WS Chronicle

New direct admission program offers eligible students an easier way to higher education 

Starting this fall, more than 62,000 North Carolina public high school seniors will be offered direct admission to select institutions in North Carolina as part of the NC College Connect program. NC College Connect provides a simpler and faster way for eligible seniors to be admitted to colleges and universities in North Carolina. 

Public high school students who complete their junior year with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above and meet the NC College Connect requirements will be eligible. Participating institutions include select UNC System universities, North Carolina independent colleges and universities, and North Carolina community colleges across the state. A full list of participating institutions can be found below. 

Eligible high school students entering their senior year will receive an official NC College Connect letter in the mail this fall, offering them direct admission for the 2026-27 academic year. Students can also check their eligibility by visiting NCCollegeConnect.com and logging into the portal or speaking with their high school counselors. 

“NC College Connect represents a fundamental shift in how we approach college admissions in North Carolina,” said Peter Hans, president of the University of North Carolina System. “We started this initiative with a simple question: how can we make the path to college clearer for students who are ready to succeed? By eliminating unnecessary complexity, we’re ensuring that college-ready students can focus on choosing the right institution for their goals, not navigating bureaucratic hurdles.” 

NC College Connect began as a pilot program last year, offering a simplified process to more than 70,000 students and creating a path to college for our state’s seniors. This year’s program has expanded to more institutions and has made the process even easier for students by directly admitting them to institutions where they’re eligible. 

“This is a defining moment for North Carolina education,” added Maurice “Mo” Green, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. “When our entire education community works together like this, students win. NC College Connect removes barriers and creates clear pathways to college for thousands of our students.” 

To learn more about the program and confirm admission at select colleges and universities, eligible students should visit NCCollegeConnect.org. There, they will see a “Claim Your Spot” button and can login to the NC College Connect portal to see the institutions where they have been offered direct admission. Students are encouraged to confirm their admission to institutions during College Application Week, Oct.20-26, 2025, to avoid most application fees. 

“NC College Connect is making it easier than ever for students to take that first step toward a college education,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System. “By removing barriers and simplifying the process, we’re helping more students access the life-changing opportunities our community colleges provide – close to home and at a price they can afford.” 

Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, added, “We are delighted to be a part of this joint initiative, bringing the unique strengths and characteristics of our independent colleges and universities – with locations across the state, small class sizes, specialized programs, and personalized attention—into this streamlined pathway for students.” 

North Carolina has also invested resources to ensure that students have financial aid opportunities to help pay for college. This includes opportunities such as the Next NC Scholarship, which helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue higher education by fully covering tuition and fees at any community college or more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees to attend any public university in the state.  

North Carolina students attending the state’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities may be eligible to receive the NC Need-Based Scholarship which provides financial aid for the state’s Pell-eligible and middle-income undergraduate students. Students can apply for both scholarships by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

In addition, admitted students who enroll in Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, University of North Carolina at Pembroke and Western Carolina University will only pay $500 per semester in tuition as part of the low-cost NC Promise plan. 

Participating institutions in the UNC System: 

Appalachian State University 

East Carolina University 

Elizabeth City State University 

Fayetteville State University 

North Carolina Central University 

University of North Carolina Asheville 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

University of North Carolina at Greensboro 

University of North Carolina at Pembroke 

Western Carolina University 

Winston-Salem State University 

Please visit https://www.cfnc.org/nc-college-connect/ for a complete list of colleges and universities.