Soon hundreds of students in North Carolina will graduate from high school, and many of them aspire to continue their higher education in colleges and universities.
To continue their education, students can find tools, resources, scholarships, loans, federal and state aid to pay for their studies at higher education institutions in and out of state.
There is also information on financial aid and Scholarships for students who do not have immigration status or have DACA.
All this valuable information can be found gathered in one place, on the website of the North Carolina University Foundation (NCF), which is a free state service that helps students plan, apply to, and pay for college.
The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) is the lead sponsor in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the North Carolina Community College System, the UNC System, the Independent Colleges and Universities of North Carolina, and the Colleges Foundation, Inc.
Where to start?
The CFNC indicates that students should begin by seeking financial aid to pay for their college education. This can be either grants or loans, and can come from federal, state, local, school, and private entities.
Start with FAFSA
La Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), is the first step to unlocking financial aid at the federal, state, and institutional levels.
“Many financial aid opportunities require that you first complete the FAFSA form, which is used to determine federal, state, and sometimes college-specific aid,” CFNC says.
There are also resources of FAFSA Assistance, including a Interactive map Financial Aid, to find the financial aid contact at almost all North Carolina colleges.
The foundation indicates that the next step is to find the perfect school in the search engine where you can find all the information on costs, available financial aid, majors, required scores, among other data.
Related: How to complete the FAFSA form without a taxpayer's Social Security number
Apply for grants and scholarships
The CFNC provides information on many grant and scholarship programs that require you to begin by completing the FAFSA.
This article is sponsored by Miller-Motte College
Miller-Motte College
Address: 3901 Capital Boulevard, Suite 151, Raleigh, NC 27604
Phone: (919) 855-2506
Website: www.miller-motte.edu
Federal Grants
The federal government provides grants for students attending college or trade school. Most types of grants, unlike loans, are sources of financial aid that generally do not have to be repaid. Find out what these federal grants are in the Federal Student Aid site.
Scholarship Search
A student who completes the FAFSA is generally considered for state aid. community college, an independent college, or any of the UNC institutions.
You can find 104 scholarships available in this search engine, where you can find detailed information about each scholarship, including requirements, scholarship amounts, application deadlines, and more.
Related: Pupusas for Education scholarships for undocumented students, TPS, or DACA
student loans
These loans are obtained through NC Assist Loans, with a fixed interest rate, easy application, and strong support from North Carolina's trusted nonprofit lender.
With these loans, students can cover up to 100% of their school costs, including tuition, housing, books, and more, through the Student Assist loan program.
There are also loans for parents of NC Parent Assist Loan, and Graduate Student Loans to cover costs of master's, doctoral, and other degrees after college graduation with the NC Assist Loan.
Additionally, there are Work-Study Programs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to work part-time to help pay for their education expenses.
Students interested in this program can contact their school's financial aid office to inquire about available positions.
You can find answers to many other questions in the CFNC site.
Help Resources
>>Step by Step: How to Apply for the Most Convenient Student Loan Repayment Plan
Tools regardless of immigration status
The CFNC offers a section called “So Much Potential,” with tools for planning college regardless of a student’s immigration status, dedicated to DACA and undocumented “dreamers.”
Although this section is primarily intended for school counselors, it is a key resource for any student seeking college admission.
The site provides information on Financial Aid and Scholarships available for these students, in the “So Much Potential” section with local and national scholarships.
Although DACA or undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid, may qualify for financial aid from the state or educational institution, in addition to some private scholarships.
You can find more information and answers to many other questions, in the “So Much Potential” section.
Scholarships available in North Carolina regardless of your immigration status
Recently in Enlace Latino NC we publish a list of options Regarding scholarships and available resources that do not take into account the immigration status of students, these are:
Pupusas for Education (P4E) Scholarship
- Requirements: Undocumented students, TPS or DACA holders; NC residents; recent high school graduates.
- Prize Amount: $4,000 ($500 per semester for 4 years).
- Deadline: Applications open each year between January and March.
- Notes: Acceptance into any post-secondary education program is required.
- Link: airtable.com
Self-Help Federal Credit Union
- Requirements: Students regardless of immigration status attending any post-secondary educational institution, including universities, colleges, technical, trade, or vocational schools
- Prize Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: The scholarship application period is usually from January to March.
- Notes: You do not need to be a SHCU member to apply.
- Link: self-helpfcu.org
Elon University Odyssey Program
- Requirements: Undocumented students, with DACA or TPS.
- Prize Amount: Up to full registration.
- Deadline: Applications open between August and September of each year.
- Notes: Students must first submit a first-year application, then apply to the Odyssey program and submit the FAFSA (if eligible) or CSS Profile.
- Link: elon.edu
national scholarships
Golden Door Scholars
- Requirements : Undocumented student, with DACA, TPS, refugee or pending asylum case in their senior year of high school in North Carolina, South Carolina or Georgia.
- Prize Amount: Complete tuition coverage.
- Deadline: Applications usually open from August to October 1
- Notes: Preference for students pursuing STEM or business majors. Must reside in North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), or Georgia (GA).
- Link: goldendoorscholars.org
TheDream.US National Scholarship
- Requirements: Undocumented students who are eligible to pay in-state tuition
- Prize Amount: Up to $33,000 at a partner university toward a bachelor's degree.
- Deadline: Applications will open on November 1, 2025.
- Notes: Eligibility criteria are subject to change.
- Link: thedream.us
TheDream.US Opportunity Scholarship
- Requirements: Undocumented students who are not eligible to pay in-state tuition.
- Prize Amount: Up to $100,000 toward a bachelor's degree
- Deadline: Applications will open on November 1, 2025.
- Notes: For undocumented students living in states known as "locked-out states," the student must attend one of their partner universities.
- Link: thedream.us
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
- Requirements: Undocumented students can apply.
- Prize Amount: Up to $55,000 for a bachelor's degree.
- Deadline: Applications will reopen in late August 2025.
- Notes: For students with high academic performance.
- Link: jkcf.org
Merit and need-based scholarships
In addition to these scholarships, many universities and colleges in North Carolina accept undocumented students.
Universities such as Duke, Chapel Hill, Queen's University of Charlotte, and Wingate University offer merit-based scholarships for students in need of financial assistance.
Like many of the scholarships mentioned above, merit-based aid is awarded based on a student's achievements, such as academic excellence or community involvement.
On the other hand, “need-based” aid is determined by the financial situation of the student’s family.
National scholarships with application dates in 2026
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- Requirements: Undocumented students with DACA.
- Prize Amount: Between $500 and $5,000.
- Deadline: Applications will reopen in January 2026.
- Notes: They must have Hispanic heritage.
- Link: hsf.net
Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
- Requirements: Undocumented students can apply.
- Prize Amount: Up to $15,000.
- Deadline: Applications will open from January 2026 until April 1, 2026
- Notes: Activism and community work are valued.
- Link: davisputter.org
Immigrants Rising Scholarships (Multiple)
- Requirements: Open to undocumented students.
- Prize Amount: Variable.
- Deadline: Variable.
- Notes: Scholarship opportunities database.
- Link: immigrantsrising.org
This article is sponsored by Miller-Motte College
Miller-Motte College
Address: 3901 Capital Boulevard, Suite 151, Raleigh, NC 27604
Phone: (919) 855-2506
Website: www.miller-motte.edu
Facebook: MillerMotteCollege
Instagram: millermottecollege
LinkedIn: miller-motte-college
YouTube: @Miller-MotteCollege
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