It will be easier to get into some NC colleges and universities. What you need to know.

Two new programs announced this week will make it easier for tens of thousands of North Carolina public high school seniors to get accepted into a college or university for the 2025-26 school year.

Both the UNC System and the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities are launching a simplified application process for high school seniors who have a weighted 2.8 grade point average. Students will be able to claim spots at 32 colleges and universities and all 58 community colleges without having to fill out a long application form.

The state Department of Public Instruction estimates 70,000 seniors are eligible for the new opportunity.

“We know that often times one of the barriers to college admissions — whether a two-year or four-year degree — is the application process,” State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said at Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting. “This is a new initiative that will hopefully increase access to higher education by simplifying the application process.”

There’s tension, though, because DPI is working with the UNC program and not the one offered by the private colleges and universities.

NC College Connect Program

The UNC System announced the launch of the NC College Connect program on Thursday. The pilot program will make it easier for students to get into one of six universities or any of the community colleges.

The participating universities are:

▪ Elizabeth City State University

▪ Fayetteville State University

▪ UNC-Asheville

▪ UNC-Greensboro

▪ UNC-Pembroke

▪ Winston-Salem State University

Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State and UNC-Pembroke are part of the NC Promise Tuition Program. This means in-state undergraduate students only pay $500 in tuition each semester.

Eligible students will receive a letter in the mail in early October about the program. They can use their College Foundation of North Carolina account to log into the application portal at NCCollegeConnect.org.

Students can claim their spot by submitting a simplified application to each school they’re interested in attending. Students will be encouraged to submit during College Application Week, Oct. 21-27, to avoid most application fees.

Students will be contacted by those schools on what next steps to take.

NCICU Direct Admission Program

On Wednesday, the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities announced its new Direct Admission program.

Eligible seniors will be able to get more immediate acceptance into 26 schools participating in the program:

▪ Barton College

▪ Belmont Abbey College

▪ Bennett College

▪ Catawba College

▪ Chowan University

▪ Gardner-Webb University

▪ Greensboro College

▪ Guilford College

▪ 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 Wesleyan University

▪ Pfeiffer University

▪ Shaw University

▪ St. Andrews University

▪ Saint Augustine’s University

▪ University of Mount Olive

▪ Warren Wilson College

▪ William Peace University

▪ Wingate University

Students will be able to complete their simplified application at www.ncicu.org.

But unlike the NC Connect Program, students won’t get letters through DPI notifying them they’re eligible for the Direct Admission program. Truitt told the group that sending a separate letter would confuse families and affect the success of the N.C. Connect Program.

As a result, NCICU is asking district superintendents and high school principals to champion the program. The group will also distribute handbooks with information about the program to more than 1,000 North Carolina school counselors.