Homeschool benefits and savings in Brunswick County
The Brunswick Guarantee pays the in-state tuition, fees, and up to $750 in books that financial aid and other scholarships leave unpaid at Brunswick Community College, about $1,299.50 a semester in tuition and fees at 16 or more credit hours. Students who attended a Brunswick County public, private, or home school during high school, earned a 2.3 unweighted GPA, and enroll within four semesters of graduating can apply.
Who qualifies
Attended a Brunswick County school
Your student must have attended a Brunswick County public, private, or home school during high school and lived in the county for the past two years. Fewer years of residence in high school means a reduced award.
Has a 2.3 unweighted GPA
A 2.3 unweighted high school GPA qualifies, as does a GED or Adult High School diploma earned through Brunswick Community College (BCC).
Is a citizen or permanent resident
Your student must be a U.S. citizen or a documented lawful permanent resident.
Enrolls within four semesters
Start a for-credit certificate, diploma, or degree program at BCC within four semesters (fall, spring, summer, fall) of graduating.
What it is worth
BCC charges in-state students $76 per credit hour, capped at $1,216 for 16 or more hours, plus activity, technology, and insurance fees set by credit load.
- One class (3 hours)
- $245.50
- Two classes (6 hours)
- $496
- Full-time semester (12 hours)
- $995.50
- 16 or more hours
- $1,299.50
- Books
- Up to $750
BCC's page does not say whether the $750 book limit is per semester or per year, and its tuition page does not label the year, so ask OneStop Student Services before you plan around those numbers.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply to BCC
Submit the Brunswick Community College admissions application.
- Before enrolling
File the FAFSA and scholarship form
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the BCC Scholarship application for 2026-27, which also covers the Brunswick Guarantee.
- Within four semesters of graduating
Enroll in a credit program
Register for a certificate, diploma, or degree program. Awards go out first come, first served, so applying early matters.
- Each year
Renew
File a new FAFSA and BCC Scholarship application every year to keep the award for the following fall semester.
What it pays for
Covered
- In-state tuition
- Mandatory student fees
- Books, up to $750
Not covered
- Costs already paid by financial aid or other scholarships
- Noncredit courses
- Out-of-state tuition
Who pays first
- Federal and state financial aid
- Other scholarships
- Brunswick Guarantee
It is last-dollar aid: financial aid and other scholarships apply first, and the Guarantee pays the in-state tuition, fees, and books they leave unpaid.
BCC awards the Guarantee first come, first served while funds are available.
Good to know
Homeschool graduates can qualify
BCC lists a home school in Brunswick County alongside public and private schools, as long as your student meets the GPA, residency, and enrollment rules.
Who to contact
OneStop Student Services, in Building A on the BCC campus, answers questions about admissions, the FAFSA, and the Brunswick Guarantee.
OneStop@Brunswickcc.edu 910-755-7320 Brunswick Guarantee
Homeschool rules and statewide help in North Carolina
You must file the Notice of Intent with DNPE at least five business days before home instruction begins; wait for DNPE acknowledgment before withdrawing or starting. No annual renewal is required while operating; notify DNPE when the school closes.
North Carolina sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum. Operate on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months each year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations.
- Testing: Administer a nationally standardized achievement test each year covering English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics.
- Records: Keep attendance and immunization records. Retain annual test results for at least one year and make them available to DNPE on request.
- Teachers: The teaching parent needs a high school diploma or equivalent in North Carolina.
North Carolina also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- Education Student Accounts (ESA+) pay $9,000 a year, or $17,000 for certain disabilities, to students with a documented disability, including homeschooled students. Funding can run out before the school year starts.
Read the North Carolina homeschooling guide See statewide programs in North Carolina
Questions parents ask
- Do we have to file the FAFSA for the Brunswick Guarantee?
- Yes, every year. The Guarantee pays only what federal and state aid and other scholarships do not.
- We moved to Brunswick County in the middle of high school. Does my student still qualify?
- Partly, if you have lived in the county more than two years. The award is reduced to the share of high school spent as a resident, rounded to the nearest semester.
- Can my student take a gap year first?
- Yes, within limits. Your student must enroll within four semesters of graduating, counting fall, spring, summer, and fall.
- Does it pay for short workforce classes?
- No. The award is for for-credit certificate, diploma, and degree programs only.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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