Countdown to College Launches October 1
Streamlined FAFSA increases ease of access to financial aid
RALEIGH, NC (September 29, 2025) — NC Countdown to College (C2C) kicks off its 20th year of helping students and families get the help they need to pursue higher education on October 1 — just days after the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened for all students.
One of the highlights of the C2C campaign is College Application Week — October 20-26 — when many colleges waive application fees for students. Last year, more than 17,000 students submitted at least one college application through the College for North Carolina (CFNC) website during this week, and almost 39,000 applications were submitted in total.
“Countdown to College is a hallmark of CFNC and our efforts to help students throughout the year in completing the three most important steps in college enrollment: residency, financial aid and college applications,” said Mary Shuping, the Executive Director of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). NCSEAA is the primary sponsor of CFNC. “This year, we look forward to celebrating two decades of support and guiding even more students through the college-going process.”
This is the earliest in three years the FAFSA has opened, now with a streamlined application that should take most students only 30 minutes to complete while providing access to financial aid at the federal, state and college level. This includes the Next NC Scholarship that provides a guaranteed award for most students from households making $80,000 or less who want to attend a UNC institution or a North Carolina Community College. It is also the only application required for the Need-Based Scholarship for students who want to attend one of North Carolina’s private colleges or universities.
In addition to a more simplified form, Federal Student Aid made a few more changes to the FAFSA that created a more intuitive process for students. Applicants are now able to sign up for their Studentaid.gov account and fill out their FAFSA on the same day, two steps that previously had to be done at separate times. In addition, students will now only need their parent’s or legal guardian’s email address to invite them to contribute to the student’s FAFSA, a significant simplification from previous years.
“We heard from many applicants last year that the new FAFSA was much easier than before. That, coupled with the new changes this year, opens access to financial aid to many who were previously hesitant to fill out the form,” Shuping said. “And with an early fall open date, we will be able to reach more students, who will have more time to meet their deadlines.”
All throughout the year, schools around the state will be holding Countdown to College events, encouraging students to complete the necessary steps to achieve their higher education dreams.
CFNC assists C2C host sites in preparation for these events and has also prepared a Countdown to College landing page with resources for students, families, and education professionals, including a C2C toolkit.
CFNC will also be hosting webinars throughout the year for parents, students, and education professionals focused on college going.
Those interested are encouraged to go to CFNC.org/C2C for more information about Countdown to College and College Application Week.
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The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) is the State agency that has been helping North Carolinians pay for education since 1965. NCSEAA administers financial aid and savings programs, helps students and families understand how to make paying for college more manageable, and provides resources for education professionals about financial aid.