Incoming Park Class FAQ
Congratulations on being offered a spot in the Class of 2029!
Next Steps:
Please let us know of your decision regarding the Park Scholarship as soon as possible, but no later than Tuesday, April 15, by 5 p.m. ET.
- Complete your online form to accept or decline your offer.
- If your family has questions for other Park families, please have them fill out this form. We’ll have Park Scholar Parents reach out.
After you accept the Park Scholarship:
- Complete your housing application (Start working on this ASAP, as it is first come, first served)
Meeting with students to talk about future plans is an important part of the support that Park Scholarships faculty and staff provide. Eva is available for 30-minute mentoring sessions to talk about your college decision and future plans. Sign up for a time that works for your schedule.
If you determine you will need an extension to make a final decision, submit this form as soon as possible and no later than Tuesday, April 15, at 5 p.m. ET. The director will consider it on a case-by-case basis and you will receive an email response.
We encourage you to consider spending a year pursuing professional or enrichment activities before entering NC State, and will hold a place for you in the Class of 2030 if you wish to do so.
In order to officially request a deferral of your Park Scholarship, submit a proposal of your gap year to parkscholars@ncsu.edu.
This proposal should describe:
- Your plans for your gap year.
- How your request is related to your academic, professional, and/or personal goals.
- How your request is related to the Park Scholarship pillars of scholarship, service, leadership and character.
Write your proposal as if the reader does not know you or your goals (provide details about the background and context for your proposal). Requests should include a start and end date for your gap, and a detailed itinerary of activities. Please email your proposal no later than April 25. If you need more time, please let us know. We will respond to your proposal within 10 business days.
As a Park Scholar enrolled at NC State, you will receive half of your annual stipend at the beginning of each semester. The value of the award covers tuition and required fees, room and board, textbooks, academic supplies, and personal expenses. You will also receive a one-time award for the purchase of a personal computer and peripherals.
Park Scholars are eligible for additional merit scholarships from NC State University or other sources, provided they do not receive funds that exceed the total Cost of Attendance (as defined by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid). The financial value of your Park Scholarship may be adjusted based on any additional scholarship assistance you receive so that the total funding for a semester is not greater than the Cost of Attendance.
After you complete the Park Scholarships acceptance form, we will notify Admissions that you’re enrolling. There is no action required on your part and you do not need to pay the enrollment deposit.
If you have already notified NC State of your acceptance and paid your enrollment deposit, it will be refunded to you when you get your first check in August.
Complete the university housing application here.
NC State requires that first-year students live on campus. Note – there are a few exceptions to this, which likely won’t apply to most students.
Please go ahead and complete a housing application online if you haven’t already done so. Housing is on a first-available basis and they make assignments based on when students apply – i.e., they go in order.
You will receive your housing assignment in late June. You will be billed at that time, but don’t pay the bill. When we release your Park funding in August, it will go toward your housing bill (see the next FAQ for more detail on this).
The Park Scholarship will include funds for housing that is equal to the double occupancy rate for an on-campus residence hall and ResNet for the year.
Note – there is no deposit or enrollment confirmation required in order to sign up for housing. Students may choose to complete the university housing application even if they aren’t sure if they are attending NC State yet. If they decide not to come to NC State, they can cancel their housing application at that time.
The University Housing application is separate from the Admissions application, so don’t procrastinate! You may complete a University Housing application before committing to NC State; there is no fee to apply for housing.
Select a meal plan through the University Dining website. If you choose to live off campus in later years, you might choose to purchase your own groceries.
All scholars will have their Park Scholarship funds released to their account during the first week of class. Any bills that are on your account at that time (for example, University Housing, tuition and fees, a meal plan from University Dining) will be paid to the university, and any remaining funds will be issued to you for you to use to pay for your remaining costs over the course of the semester.
For more details on this process, see this website (specifically Steps 8-9, though other sections may also be relevant to you).
The Park Scholarship will include the items in the University’s Undergraduate Student Living On or Off Campus Cost of Attendance, with the following modifications:
- The amount included for housing is equal to the double occupancy rate for an on-campus residence hall and ResNet for the year.
- The tuition & fees amount is the same for all students due to support we receive from the North Carolina legislature for out-of-state residents.
- We do not include loan fees.
- The Park Scholarship does not include fees that are specific to individual students, such as fees for certain majors, programs, etc. If applicable, a student may choose to apply another scholarship they have received toward those fees.
Important Note:
The Park Scholarships program does not control or administer the university’s policies about other scholarships. Contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid directly if you have questions about other scholarships you have received or any other costs specific to you that are outside of the standard Undergraduate Student Living On or Off Campus Cost of Attendance.
Note the following information, quoted from the Cost of Attendance website:
- Indicated costs are good faith estimates. Tuition and fees are finalized with the NC Legislature vote in late summer.
- Indicated tuition and fees are the rates for new students effective Fall 2025. Rates will differ for resident undergraduate students who qualify for a guaranteed tuition rate established in a prior year.
- Students enrolled in the College of Engineering, Bachelor of Architecture (5th year) program and Professional Golf Management program may incur additional tuition or fee amounts. See the Tuition and Fees section for details.
You will move to campus on Tuesday, Aug. 12. We will hold an optional parent/guardian information session on move-in day at 3:00 p.m. in Witherspoon Student Center. (This session is for families only.) After the parent/guardian session, families will say farewell to their students!
We will hold a dinner (your attendance is required) at 5:15 p.m. for the Class of 2029 and distinguished university guests.
The Freshman Retreat will be August 13-15 in Black Mountain, NC. We will travel together to/from the retreat. We will send you more details this summer.
The next time we will be in touch with you will be in May. We will send you a letter with information on what to expect for the summer and for your Freshman Retreat. If you have any questions, please email parkscholars@ncsu.edu at any time.
We will send more details in the May communication. In general, your class will have an assigned reading to complete before Freshman Retreat and we’ll also send out several forms/surveys to prepare for your arrival on campus.