More than 23,000 North Carolina public high school seniors have accepted direct admission offers to colleges and universities through NC College Connect, the state’s streamlined pathway to higher education, now in its second full year of operation.
From August 2025 through January 2026, students accepted upward of 88,000 offers from participating state institutions—a figure that represents roughly 21% of North Carolina’s Class of 2026. The program launched with a limited pilot in fall 2024, and has expanded significantly to include 11 UNC System universities, 29 private colleges and universities, and all 58 of the state’s community colleges. In its first year, the program reached just over 3,000 students, making the growth in year two all the more striking.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice Green calls clear postsecondary pathways central to his broader goals for North Carolina’s public schools.
“NC College Connect provides students with a simple process for learning about colleges where they meet the admissions criteria,” he says. “That so many students have taken advantage of this opportunity is incredibly exciting.”
Eligible seniors—those attending North Carolina public high schools with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above who meet specified course requirements—receive automatic admission to a curated list of participating schools without completing a traditional application.
Students log into a portal through CFNC.org, where they see which institutions have offered them direct admission and can accept by submitting a brief form. Most applications through the portal are free, and fees for private colleges and universities are waived entirely. The portal also walks students through information about financial aid, available majors, and next steps post high school graduation—resources that they say have made the college-going process feel significantly less overwhelming.
Some institutions require a higher GPA than the 2.8 minimum, and a number of private colleges require additional criteria such as foreign language coursework.
This year marked the first time North Carolina’s independent colleges and universities participated in NC College Connect as a group. Hope Williams, EdD, president of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities statewide office, says the volume of student interest validated the expansion.
“The outpouring of applications shows that there is strong demand for what our colleges and universities offer, and that is a win for students, our colleges and universities, and our state,” she says.
University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans emphasizes the broader stakes of keeping young North Carolinians on a path toward higher education.
“All North Carolinians benefit when we nurture the talent and ambition of our young people,” he says. “NC College Connect makes it simpler than ever for promising high school graduates to keep learning, keep striving, and keep contributing to our state.”
The program also appears to have bolstered College Application Week in October, during which many North Carolina institutions waive application fees. More than 117,000 applications were submitted that week through CFNC and the Common App, an increase of 8.7% over the prior year.
Jeff Cox, EdD, president of the North Carolina Community College System, credited the collaboration between the state’s various education sectors for the program’s reach.
“This program is showing students that they have what it takes to go to college, and it’s making it easier than ever for them to access these opportunities,” he says.
NC College Connect is a collaboration between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the UNC System, the North Carolina Community College System, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, and College Foundation Inc. It’s scheduled to return for the 2026–27 academic year.
