Frequently Asked Questions

If you are interested in taking DE courses without being admitted to a DE degree program please click the "courses" link for a list of subject areas and available courses. Information on DE degree and certificate programs can be accessed by clicking on the links for Certificates, Undergraduate Degrees, Master’s Degrees, and Doctoral Degrees.

As a prospective Distance Education student we have advisers who are available to help you meet your educational goals. You may contact an academic adviser at the Distance Education office by calling (919)515-9030 or (866)467-8283 (toll-free). They will review your academic background and help you plan your future course of study, including referrals to academic advisers for DE degree programs as indicated.

Financial aid eligibility is determined by the Financial Aid Office. We encourage you to contact your financial aid adviser in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid: http://www7.acs.ncsu.edu/financial_aid/staff.htm. A limited amount of grant funding is also available to students enrolled in Distance Education degrees and teacher licensure programs. Criteria for funding is based on academic merit, demonstrated financial need, and enrollment in multiple DE courses per semester. For additional information please visit NC State's Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid web site: http://www7.acs.ncsu.edu/financial_aid/ or telephone (919) 515-2421.

The tuition and fees for Distance Education courses are determined by the number of credit hours and the program under which the course is offered. To see the cost of Tuition and Fees by credit hour visit our tuition page. Once you are registered you can view your account balance and pay our bill online through MyPack Portal under Student Self Service, and then Campus Finances.

Important! The fees paid by Distance Education students allow them to have full access to D.H. Hill Libraries, Math Labs, and Unity Computer Labs. Students registered in only Distance Education courses do not pay a student services fee. Therefore, services like the Student Health Center and the NC State Gymnasium are NOT available. At this time, there is no option for students to purchase access to these facilities.

The first place to start is to click on the Registration link. It contains information and procedures on how to apply for admission to NC State and how and when to register for Distance Education courses based on your student classification. This section of the website also has information for international students and students on academic suspension.

If you are planning on transferring, it is a good idea to contact that university and see what their policies are.

In most cases, students can transfer their coursework to another university. It is up to the receiving university (where you are transferring to) to evaluate the NC State courses (both on-campus and DE) and make the determination of transfer credit.

If you are planning on transferring, it is a good idea to contact that university and see what their policies are.

Distance Education courses are fully accredited NC State courses taught by NC State faculty and carry the same amount of credit hours as when the course is taught on-campus.

Students who have been accepted into a degree program at NC State can count the credit hours towards their degree as long as it is required in their plan of study.

Students from other institutions should check with their home school to ensure course equivalencies. Once the course is completed, request an official transcript be sent to your home institution.

Distance Education courses follow the same Academic Calendar as on-campus courses. The NC State Academic Calendar is comprised of a Fall, Spring, two five-week summer sessions, and one-ten week summer session. For detailed information, please visit: http://www.ncsu.edu/registrar/calendars/index.html

All Distance Education students have full access to a Unity computer account, which provides a University E-mail address and access to all Unity Computer Labs. For more information, please visit: http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/your_unity_account/index.html

You will need to perform the following basic Internet skills while taking a Distance Education Course. You should test your capabilities for these functions prior to the start of the semester:

• Access your Unity account
• Find the NC State web site
• Use e-mail through the Internet
• Open an e-mail window
• Send an e-mail message
• Use a search engine
• Make hotlink connections
  (mouse click on icons and blue underlined text)
• Open, enter, and post to the discussion group

Cut and paste between word-processing software, e-mail, and the web If you are experiencing difficulties with the above tasks, you may want to contact a computer expert for suggestions in developing these skills or fixing any computer problem. You may also contact:

North Carolina State University Computer Services Information Center
Room 208 in the Hillsborough Building
(on Hillsborough St. across from D.H. Hill Library)
Phone: (919) 515-HELP (4357)
E-mail: help@ncsu.edu
World Wide Web:
http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/your_unity_account/get_started.html