Western Piedmont Community College
Western Piedmont Community College

Next NC Scholarship

Eligible students can receive the Next NC Scholarship to cover tuition and fees at Western Piedmont Community College!

What is the Next NC Scholarship?

The Next NC Scholarship is a financial aid program that helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue a 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. The best part? It’s money that doesn’t have to be repaid.

It combines the federal Pell Grant with the state-funded financial aid program to form a simplified and predictable scholarship award that is easier to understand and makes education more affordable so a greater number of North Carolinians can pursue a degree.

This scholarship provides qualifying students attending WPCC or any other North Carolina community college with at least $3,000 in combined scholarship and federal Pell Grant to help pay for tuition, fees, books, and living or other expenses.

Elgibility

To Recieve the Next NC Scholarship, students 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 curriculum program for the 2026-2027 academic year
  • Taking at least 6 credit hours per semester in their eligible program of study (part-time students will receive a partial award)
  • Meeting WPCC’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standards for financial aid
  • A student who has completed the 2026-2027 FAFSA, with a resulting Student Aid Index (SAI) at or below 7,500

How to Apply

  • To apply for the Next NC Scholarship, students who plan to attend WPCC in the fall just need to submit the 2026-27 FAFSA. There are no additional forms or applications for this scholarship! Eligible students will be notified of awards by the WPCC Financial Aid Office.
  • The Next NC Scholarship priority filing date is August 15, 2026, but students should complete the 2026-27 FAFSA as soon as possible in order to be considered for all funds for which they are eligible. Complete the 2026-27 FAFSA here.
  • For more information and complete details on the Next NC Scholarship opportunity, please visit www.nextncscholarship.org

Get More Information

Student Services: (828) 448 – 6046
financialaidoffice@wpcc.edu