North Carolina State University was founded in 1887, as the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. It began classes in the fall of 1889 with 72 students, six faculty, and one building. At present the university has more than 31,000 students, 8,000 faculty and staff and more than 700 buildings.

More than a century after its establishment as a land-grant institution, North Carolina State University continues to follow the mission upon which it was founded – to provide teaching, research, and extension services to the people of North Carolina.

Distance Education
North Carolina State University provides access to quality, well-rounded educational opportunities for a diverse student population. You don’t even have to live in Raleigh to benefit from NC State’s academic offerings. In case if you live halfway around the world, NC State offers over 25 degree and certification programs through its Distance Education Program. Students outside the traditional classroom can take credit and non-credit Web-based courses remotely. Customized, face-to-face instruction at off-campus locations is also available to members of business and industry, government agencies and other organizations.

Distance Education is designed for businesspeople who need a few courses to advance or change a career, professionals required to upgrade skills through credit-based courses, high-scholars or military personnel planning their next step, retirees interested in lifelong learning, or those who want an outstanding education but can’t be on campus for whatever reason, NC State Distance Education has a course and curriculum to meet many needs.

Delivery Formats
Our Distance Learning offers the most common course delivery formats. Depending on the course, students may experience more than one delivery format. Each of them provides different benefits, such as greater flexibility, fewer hardware or software requirements, and more contact or communication with peers. These formats are: Internet, Media Based (DVD,CD-ROM), Cable Television, NC-REN/Interactive Video, and On-site.

Financial Aid
NCSU offers such types of Financial Aid as: scholarships, grants, loans, and campus employment.  Financial Aid funds may come from federal, state, institutional and private sources. There are two basic types of Financial Aid: gift funds (money that does not need to be repaid) and self-help funds (money that is borrowed and must be repaid, or earned while enrolled).