North Carolina State University Park Scholarships

An NC State education is the key to whatever door you want to open. We offer more than 100 undergraduate majors and more than 200 master’s and doctoral programs. Our students graduate ready for successful careers and meaningful lives. Our Pack is strong, and we’re always looking for more thinkers and doers from all over the world to help us get even stronger. Our Pack is made up of innovative, purposeful thinkers and doers from all over the world — and we’re always looking for more members. The mission of the Park Scholarships program is to bring exceptional students to NC State, based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The program develops and supports Park Scholars in these areas, preparing them for lifelong contributions to the university, state, nation, and world. Benefits include: early course registration; grants to fund professional and personal enrichment experiences, such as research projects, service activities, and conferences in the United States and abroad; and, an invitation to join the University Scholars Program or University Honors Program for all Park Scholarships Finalists. Eligible applicants must have at least a 3.8 GPA. The Park Scholarships program provides: a four-year scholarship valued at approximately $124,000 for in-state students and $236,000 for out-of-state students (for the Class of 2030), including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, computer stipend and personal expenses; grants to fund professional and personal enrichment experiences, such as research projects, service activities and conferences in the United States and abroad; guaranteed invitation to join the University Honors Program for all Park Scholarships Semifinalists; and personal and professional development in Scholarship, Leadership and Service. The Park Scholarships program is named for the late Roy H. Park ’31, an NC State alumnus who created the charitable Park Foundation, dedicated to education, media and the environment. With a generous grant from the Park Foundation, the Park Scholarships program was established in 1996 to provide a superb educational opportunity for exceptionally talented and well-prepared young people who merit the intellectual challenge of a distinguished faculty and a superior university. Approximately 38 scholarships are awarded each year to outstanding entering freshmen for undergraduate study in any discipline at NC State. Eligibility Requirements: candidates must have a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.80 (non-rounded); be a United States citizen, permanent resident of the U.S., or graduating from a high school located in the U.S. (regardless of citizenship status); and apply for fall, first-year admission into a baccalaureate program at NC State. Not open to transfer students. The Park Scholarships application requires: two recommendations; information about advanced coursework completed; and two essays. From the NC State admission application, activities and honors, personal essay, NC State’s short-answer essays, NC State’s optional short answer essays, transcript, and ACT and/or SAT scores are also reviewed. Important Dates for 2026-2026: Nov. 1, 2026: Deadline for NC State Early Action admissions application and Park Scholarships application; By Dec. 18, 2026: All applicants notified of Semifinalist status; Jan. 16, 2027: Semifinal Interviews (live, by Zoom); By Feb. 3, 2027: All semifinalists notified of Finalist status; March 5-6, 2027: Final Selection Activities in Raleigh, NC; By March 24, 2027: All finalists notified of award status; May 2027: Park Scholarships Class of 2031 announced. Contact: Park Scholarships, NC State University, Campus Box 7009, Raleigh, NC 27695-7009; Phone: 919-515-3794; Email: parkscholars@ncsu.edu.