N.C. Public and Private 4-year Colleges and Universities

Program Eligibility

The Golden LEAF Scholarship Program is open to high school seniors and community college transfer students who reside in a qualifying rural, economically distressed, tobacco-dependent North Carolina county and are planning to enroll full-time in a participating public or private college or university located in North Carolina. Applicants must:

• have financial need as defined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process,
• have a grade point average of no less than 3.0,
• have resided in a qualifying rural North Carolina county or counties for at least 10 years. Click here to view the qualifying counties,
• communicate an intent to return to a rural, economically distressed North Carolina county following graduation.

Award Amount

• High school seniors entering college as freshmen are eligible for a four-year scholarship totaling up to $12,000 ($3,000 a year for up to four years).
• Community college transfer students are eligible for $3,000 a year for up to 3 years.

Participating Colleges & Universities

Participating institutions include UNC System universities and most private, nonprofit institutions in North Carolina. For a full list of participating colleges and universities, visit CFNC.org or click here.

How to apply

Visit CFNC.org and fill out the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program – Four Year Degree application form or call 1-800-700-1775, Ext. 4658 or email information@ncseaa.edu.

Deadline

March 1, 2021 for application, transcript, and FAFSA. Applicants will be notified of award mid-April 2021.

Golden LEAF Scholars Leadership Program

Students awarded a Golden LEAF Scholarship to attend four-year institutions are also eligible to participate in the Golden LEAF Scholars Leadership Program. The optional program provides:

• leadership training by the Center for Creative Leadership, one of the nation’s leading leadership development organizations.
• paid internship opportunities in rural North Carolina communities and stipends together totaling up to $8,830 for all four years of participation in addition to scholarship funding.