As of March 7, 2025, more than 41,000 high school seniors in North Carolina have completed the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), representing a 38.6% completion rate for the state.

More than 43,000 high school seniors have submitted the FAFSA during this same time period. A FAFSA submission means the form has been submitted and completion means the form is fully processed and complete. 

Comparisons to last year’s FAFSA data cannot be made as the information was not available until April 2024. The 2024-25 FAFSA did not open until Dec. 31, 2023, three months later than typical following a delayed launch of the “Better FAFSA.” The 2025-26 form opened Nov. 21, 2024. 

According to College For North Carolina (CFNC) and North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), there are currently 107,500 high school seniors across the state’s public schools, including cooperative innovative high schools (CIHS) and charter schools –  a 5.3% increase from last year. 

Community stakeholders can track FAFSA submission and completion progress by school and district using the NC FAFSA Tracker.

District data can be viewed either by clicking on the right pane and selecting the district or by clicking the “District” tab at the top of the tracker, which leads to the district dashboard. Once there, you can select the district from the drop-down menu.

When on the district site, you may see a list of all schools on the right pane. District data includes “the senior count, the percentage of students who are economically disadvantaged, the percentage of students of color, the geographic density of the district, and the number of schools in the district,” according to the CFNC website.

You can also view a specific school’s data by clicking the “School” tab at the top of the tracker and then selecting the school. The tracker allows you to filter data by clicking any of the subcategories, including geo density, school type, and class size. 

Additionally, the tracker provides an estimated amount of Pell Grants earned. Federal Pell Grants are given to undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. The grant is free money and only under certain circumstances would a Federal Pell Grant need to be repaid.

Federal Student Aid (FSA) provides information on total FAFSA submissions and completions by school on a weekly basis. NCSEAA and CFNC update the NC FAFSA Tracker regularly. 

Schools, community organizations, and families can find tools and resources for paying for college here.

Recognizing financial aid champions

CFNC is launching “Financial Aid Champions” to recognize school counselors and college advisors who follow financial aid best practices. The designation honors educators for their work and for using the best methods for helping students access financial aid. 

High schools that receive the Financial Aid Champion designation will be awarded themed materials to help with future financial aid events. Those materials include a t-shirt, pins, posters, and certificate for their school. Schools that are chosen will also receive an email badge noting their designation and will be highlighted on CFNC’s website and in a press release. The champions will also be recognized during the annual Financial Aid Summit.  

“Our school counselors and college advisors are on the front lines in helping make sure students have access to all the resources they need to go to college,” said Mary Shuping, interim executive director of the NCSEAA. “We want these dedicated education professionals to know that they are valued and that their contribution to the state is recognized.”

Educators can apply now through April 30 to be recognized as one of CFNC’s “Financial Aid Champions.” 

Those planning to participate in completing the checklist items for recognition should start by filling out a short interest form. Once you do that, you can fill out the official nomination form. You can find all of the participation and nomination requirements here.

Only one counselor/advisor should complete the nomination per school. Those with additional questions can email outreach@ncseaa.edu.