Federal and State Aid
Grants and loans are both available to CU students. Grants are free funds that do not require repayment. Loans are beneficial as they can offer fixed low interest rates.
Pell Grant
The Pell Grant is a need-based grant awarded to low-income undergraduates who are working toward their first bachelor’s degree. Eligibility for Pell is calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and the amount is determined by the student’s enrollment status and financial need.
North Carolina Need-Based Scholarship (NC NBS)
Fulltime, undergraduate students who are residents of NC with family income below $165k are likely eligible for a NBS award ranging from $5k to $10k annually. Amounts are reduced for part-time students who qualify. Almost any Pell recipient with a permanent legal residence in NC will qualify. And, many who earn too much to qualify for Pell can still qualify for the NBS program. After completing a FAFSA, students must complete the resident determination service no later than 45 days after the semester start date.
Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
The SEOG is designed for those with exceptional financial need.
Loans
Please make sure you have exhausted all other financial resources (grants, scholarships, and work-study options), before applying for loans.
- To keep track of the federal loans you borrow and to find contact information for your servicer, please visit studentloans.gov.
- The National Student Loan Data System is the easiest way to track your loans. Login to nslds.ed.gov and you can download your financial aid history, research who is your current loan servicer, and see the current balance and status of any existing loans.
There are several types of loans that a student may choose to use, so please review the loans below for more information.