ROCKY MOUNT, N.C., (June 12, 2025) – Today, the Golden LEAF Foundation announced that 215 rural North Carolina students were selected to receive up to a $14,000 Golden LEAF Scholarship.
High school seniors entering college as first year students are eligible for a $3,500 scholarship each year for up to four years of undergraduate study at a participating four-year North Carolina college or university. Community college transfer students are eligible for $3,500 a year for up to three years of undergraduate study.
Recipients from rural or economically distressed North Carolina counties are selected based on future career goals and an expressed intent to contribute to the stateʼs rural communities upon graduation from college.
The Golden LEAF Foundation established the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program to broaden educational opportunities and provide support to students from rural counties with the goal that recipients will return and contribute to rural communities after graduation. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) administers the program and selects students for awards.
“We are proud to award scholarships to students who have deep connections to their rural communities,” said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer. “These recipients were selected from nearly 1,600 applicants. We look forward to their future accomplishments as they continue their education and become North Carolina’s next generation of rural leaders.”
Scholarship recipients may also apply for the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative. The Rural Internship Initiative provides Golden LEAF Scholars with professional work experience related to their career field in a rural North Carolina community. The Golden LEAF Foundation provides funding to pay interns up to $18 per hour for up to 400 hours of work. Internships take place between May and August.
The newly selected 2025 Golden LEAF Scholarship recipients are listed below by county: