Career and College Promise

What is the Career and College Promise (CCP) Program?

Career & College Promise (CCP) is North Carolina’s dual enrollment program for high school students. This program allows eligible NC high school students to enroll in college classes at North Carolina community colleges and universities through their high school. Students who successfully complete college courses earn college credit they can take with them after graduation. In many cases, students can also earn dual credit — meeting high school graduation requirements with college courses. Career & College Promise offers students the option to choose from these pathways:

College Transfer — Designed for students planning to continue their educational career beyond high school to eventually achieve an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree at a community college or university.

Career & Technical Education — Allows students to begin a certification or diploma program in a particular technical field or career area.

Cooperative Innovative High Schools — North Carolina's early colleges and other innovative schools are small public high schools, usually located on the campus of a university or community college, where students simultaneously work toward completion of both the high school diploma and an associate's degree, transferrable credit or certificate.

Career & College Promise offers North Carolina high students options to pursue educational and career goals of their choice using a rigorous yet supportive structure designed to help them become successful.

Who Can Participate in CCP?

Currently enrolled North Carolina high school students who meet the eligibility criteria for their chosen pathway can participate in CCP College Transfer and CTE pathways, including home school students and private school students. Students who have already graduated from high school are not eligible. 

Rising ninth-graders and currently enrolled high school students may apply for enrollment in a Cooperative Innovative High School (CIHS) located in their school district. Inquire with local CIHS to learn about eligibility requirements. If the district has one or more CIHS, research the different CIHS because each may have a particular focus.

CCP Advising Resources

These resources are intended for North Carolina public school students and school personnel to promote and support the success of students interested in taking dual enrollment courses through the Career and College Promise (CCP) program.

Student Information

Información Para El Estudiante

Advising Guidance for School Personnel

Advising Resources Overview Webinar

Password:  CCPsupport2021

What are the benefits to students enrolling in Career & College Promise?

Career & College Promise pathways offer students rigorous and relevant course work designed to engage their interests and help them achieve educational and career goals. For students interested in technical careers and post-secondary education, the courses they encounter as part of a CCP pathway will align closely with the level of work that will be expected of them after finishing high school. In addition, research has shown that high school students who take college courses are more likely to attend and graduate from college with an advanced certification or degree.

Because Career & College Promise pays for college classes taken by high school students, the program also helps reduce the cost of a college degree, career certification or diploma. Career & College Promise can make post-secondary education a viable option for students who may believe that the cost puts college out of reach for them.

What courses may be used to fulfill high school graduation requirements?

Use the Dual Credit Allowances Chart to see which Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) courses may be used to fulfill high school graduation requirements. These courses satisfy most of the general education requirements needed for associates and bachelors degrees.

The Dual Credit Allowances Chart has been updated as of March 2021. The updates reflect changes made due to the social studies standards adoption and the policy change of GRAD-004 that resulted. There are updates on both versions of Dual Credit Allowances information. One chart is from the perspective of the UGETC courses, with the new information noted on page 6, and the other chart is from the perspective of high school graduation requirements, with the new information noted on page 9.

Dual Credit Allowances Chart

As part of this agreement, all UGETC courses in which a student earns a grade of "C" or better will transfer for equivalent credit, as defined in the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA), to any UNC System university. Use the CAA to determine what NC Community College courses may transfer:

Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA)

For a full list of approved articulation agreements, visit the NC Community Colleges College Transfer Articulation Agreements:

Additional College Transfer Articulation Agreements

How Does Career & College Promise Work?

Career & College Promise students, regardless of which pathway they choose, use both high school and college courses to fill their schedules. Some students, especially seniors, may have a heavier load of college courses than high school courses. Students interested in participating must first contact their high school counselor (middle school students interested in an early college should see their middle school counselor) to indicate interest and discuss eligibility requirements. Counselors or principals must confirm student eligibility prior to enrollment in the program. As part of the application process, students indicate the pathway and program of study they want to pursue.

Eligible students complete a college application (paper or electronic through CFNC.org, depending upon the school’s college partner). After a student’s application is processed and accepted by the college, students can enroll in college courses according to the schedule agreed by the high school and the college. Once students begin taking college classes, they must maintain eligibility to participate by continuing to make progress toward high school graduation and by maintaining a 2.0 grade-point average for all college coursework.

Across all three pathways, tuition charges for each student’s college classes are paid by the NC General Assembly. Student fees and textbook costs may be paid in a variety of ways; students and parents may ask their counselor how those costs are paid for the students in the school. 

CCP at NC Community Colleges

General Assembly Annual Report

This NCDPI report responds to the requirements of North Carolina General Statute § GS 115D-5(x), legislation mandating the evaluation of student success of Career and College Promise (CCP). Success is measured by high school retention rates, high school completion rates, high school dropout rates, certification and associate degree completion, admission to four-year institutions, post-graduation employment in career or study-related fields, and employer satisfaction of employees who participated in and graduated from the schools. 

CCP/CIHS Annual Report