By Golden LEAF External Affairs Intern, Kaitlyn Parker
The March 1, 2026 deadline is quickly approaching for the Golden LEAF Colleges and Universities Scholarship. Visit CFNC.org for more information on the 2026-2027 school year scholarship application.
In total, 215 awards will be offered to high school seniors and community college transfer students from qualifying counties who plan to attend North Carolina colleges and universities. The scholarship is valued at $14,000 ($3,500 annually for four years) for high school seniors and $10,500 ($3,500 annually for three years) for community college transfer students.
“For more than 25 years, the Golden LEAF Scholarship program has been essential to ensure that scholars gain the knowledge and skills necessary to help North Carolina’s rural communities thrive,” said Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton. “We want students to further their education and return home to their rural communities to live, work, and lead future generations.”
Eligible students must be a graduating North Carolina high school senior or a currently enrolled North Carolina community college transfer student, enrolling full-time at a participating North Carolina college or university in the fall.
Scholarship recipients are selected according to a number of factors, including their intent to return to a rural North Carolina county after graduation. Applicants must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need with a Student Aid Index (SAI) that does not exceed 15000; have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5; and be a resident of and have strong roots in a rural North Carolina county that is economically distressed. For the full list of eligible counties, click here.
Students awarded the Golden LEAF Scholarship to attend North Carolina colleges and universities may also participate in the Rural Internship Initiative. The Rural Internship Initiative provides scholars with professional work experience related to their career path within a rural North Carolina community. In their first year, interns earn $16 per hour; in their second, $17 per hour; and in their third year, interns earn $18 per hour. Internships last about 8-12 weeks, between May and August.
Meet two Golden LEAF Scholar Alumni who are living and working in rural North Carolina.
Golden LEAF Scholar Alumna, Sydney Coe, grew up in Surry County and attended Surry Community College. She wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her mother was a teacher and Appalachian State University graduate.
Coe received the Golden LEAF Scholarship to support her transfer to Appalachian State University, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.
“Golden LEAF encouraged me to get my foot in the door at Surry County Schools through the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative opportunity, and I’m so glad they did,” said Coe. “I’m still so thankful for Golden LEAF and their support. It made a difference financially for me as I pursued my degree, and it helped me find my path back home.”
For Coe, teaching in a rural community is a calling. She is now in her fourth year of teaching in Surry County Schools and lives in the community.
“I think sometimes people see rural communities as small or less important, but they’re full of potential,” Coe said. “I’m blessed to be part of rural North Carolina, and I hope I can continue to give back to the place that shaped me.”
Golden LEAF Scholar Alumnus, Jeffery Wilkins grew up in Johnston County, a place where nobody was a stranger. His rural background and respect for hard-working family members led him to pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering at NC State.
“If it wasn’t for the Golden LEAF Scholarship and a couple other scholarships, I just would not have been able to afford to go to college at all. This scholarship changed my life outlook completely,” said Wilkins. “It’s an opportunity that just keeps on giving, and then eventually, hopefully, you can give back. It is a community and not just some money to go to college.”
During his time at NC State, Wilkins served as a Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative intern with the Department of Transportation, which led to a full-time position in Wayne County, not far from where he grew up.
“After reading more about the Golden LEAF Scholarship, I knew I fit all the criteria,” said Wilkins. “I lived in a rural county. I planned on working in one. I liked the idea that Golden LEAF helps rural communities and the people in them by educating them so that they can help their communities in return. It is just a great idea all around. I fully supported it, so I applied.”
To learn more about the Golden LEAF Colleges and Universities Scholarship, click here.