For Our Counselor Community
North Carolina State University (NC State) truly appreciates your commitment to empowering and meeting the needs of your students. Our goal is to provide you with information and resources to assist your students in navigating the admissions process and increasing college access.
An NC State education begins in the classroom, but it never stops there. Our students test their knowledge through research and apply it in internships and co-ops with an array of business and industry partners. Our hands-on approach to education gives students the career-ready skills needed to thrive after graduation. Home to more than 39,000 students and 2,400 faculty members across 10 colleges and a graduate school representing all major academic disciplines, NC State is the largest university in North Carolina.
Located about midway down the East Coast of the United States, our campus serves as an anchor of the Research Triangle region, home to some of the top tech companies in the world, including IBM, Google, Cisco and Bayer.
We pride ourselves on offering an educational environment that fosters academic success, alongside countless opportunities for student enrichment and growth. We offer over 100 majors and minors, 200+ study abroad programs, 800+ student organizations, 22 Division I athletic programs and a thriving arts and culture presence.
We hope you find the information in this packet helpful as you assist your students in applying to NC State. We look forward to working with you this year and welcome you to take a look at how we Think and Do the extraordinary.
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2026 First-Year Facts
This information provides a “snapshot” of the Class of 2030 as of August 2026. Final profile information after the fall census date may vary slightly.
Admitted Student Data by College
Our first-year admit rates by college and Exploratory Studies for 2026 are displayed below. This data is intended to help illustrate the varying levels of competition across NC State’s colleges and provide additional context as your students consider their options.
However, admit rates (which can fluctuate by majors within the same college) should not steer students away from the academic programs they are most interested in pursuing. We recommend that students focus on selecting first and second choice academic programs that genuinely interest them. While many students are admitted to their first-choice program, some are offered admission to their second choice.
If students are unsure where to start, Focus 2 Apply can help them explore how their strengths and interests align with different NC State majors and future career paths.
| Academic College | Applications | Admit Rate | Enrollment Target | Weighted GPA* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Agriculture and Life Sciences | 4,222 | 39% | 616 | 4.35 |
| College of Design | 1,198 | 25% | 128 | 4.24 |
| College of Education | 972 | 44% | 162 | 4.28 |
| College of Engineering | 13,053 | 45% | 1875 | 4.45 |
| College of Humanities and Social Sciences | 7,323 | 34% | 540 | 4.36 |
| College of Natural Resources | 1,991 | 38% | 277 | 4.31 |
| College of Sciences | 7,797 | 43% | 734 | 4.45 |
| Exploratory Studies | 2,948 | 62% | 825 | 4.21 |
| Poole College of Management | 7,577 | 34% | 558 | 4.37 |
| Wilson College of Textiles | 625 | 61% | 195 | 4.20 |
Stay Connected With Slate.org
Slate.org is a free counselor portal that gives you real-time access to your students’ NC State application statuses and allows you to securely submit application materials directly to our office. If you haven’t joined yet, we encourage you to create an account and connect with NC State to make it easier to support your students throughout the admissions process.
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How NC State Supports Student Success
At NC State, students have the academic structure, flexibility and support to make steady progress toward their degree. From a clear starting point to resources available throughout their time on campus, we help students plan ahead and stay on track to complete their degree on time.
Direct Admission to Major
Students apply and are admitted directly to an academic program, giving them a clear starting point for their degree and helping them begin making progress toward major requirements from the start. Review majors and tips for how students can choose the right one from them.
Four-Year Degree Plans
Every undergraduate program has a semester-by-semester degree plan in the NC State catalog, helping students understand required coursework and plan a path toward completing their degree. Students can search by major name or area of interest to review the four-year degree plans.
Summer Sessions
Summer courses give students additional flexibility to make progress toward their degree, whether they want to stay on track, get ahead or adjust their academic plan. Learn more about Summer Sessions at NC State.
Academic Success Center
NC State’s Academic Success Center provides free resources and services designed to support degree completion and independent learning, including tutoring, writing support, supplemental instruction and academic peer mentoring.
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Application Deadlines
Note: Decisions for international applicants are released on a rolling basis, not a specific date.
First-Year Timeline
| Application Type | Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall Applicants: Early Action | Nov. 1 |
| Fall Applicants: Regular Decision | Jan. 15 |
| Studio-Based Majors | Nov. 1* |
| Spring Applicants | Oct. 1 |
| *Portfolio due Nov. 1 |
The enrollment confirmation deadline is May 1 for fall admits and December 1 for spring admits.
Transfer Timeline
| Application Type | Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall Applicants | Feb. 15 |
| Studio-Based Majors | Nov. 1* |
| Spring Applicants | Oct. 1 |
| *Portfolio due Nov. 1 |
The enrollment confirmation deadline is May 1 for fall admits and December 1 for spring admits.
