Park Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by North Carolina State University

Description

The Park Scholarships program identifies and supports exceptional first-year students at NC State based on scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The Park Scholarships application process is separate from NC State undergraduate admissions, so applicants must complete both processes independently. Prospective applicants who meet the selection criteria are encouraged to apply. The application cycle for 2026–2027 will open in mid‑August.

Description: A merit-based scholarship program seeking high-achieving, community-minded students entering NC State as first-year undergraduates.

• Targets incoming first-year NC State students with demonstrated scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
• Application is separate from NC State admissions; both must be completed.
• 2026–2027 application opens in mid‑August.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet specific academic and status requirements to be considered for a Park Scholarship. Minimum academic standard is a 3.80 unweighted GPA (non-rounded). Candidates must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or graduating from a U.S. high school regardless of citizenship. The program is only open to students applying for fall, first‑year admission into a baccalaureate program at NC State and is not open to transfer applicants.

Eligibility: Candidates must satisfy GPA, residency/school, and enrollment-status criteria to be eligible.

• Minimum unweighted GPA: 3.80 (non-rounded).
• U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or graduating from a U.S. high school.
• Must apply as a fall, first‑year baccalaureate applicant to NC State; transfers ineligible.

Application Timeline

The Park Scholarships application follows a seasonal timeline aligned with NC State admissions. The Park application for 2026–2027 opens in mid‑August. All application materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on the November due date specified for that cycle. Applicants should verify both Park and NC State deadlines and complete both applications before the stated cutoff.

Application Timeline: Key dates include the mid‑August opening and the November submission deadline at 11:59 p.m. ET.

• Application opens mid‑August for the upcoming academic year.
• All materials due by 11:59 p.m. ET on the November due date.
• Complete both Park and NC State admission applications by the deadline.

Application Requirements

The Park Scholarships application requires a focused set of materials submitted through the Park application itself, in addition to the NC State admission application. Required Park items include two recommendations, information about advanced coursework, and two essays. Applicants must also complete the NC State undergraduate admission application by the deadline. Missing any required component may render an application incomplete for Park Scholarships consideration.

Application Requirements: Submit Park-specific materials and the NC State admission application by the stated deadline.

• Park application: two recommendations, advanced coursework information, and two essays.
• Submit NC State undergraduate admission application separately by the deadline.
• Ensure all materials are complete before the November cutoff.

Review Materials

In addition to Park-specific materials, the Park Scholarships selection committee reviews content submitted through the NC State admission application. The committee considers activities and honors, the NC State personal essay, short‑answer essays (including optional short answers), and the official transcript. ACT and/or SAT scores are not required; if you submit test scores to NC State and request they be considered for admission, the Park committee will also consider them. Note that general recommendations submitted to the NC State application are not available to the Park committee.

Review Materials: Park reviewers evaluate both Park submissions and specific NC State admission items; some NC State recommendations are not accessible.

• Reviewed items include activities/honors, personal essay, short answers, and transcript.
• ACT/SAT scores are optional for Park review and considered only if submitted to NC State for admission.
• General recommendations submitted to NC State are not available to the Park committee.