College Entrance Requirements

The requirements for admission into college can vary depending on which schools you choose. Below are some minimum admission requirements for first-year students of North Carolina institutions. Make sure to check with your college of choice to ensure you have completed the appropriate steps to meet their admission requirements.

NC High School Graduation Requirements

Although the state requires a designated number of courses and credits for students to graduate high school, local school districts and other public school units may require additional courses and credits to graduate. Families and students are strongly encouraged to check with their high school to determine if their district and/or school have additional requirements for students to earn a high school diploma.

Future-Ready Course of Study (22 credits)

Course	Units	Requirements
English	4 Credits	Starting with English I English II English III English IV
Mathematics	4 Credits	Math credits may be either of these: NC Math 1, 2, 3, and a fourth mathematics course to be aligned with the student’s post high school plans In the rare instance a principal exempts a student from the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence, except as limited by N.C.G.S. §115C-81(b), the student will be required to pass: NC Math 1 and Math 2 plus two additional courses identified on the NC DPI Math options chart. Note: Credit shall be awarded for Math I, II, III if taken prior to the 2016-17 school year.
Science	3 Credits	A physical science course Biology An earth/environmental science course
Social Studies	4 Credits	A founding principles course which shall be either: American History: Founding Principles, Civics and Economics Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy An American history course which shall be either: American History I American History II American History World History Economics and Personal Finance NOTE: It is strongly recommended that these students take World History in the first year of their high school Social Studies course sequence due to the nature of the adoption of the new Social Studies Standard Course of Study effective in 2021-22. Economics and Personal Finance is strongly recommended to be offered later in the student's high school career.
Health and Physical Education	1 Credit	Students are required to successfully complete CPR instruction to meet Healthful Living Essential Standards as a requirement for high school graduation. Accommodations/alternative assessments for students identified by ADA or IDEA will be provided.
Two Elective Credits	2 Credits	Any combination from either: Career and Technical Education (CTE) or Arts Education or World Language Note: For clarification, possible elective combinations may include 2 World Language credits; or 1 CTE credit and 1 Arts Education credit; or 2 CTE credits; or 1 Arts Education credit and 1 World Language credit; or other combinations from a, b and c.
Four Elective Credits	4 Credits	Credits from the following (four-course concentration recommended): Career and Technical Education (CTE) ROTC Arts Education (e.g., dance, music, theater arts, visual arts) Any other subject area or cross-disciplinary courses (e.g., mathematics, science, social studies, English and dual enrollment courses

Occupational Course of Study (22 credits)

Course	Units	Requirements
English	4 Credits	English I English II English III English IV
Mathematics	3 Credits	Three Mathematics credits which shall be: Introduction to Mathematics NC Math I Financial Management
Science	2 Credits	Applied science Biology
Social Studies	2 Credits	Founding Principles, Civics and Economics or Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy Economics and Personal Finance
Health and Physical Education	1 Credit	Students are required to successfully complete CPR instruction to meet Healthful Living Essential Standards as a requirement for high school graduation. Accommodations/alternative assessments for students identified by ADA or IDEA will be provided.
Six Occupational Preparation Education Credits	6 Credits	Occupational Preparation I Occupational Preparation II Occupational Preparation III Occupational Preparation IV (Completion of 150 hours of school-based training with work activities and experiences that align with student’s post-school goals, 225 hours of community-based training, and 225 hours of paid employment or 225 hours of unpaid vocational training, unpaid internship, paid employment at community rehabilitation facilities, and volunteer and/or community services hours.)
Four Career/Technical Education Elective Credits	4 Credits
Career Portfolio
Completion of Student's IEP Objectives

UNC Institutions

These requirements apply to students 20 years and younger with fewer than 24 transferable credits. If you meet any of the three conditions below, you are exempt from minimum High School GPA, test scores, and course requirements. Being exempt does not guarantee admission.

21 years or older
Any age with 24 or more transferable college credits (does not include AP, IB or credit by exam)
Active duty service member or veteran with 3 or more years of active duty service

Course Requirements

Course	Units	Requirements
English	4 Units	Emphasizing grammar, composition, and literature
Mathematics	4 Units	Algebra I and II, geometry, and one unit beyond algebra II, or Algebra I and II, and two units beyond algebra II, or Integrated math I, II, and III, and one unit beyond integrated math III
Science	3 Units	Including at least one unit in a life or biological science, at least one unit in physical science, and at least one laboratory course
Social Science	2 Units	Two course units in social studies, including one unit in US history
Additional Courses	2 Units	Two additional academic courses from English, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, or computer science. Completion of two sequential world language courses is recommended.

GPA and Test Scores

High School GPA	SAT Score	ACT Score
2.5 cumulative weighted GPA	1010 (optional through Fall 2024)	19 (optional through Fall 2024)
A student who earns at least a 2.5 weighted high school grade point average OR a minimum test score on either the ACT (19) or the SAT (1010) is eligible for review by any of the 16 UNC System universities. On April 7, 2022, the UNC Board of Governors voted to waive the standardized testing component for students applying for admission through Fall 2024 due to the disruption in the learning environment from COVID-19. Students have the option to submit test scores to the 16 public universities in the UNC System, but test scores will not be required for admissions decisions. Students who do not submit an ACT or SAT test score must meet the minimum weighted GPA requirement of 2.5 to be considered for undergraduate admissions.

Transfer Students Between an NC Community College and a UNC Institution

For students interested in transferring to a University of North Carolina institution upon attaining an Associate degree from the North Carolina Community College System, read more about the Transfer Assured Admissions Policy.

North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities

Entrance requirements for North Carolina's 36 independent colleges and universities vary among institutions. Prospective students should contact the admissions office at individual colleges and universities to determine their specific entrance requirements. Find more information on your school of choice with the College Search.

North Carolina Community Colleges

The colleges of the North Carolina Community College System maintain an “Open Door” admissions policy. This policy provides for the admission of any persons who are 18 or over or who have attained a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED). Admission to a college does not imply admission to all programs of study as selected programs have limited enrollment.

Applicants 18 or older who do not have a high school diploma or GED may enroll in classes leading to a high school equivalency (GED) certificate or an Adult High School diploma.

For more information, contact the admission office at the college where you wish to apply. Find contact information for your school with College Search.