The following majors are not eligible for spring entry:
- Applied Math
- Exploratory Studies
- Fashion and Textile Design
- Majors in the College of Engineering*
- Mathematics
- Music Technology
- Physics*
- Statistics
- Studio-Based Majors in the College of Design
*Spring applications are open only to transfer students.
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How to Apply
First-Year Applicants
Transfer Applicants
The undergraduate application for fall 2027 is now available! Once a student has submitted their application, they will receive login credentials to wolfPAW, our applicant portal. That’s where they will track their application status, manage documents and get their final admissions decision.
A Complete Application Includes:
- Online application fee ($100 U.S.)
- Official secondary school academic records (English translation required for all records)
- Certificate of financial responsibility
- Proof of English proficiency
In addition to the items above, transfer applicants must submit official college transcripts for all colleges attended. For any college work done outside the U.S., an official WES or ECE course-by-course evaluation and transcript(s) are required.
Test Score Consideration
NC State is test optional for overseas international applicants. If students would like test scores to be considered in the review process, they can self-report them on the application. Verified test scores will be required for enrollment.
- ACT College Code
- 3164
- SAT College Code
- 5496
English Proficiency Requirement
International applicants who are completing high school in the U.S. but have not attended a U.S. high school since grade 9 must meet English proficiency test requirements. Several countries are exempt from submitting English proficiency scores.
Conditional Undergraduate Admission
If students meet the competitive academic requirements for undergraduate admission but do not meet the minimum English proficiency requirements, they may be offered conditional admission through NC State’s Intensive English Program (IEP). Once the student has successfully completed NC State’s IEP level 6 by meeting all exit criteria, they will be eligible to begin their degree program.
Selecting a First and Second Choice Program
We recommend encouraging students to select first- and second-choice academic programs that genuinely interest them. While many students are admitted to their first-choice program, some may be offered admission to their second choice. For this reason, students should choose a second-choice program they would be excited to pursue. Changing majors once enrolled at NC State requires a competitive Change of Degree Application (CODA) process and is not guaranteed.
For students who are still exploring their options, Focus 2 Apply can help them discover how their strengths and interests align with NC State majors and potential career paths.
Math Preparation for First-Year Applicants
To prepare for the academic rigor of college-level courses, we strongly recommend that all high school students take pre-calculus. To be a competitive applicant for a STEM or business-related program, pre-calculus is the minimum requirement. To ensure you are fully prepared for the advanced math coursework you will encounter in these fields, we will expect you to continue progressing in math each year and take calculus if it is available to you.
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Academic Program Updates
Art + Design Becomes Media Arts, Design and Technology
Beginning with the 2027 application cycle, the Art + Design major will be renamed Media Arts, Design and Technology. While the curriculum remains the same, the new name better reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the program and the evolving fields it prepares students to enter.
No Additional Essay for Studio Based Majors in College of Design
Students applying to studio-based majors in the College of Design will no longer be required to submit an additional essay as part of the application process. Instead, students will provide a brief written description for each portfolio slide to help reviewers understand both the work and the creative thinking behind the work. In each description, students will be asked to explain what they made, what they were exploring and how they approached the creative process. Descriptions should highlight meaningful experiments, decisions, iterations or developments that demonstrate how the work evolved and not simply describe the final product.
First-Year Program Updates
First-year programs provide incoming students with opportunities to explore broad, multidisciplinary areas. Exploratory Studies is a great option for first-year students who are still exploring their academic interests. However, students who enter the program with a significant number of college credits (generally 30 or more credits or more than 10 completed college courses), including a combination of dual enrollment, AP, IB or other college-level credit, may find it challenging to apply those credits effectively, as the curriculum is designed for students with fewer credits.
For this reason, students entering NC State with a significant number of college credits are generally better suited for admission to a specific academic program rather than Exploratory Studies. We encourage these students to apply directly to a major that aligns with their academic interests and allows them to make the best use of their existing credits toward timely graduation.
Read more about all of our first-year programs below.
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Virtual Visits and Information Sessions
We offer a variety of virtual options to help students gain a sense of what it means to live and learn at NC State.
On-Campus Information Session and Tour
Students traveling to North Carolina are invited to an on-campus admissions information session and student-led tour. Visits are offered Monday through Friday.
International Information Sessions
These virtual information sessions will cover admissions information specific to prospective international students. All virtual information sessions will take place in Eastern Time (ET).
International Counselor Information Sessions
We also offer virtual information sessions for international school counselors to ensure they have the knowledge and resources needed to support their students. Students can register for one or more of the options on this page based on the information they are interested in learning. Once registered, a Zoom meeting link will be provided by email the day of the session.
Virtual Campus Tour
NC State students guide students through different campus locations in this virtual, self-paced tour.
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