It's never too early to start preparing for your future, and we are here to help. If you're graduating from high school or have never enrolled in college, you will apply as a first-year applicant.
If you've already graduated from high school and begun your college education at another institution, you will need to apply as a transfer applicant.
If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you'll need to apply as an international applicant.
Early Action Deadline: November 1*
Regular Decision Deadline: January 15
Only deadline for studio-based majors*
Choose to apply through one of our two applications – we do not have a preference which application you choose.
A non-refundable application fee of $85 is required. If you think you may qualify for a fee waiver, view fee waiver eligibility requirements and learn how to submit documentation here.
On the application, you’ll be asked to select up to two majors based on your interests. We encourage you to select two different majors because if we determine you’re not competitive for your first-choice major, you’ll be reviewed for your second-choice major.
Students interested in a studio-based major (Architecture, Art + Design, Fashion and Textile Design, Graphic & Experience Design, Industrial Design) must apply by November 1 in addition to submitting a 10-piece portfolio and design essay.
As a part of the UNC System, NC State will be test optional for applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above. A 2.8 weighted GPA is equivalent to a B- average.
Applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above will not be required to submit standardized test scores as part of a complete application.
On the admission application, you will be required to indicate whether or not you plan to submit SAT or ACT scores for consideration in the admission review process. Applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above will not be disadvantaged if you indicate you do not want scores to be considered in your application review. Learn more about test score consideration in the review process here.
You’ll choose an essay prompt from the list provided by Common App or Coalition App so you can share your story with us in 650 words or less. We also have some additional short answer questions to help us get to know you better. These responses will be included in your application.
If you are interested in being considered for NC State’s University Honors Program, there is an additional question required with a response of no more than 600 words available on the admissions application or on your wolfPAW account after you apply. Learn more about admissions criteria for these programs here.
To complete your application, you must send an official high school transcript to our office. Your high school counselor can submit your transcript through Common App, Coalition App, slate.org or another secure sending service such as Naviance or Parchment. Students studying at participating public high schools in North Carolina can request official transcripts be sent to our office using CFNC.
Learn what factors we take into consideration during application review and how to be a competitive first-year applicant.
See how you may be provided college credit for courses and exams completed in high school using our transfer credit database.
View application options for North Carolina high school students studying at an early college.
Already applied? Log in to wolfPAW to check your application status.
High school counselors and CBO’s play a vital role in a student’s college selection and application processes. We are here to do everything we can to support you.
After you submit your application to NC State, you will receive an email with credentials to log in to wolfPAW, your applicant portal. Please note: it may take up to 24 hours after you submit your application for you to receive wolfPAW log in credentials. Here, you can check for missing items and stay up-to-date on the status of your application.
We encourage you to check your email often, as we may email you about additional items needed to complete your application. Using your school-assigned email address? Sometimes our emails may be blocked by the server, so we recommend using a non-school email to receive our communications.
You don’t need to wait for an official admission decision to submit your FAFSA, and we encourage students to apply as soon as possible.
You will be notified of your admission decision on your wolfPAW account. If you completed your application on time and submitted all required materials by the deadline, you will receive a decision on the notification date corresponding to the application deadline for the semester you applied for.
Early Action Deadline: November 1
Notification Date: January 30
Regular Decision Deadline: January 15
Notification Date: March 30
*International applicants will receive their decision on a rolling basis.
See all deadlines
