Park Scholarships is NC State's flagship award, worth roughly $244,000 over four years at out-of-state rates and $129,000 at in-state rates for the Class of 2031. It covers tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, a computer stipend and personal expenses, and about 38 go out each year in any subject.
Read the eligibility rule closely before you invest time in this one. Candidates must be a US citizen, a US permanent resident, or graduating from a high school located in the US regardless of citizenship status. That last clause is the route for a student without US status, so it works if you are finishing secondary school inside the United States, for example on an F-1 at an American school. A student applying from a school abroad falls outside the rule.
Selection is merit based on four pillars: scholarship, leadership, service and character. Financial need is not a criterion. You need a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.80, and tests are optional.
The effort is considerable. Apply to NC State, then file a separate Park application in the wolfPAW portal with two essays, two recommendations and coursework details, all by 1 November. Semifinalists are named in December, interview by Zoom in January, and finalists travel to Raleigh in early March 2027 for final selection activities.