begin and sign electronically)
• Social Security Number
• Federal Income Tax Return
• Records of Untaxed Income
• Records of Your Assets
• List of Schools You’re Interested In

Get more information about the FAFSA.

The 2024-2025 FAFSA is now open. It’s a good idea to complete it as soon as possible, as some financial aid is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Next NC Scholarship priority filing date is August 15, 2024 for NC community colleges.

Colleges also use information from the FAFSA to determine if you qualify for federal, state and college-based scholarships or grants. Some of these institutions have earlier priority filing dates, so depending on where you’re planning on attending, you could be eligible for additional money from the school if you complete your FAFSA before their deadline.

Be sure to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Even if you don’t complete the FAFSA by the college’s priority date, other funding could still be available.