NC Countdown to College

A statewide campaign every October to help NC seniors finish three key steps toward college: residency determination, financial aid, and college applications, capped off by a week where many colleges waive application fees.

Last updated: September 17, 2026
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Dates below are for the 2026 campaign and are updated each year once CFNC releases them.
🎉 College Application Week

Many NC colleges and universities waive their application fees for students who apply through CFNC during this week.

October 19–25, 2026
The three steps
Countdown to College runs throughout October of a student's senior year, centered on completing these three pieces of the college enrollment process.
1

Residency Determination

Complete your NC residency determination through CFNC to be considered for in-state tuition, state grants, and certain financial aid.

Where: NC Residency Determination Service, via your CFNC account
Start on CFNC
2

FAFSA

File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to become eligible for grants, work-study, and loans. It's best to file early since some aid is first-come, first-served.

Priority date: June 1, 2027 for UNC System universities and NC community colleges. Individual colleges may set their own dates, so check with each school.
Go to StudentAid.gov
3

College Applications

Submit your admissions applications through the CFNC Application Hub. Use College Application Week to apply with waived fees at participating schools.

Where: CFNC Application Hub
Visit the Application Hub
Good to know

Who is this for?

NC Countdown to College is designed for NC high school seniors. Some colleges choose to extend their application fee waivers to other groups, such as out-of-state, transfer, or graduate students, but that's decided by each school.

Do I have to apply through CFNC to get the fee waiver?

Yes. To take advantage of the College Application Week fee waivers, you need to submit your application through the CFNC Application Hub.

What if a school I want isn't waiving fees?

SAT, ACT, and NACAC fee waivers may still be available. Talk with your counselor to see what you qualify for.

All NC community colleges

All 58 North Carolina community colleges offer free applications year-round, not just during College Application Week.

Countdown to College at a Glance Countdown to College Checklist See the Fee-Waiver College List
Questions about any of these steps? Reach out to the LNC counseling office. Dates, deadlines, and participating colleges are set by CFNC and may change, so confirm current details on CFNC.org before applying.