Homeschool benefits and savings in Davie County
IGNITE DAVIE pays the in-state tuition and required fees left after other aid at Davidson-Davie Community College, plus up to $250 a semester for books, about $1,308 a semester at 16 credit hours before books. Davie County residents who graduate from a registered homeschool qualify, with the award prorated by how long your student has been enrolled in a Davie County school.
Who qualifies
Lives in Davie County
Residency is where your student is claimed for IRS purposes. A Davie County diploma alone is not enough if your student lives outside the county, and the award is prorated by length of continuous enrollment in a Davie County school.
Graduates from a registered homeschool
Graduates of a registered homeschool, a public or private high school, or an accredited online program in Davie County are eligible. Your student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
Enrolls full time
Your student takes 12 credit hours a semester in a certificate, diploma, or degree program at Davidson-Davie, or in a Forsyth Tech program Davidson-Davie does not offer, with an approved exception.
Files the FAFSA
Federal and state grants and other scholarships must be used first, so the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is part of Step 1 and must be updated each year.
What it is worth
Davidson-Davie charges North Carolina residents $76 per credit hour up to 16 hours, plus a $50 activity fee, $16 technology fee, $1.50 insurance fee, and $25 CAPS (campus access, parking, and security) fee each semester at 12 or more hours.
- Full-time minimum (12 hours)
- $1,004.50
- 16 or more hours
- $1,308.50
- Books, each semester
- Up to $250
- One year at 12 hours, with books
- $2,509
- One year at 16 hours, with books
- $3,117
Course-specific fees are charged on top of these amounts, so ask IGNITE DAVIE whether they count as required fees for your student's program.
From applying to keeping it
- By April 15 or Nov. 1
Complete Step 1
In the IGNITE DAVIE portal, give your contact and qualification details, apply to Davidson-Davie or Forsyth Tech, and file the FAFSA. April 15 is the fall deadline; November 1 is the spring deadline.
- By May 31 or Dec. 15
Complete Step 2
Finish new student orientation, meet an advisor, register full time, and submit Step 2 in the portal. Accepted students are notified.
- Each semester
Keep your eligibility
Hold a 2.0 college GPA, pass at least two thirds of attempted hours, volunteer 5 hours in Davie County, and check college email weekly.
- Each year
Update the FAFSA
Refile the FAFSA every year so grants are applied before IGNITE DAVIE pays.
- Within 3 years
Use the award
Your student must use the award within three years of high school graduation.
What it pays for
Covered
- In-state tuition
- Required fees such as student activities and parking
- Books, up to $250 a semester
- Summer terms for programs that require them
Not covered
- Developmental courses without 12 other credit hours
- Study abroad
- Private or out-of-state schools
Who pays first
- Federal and state grants
- Other scholarships and outside funding
- IGNITE DAVIE
It is last-dollar aid: grants, scholarships, and outside funding apply first, and IGNITE DAVIE covers the in-state tuition and required fees that remain.
An endowment held by the Davie Community Foundation pays for the awards, and students will be told before the next semester if the fund is ever depleted.
Good to know
Registered homeschool graduates are eligible
Graduates of a registered homeschool program in Davie County can get IGNITE DAVIE, as long as your student lives in Davie County and meets the full-time enrollment rule.
Who to contact
Carolyn McManamy at the IGNITE DAVIE office in Mocksville answers questions about eligibility, the application portal, and volunteer hours.
admin@ignitedavie.com 336-753-6670 IGNITE DAVIE FAQ
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
- We moved to Davie County recently. Will my student get the full IGNITE DAVIE award?
- Maybe not. Awards are based on length of residency and attendance in a Davie County school or registered homeschool, so a shorter history can mean a prorated award.
- Is the scholarship based on grades or income?
- No. IGNITE DAVIE is not based on financial need or academic merit.
- What happens if my student drops classes?
- A student who drops all classes after IGNITE DAVIE has paid loses eligibility, and dropped classes count as unsuccessful when the college checks the two-thirds completion rate.
- Can my student take a gap year first?
- Yes, within limits.
- Can my student attend Forsyth Tech instead?
- Only for a program Davidson-Davie does not offer. Submit an Eligibility Exceptions form, and the Forsyth Tech enrollment is reviewed separately.
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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