Homeschool benefits and savings in Chatham, Harnett, or Lee County

Central Carolina Promise/K14 pays up to two years of in-state tuition and required fees at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) after other aid, about $1,371.60 a semester at 16 credit hours in fall 2026. Students in Chatham, Harnett, or Lee County who graduate from a public, private, charter, or home school qualify if they finish at least 12 college credit hours by the summer after graduation.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Lives in Chatham, Harnett, or Lee

   Residency is based on your home address, which CCCC checks against county GIS maps after your student applies.

2. Graduates from a certified homeschool

   Public, private, charter, and home school graduates from the past two years qualify. The homeschool administrator sends proof that the homeschool is certified by the North Carolina Department of Administration and the two most recent years of standardized test scores.

3. Earns 12 college credits first

   Your student needs at least four classes or 12 credit hours of college-level work by the end of the summer term after graduation, through Career and College Promise, AP or CLEP, or articulated career and technical credit approved by the Registrar.

4. Files the FAFSA each year

   Use CCCC's school code 005449. Your student does not have to receive any aid, but the FAFSA and any verification are required.

What it is worth

CCCC charges $76 per credit hour in-state, capped at $1,216 for 16 or more hours, plus $155.60 in required fees in fall 2026 and spring 2027.

One class (3 hours)

$383.60

Full-time semester (12 hours)

$1,067.60

16 or more hours

$1,371.60

Summer 2027 at 16 hours

$1,325.25

Four fall and spring semesters at 16 hours

$5,486.40

CCCC also charges a BibliU Access fee of $22 per credit hour, and Promise/K14 does not pay for books or digital materials, so ask whether that fee is covered.

From applying to keeping it

1. From Oct. 1 of senior year

   Apply for Promise/K14

   The online application opens October 1 each year. Track your student's checklist in the Success Hub of the CCCC Portal.

2. By July 1

   File the core forms

   Submit the FAFSA, the CCCC Foundation Scholarship application with an essay and a non-family recommendation, a North Carolina Residency Certification Number, and the CCCC admissions application.

3. By July 15

   Send transcript and aid documents

   Send the final transcript with the homeschool certification proof and test scores, and any documents the financial aid office requests.

4. By Aug. 1

   Get confirmed and start in fall

   Students who finish every item by the priority dates are confirmed by August 1. Promise/K14 starts only in the fall after graduation.

5. Year two

   Renew

   File the FAFSA and the Foundation Scholarship application again by July 1 and keep at least a 2.0 GPA under the college's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

What it pays for

Covered

• In-state tuition
• Required student fees
• Some continuing education classes, if approved first

Not covered

• Textbooks and digital course materials
• Supplies and program kits
• Out-of-state tuition above the in-state rate
• Classes outside your declared program

Who pays first

1. Federal and state grants
2. Scholarships and outside funding
3. Promise/K14

It is last-dollar aid: grants and scholarships apply first, and Promise/K14 pays the in-state tuition and required fees that remain.

Good to know

• Homeschool graduates can qualify

  Homeschool programs are listed with public, private, and charter schools for Promise/K14. The homeschool administrator adds state certification proof and two years of standardized test scores to the transcript step.

Who to contact

The College Access Coordinator helps families sign up for Promise/K14 and answers eligibility questions; you can also text 919-902-5899.

promisek14@cccc.edu 919-718-7542 Promise/K14 checklist

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

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