You might want to target NC Countdown to College, October 21 to 27, 2024, for applying to college. During that time period, 43 North Carolina colleges and universities, plus, every North Carolina community college, will waive application fees for North Carolina residents.
The application fee for most colleges is $25 or $50, so if you’re applying to more than one school the savings will really add up.
To take advantage of the free applications you need to apply through CFNC.org and you need to be a North Carolina resident.
Find more information on NC Countdown to College.
NC Schools waiving application fees on CFNC.org
These are the schools waiving application fees for first-time applicants (typically high school seniors.) Most (but not all) are also waiving application fees for students wishing to transfer from one college to another. Make sure to see the complete, up-to-day list for both groups, here.
- Barton College
- Belmont Abbey College
- Bennett College
- Brevard College
- Campbell University
- Carolinas College of Health Science
- Catawba College
- Chowan University
- Davidson College
- East Carolina University
- Elizabeth City State University
- Elon University
- Fayetteville State University
- Gardner-Webb University
- Greensboro College
- Guilford College
- High Point University
- Johnson & Wales University – Charlotte
- Johnson C. Smith University
- Lees-McRae College
- Lenoir-Rhyne University
- Livingstone College
- Louisburg College
- Mars Hill University
- Meredith College
- Methodist University
- Montreat College
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- North Carolina Central University
- North Carolina Wesleyan University
- Pfeiffer University
- Queens University of Charlotte
- Saint Augustine’s University
- Salem College
- Shaw University
- St. Andrews University
- University of North Carolina Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts
- University of Mount Olive
- Warren Wilson College
- Western Carolina University
- William Peace University
- Wingate University
- Winston-Salem State University
*Application fees are only waived for certain applicants (e.g. NC residents). Check with the institution for more information.
NC Promise
Also, through NC Promise, four North Carolina universities changed their policies so that in-state students pay just $500 tuition per semester.
Those four universities are:
- Elizabeth City State University
- The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Western Carolina University
- Fayetteville State University
You might also be interested in:
- Subscribing to Charlotte on the Cheap's email list
- Scenic drives for fall color in North Carolina
- Charlotte area hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches
- Charlotte area haunted trails
- Halloween events in Charlotte
- Trick or Treat and Trunk or Treat events
- U-pick farms in the Charlotte area
- Farmers' markets in the Charlotte area
- Restaurant deals
- Free events this week
- Concerts this week in Charlotte
Subscribe to Charlotte on the Cheap
Charlotte on the Cheap is a member of 
