UNC announced its launch of a $20 million scholarship initiative earlier this month called the Blue Sky Scholars program, which is aimed at assisting middle-income undergraduate students from North Carolina.

The Blue Sky Scholars program is meant, in partnership with the Carolina Covenant program, to make studying at UNC a realistic goal for all North Carolinians, regardless of their financial situation.

Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions Steve Farmer says the university is seeking to lessen the sacrifices students’ parents or other family members are forced to make to help send them to college.

“The more we talked about where we wanted to be and what we wanted to do, the more we realized that we needed to do more to convince young, middle-income North Carolinians that they can come here and achieve their dreams,” says Farmer. “And they can do so without compromising the futures of their families.”

The Carolina Covenant program was launched in 2004 and aimed at helping low-income students graduate from UNC debt free. It is currently serving more than 1-in-10 UNC undergraduates. But there are two middle-income students for every one low-income student at UNC, Farmer says. And, until the Blue Sky Scholars program, there was no financial assistance designated for them.

The program is getting started with a $5 million gift from former president of the UNC System Erskine Bowles, who Farmer says has always worked to help fund opportunities for working class families across North Carolina.

“He really has a place in his heart for the sons and daughters of school teachers, first responders, pastors and others across North Carolina who are just working behind the scenes every day to help our state,” says Farmer.

The goal of the Blue Sky Scholars program is to help eligible students graduate with under $10,000 in debt.

Students are considered for the program upon application to UNC and is planned to begin no later than Fall 2020.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Announces Plans of 'Free Tuition' for Certain Undergraduate Students
UNC’s flagship campus announced another step to improve affordability and access to North Carolinians, sharing plans to provide free tuition and fees to certain undergraduate students beginning in 2024. UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz sent a message to the campus community on Friday afternoon, saying students from North Carolina whose families make less than $80,000 a […]
UNC Capital Campaign Hits $5 Billion Milestone Ahead of End Date
UNC announced Saturday it recently surpassed another major benchmark in its ongoing capital campaign: $5 billion. The university shared a release with the Campaign for Carolina update, as gifts from more than 215,000 donors reached the total just one month before the five-year fundraising effort comes to a close. The Campaign for Carolina launched in […]
UNC Providing Emergency Aid, Internet Supplements to Students Amid Remote Semester
As many UNC students began the semester remotely, and even more transitioned to the method halfway through August, the university has been working to help. Students have received more than $12 million in special aid from UNC since the summer and the need continues into the fall. According to Director of the Office of Scholarships […]
UNC Releases Report On Student-Athlete Admission Process
Friday by UNC delves into the process of how the 2013 first-year class of student-athletes were evaluated for admission, including how many was enrolled under the “special talent policy,” a procedure which has recently called the University’s reputation into question. “This document focuses on the admission credentials of first-year student-athletes,” the report […]
2025 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Charlotte
Carolina will make the short trip to the Queen City to visit the Charlotte 49ers Saturday at 7 p.m. Though it’s far from the first game UNC has ever played in the city of Charlotte, it will be the first time the Tar Heels have ever played on the campus of UNC-Charlotte (the university brands […]
UNC Women's Basketball Announces 2025-26 ACC Schedule
The ACC announced the full 2025-26 conference schedule for all women’s basketball programs Tuesday afternoon. As was the case during the 2024-25 season, UNC will play 18 conference games, facing 16 teams once and rival Duke twice. Been waiting on this one… The ACC schedule is 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀! pic.twitter.com/EKw7G5eVCY — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) September 2, […]
Chansky’s Notebook: Balloon Burst
UNC football's blowout loss to TCU let the air out of the balloon for Bill Belichick's Carolina coaching debut and the national publicity.
TCU Spoils Belichick's Debut, Hammers UNC Football in 2025 Opener
The Chapel Bill Era is off to a terrible start. TCU scored 41 consecutive points to roll past the Tar Heels 48-14 at Kenan Stadium Monday night. It’s UNC’s first loss in a season opener since 2021 and its largest home loss since 2004. The 48 points allowed are the most ever given up by […]
Art's Angle: The Eras Tour for UNC Football
With UNC football embarking on its newest head coaching era this season, Art Chansky reviews the program's modern history.
UNC Football vs. TCU (2025): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Kickoff Time
UNC will officially open the Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill when it hosts TCU in Kenan Stadium Monday night. The game is a sellout, with fans clamoring for a glimpse of the new-look Tar Heels under the eight-time Super Bowl champion. If you weren’t lucky enough to snag a ticket, here’s how you can […]
›