State lawmakers recently made a difficult decision in an effort to balance the state budget. They removed a waiver, which had previously allowed out-of-state student athletes to pay in-state tuition rates. Now, out-of-state student athletes will have to pay out-of-state tuition, which is more than three times as expensive as in-state tuition. While the removal of the waiver eases the burden on North Carolina taxpayers, it puts the load on the colleges and universities themselves to come up with the additional tuition for out-of-state athletes.
Three state schools popular with athletes in North Carolina-- the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC), North Carolina State University (NC State) and North Carolina Central University (NCCU) offer grants to students competing on their athletic teams. The National Collegiate College Association (NCAA) regulates the grants, which limits the maximum number by sport. For example, NCCU athletes received $1,715,875 in financial aid during the 2008-2009 school year. More than 60 percent of athletes received state and institutional grants, which universities made available for students. Athletes interested in attending one of these schools may contact their financial aid departments to find out what grants are available to them.
The federal government offers three grants based on a person's income for which athletes may qualify. The federal Pell Grant is available to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. There are no income limits, but the government does consider the following factors when deciding who receives the Pell Grants: Expected family contribution; Number of family members; Number of dependent family members attending college; Family assets outside of income. Athletes can apply for a Pell Grant by filling out a Federal application for student aid (FASFA).
Another grant offered to individuals by the federal government is the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant program or FSEOG. This grant is only goes to students who demonstrate an EFC of 0 on their financial aid Student Aid Report (SAR). As with the Pell Grant, the only way to apply for the FSEOG is by completing a FAFSA. These federal grants, along with any available state grants may be provided to out-of-state athletes the university extends a scholarship offer to. The offer should cover all costs and will likely consist of funding from a variety of sources, including state, federal, institutional or private grants.