


NC State holds institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, commonly called SACSCOC. Institutional accreditation reviews the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation of an individual degree program.
Selected professional programs have additional accreditation relevant to their fields. Examples include ABET accreditation for specified engineering programs, AACSB accreditation in business, and American Veterinary Medical Association accreditation for the veterinary medicine program. Applicants should verify the exact program and degree covered, since accreditation does not automatically extend to every offering in a college.
Institutional accreditation is an important condition for participation in federal student aid programs. It can also matter when another school evaluates transfer credit, but it does not require that school to accept a particular course. For careers requiring licensure, students need to check the applicable program accreditation and the rules of the state where they expect to practice.
First-year admission to NC State is selective and requires an application, a secondary-school academic record and completion of the courses required for admission to a University of North Carolina System institution. Applicants may use the application routes accepted by NC State for their entry term and should check the current admissions calendar for early-action and regular-decision dates.
Admissions figures show 18,385 offers from 44,047 first-year applications, an acceptance rate of about 42%. This is an institution-wide figure, not an admission probability for an individual applicant or a particular major. NC State considers academic performance and preparation in the context of the intended program; admission to some majors can be more competitive than the overall rate suggests.
Applicants should follow NC State's instructions for reporting courses, grades, essays and any requested supplemental material. Recommendations and class rank may be considered but are not generally required. SAT and ACT rules can change by entry year and applicant circumstances, so applicants should confirm the policy for their term rather than assume scores are either universally required or universally unnecessary. Among enrolled first-time students who submitted scores, the reported median was 1355 on the SAT and 30 on the ACT; those medians do not describe all enrolled students. Applicants educated in a language other than English may also need to document English proficiency under the university's applicable rules.
NC State's reported standard undergraduate application fee is $85. It is an application charge, not tuition or an enrollment deposit, and paying it does not affect an admission decision.
Eligible applicants can request a fee waiver through an accepted application or another process specified by undergraduate admissions. Applicants facing financial hardship should check the accepted eligibility documentation and request procedure before submitting, because application systems may require the waiver request at submission. Graduate and professional programs can have different application charges and waiver rules.
NC State has on-campus Army, Air Force and Navy ROTC opportunities. These programs combine university study with military leadership training, but participation requirements differ by branch and by whether a student holds an ROTC scholarship.
Students considering ROTC should review the relevant unit's course sequence, physical and medical standards, scholarship application process and commissioning requirements. A scholarship can come with a postgraduation service obligation; simply taking an introductory course should not be assumed to create the same commitment. The university also has a veterans affairs office for students using military education benefits, a separate matter from joining ROTC.
NC State admits transfer applicants and generally evaluates college-level work completed at accredited institutions. Transfer applicants must apply for a specific entry term and major; fall and spring entry are available, while summer opportunities and major availability should be checked for the intended term.
Applicants need to submit official college transcripts and any other records required for their circumstances. NC State publishes baseline transfer eligibility rules, but meeting a minimum GPA or credit threshold does not ensure admission: some majors require particular prerequisite courses or stronger academic records. A student with limited college coursework should also check whether high school records are required.
Admission and transfer-credit acceptance are separate decisions. Course-equivalency resources can help with planning, but the official evaluation determines how accepted credits apply to NC State requirements. North Carolina community college students should also review the statewide Comprehensive Articulation Agreement and any applicable major-specific pathways. Applicants using exam credit or other prior learning should verify how that credit would be recorded and whether it satisfies the intended degree plan.
NC State offers study abroad options that can include semester programs, shorter faculty-led experiences and opportunities arranged through partner or approved programs. The choice of program affects academic credit, cost, housing and eligibility for particular types of aid.
Students should work with study abroad advisers and their academic department before committing to a program. Advance course approval is particularly important when a required class must count toward a major or graduation. NC State also offers international education advising and study abroad funding resources; students receiving financial aid should ask how their specific aid package applies to their chosen program rather than assume all expenses will be covered.
32% of admitted students enrolled (5,839 of 18,385)
Regular application deadline
June 1Application fee
$85Early Decision
NoEarly Action
Yes, deadline November 1Median composite SAT score
1355Median composite ACT score
30Percent of students submitting ACT scores
29%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
11%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Considered but not requiredSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
RequiredRecommendations
Considered but not requiredFormal demonstration of competencies
Neither required nor recommendedAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
RequiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
YesAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesOrientation program
YesDisabilities services
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Navy
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit on campusStudy abroad
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
YesPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
YesGenerally accepts credits
YesAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Spring, SummerData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.