NC Promise for Distance Students

Take the Next Step.

In Fall of 2018, Western Carolina University will implement the NC Promise Tuition Plan, a groundbreaking plan from the state of North Carolina to address the cost of college. What that means for online students at WCU is that the cost of an undergraduate credit hour will drop to $53.88 for in-state students in fall 2018.

With eight undergraduate programs designed for transfer students with a two-year degree or some college credit, the average distance student at WCU takes approximately 50 credit hours to complete their bachelor's degree.

With the new tuition rate in place, most in-state students will be able to complete their degree for less than $3,000 total. The out-of-state undergraduate distance rate will be $189.02 per credit hour.

The state of North Carolina will supplement the full tuition cost in order to make this tuition reduction happen, so you will receive the same high quality you would expect from a UNC system institution for a fraction of the cost.

Our Distance and Online programs are built for people just like you, looking to fit your higher education goals into a busy life. Ranked as some of the highest quality online programs, you'll have the same standard of instruction from our on-campus faculty with the flexibility to learn at your own schedule.

Undergraduate Distance Programs

   

Explore our Distance and Online Programs

      

Want to know what credits you can transfer?

There are a number of ways you can transfer your previous courses and credits. Distance Learning at WCU offers a preliminary, unofficial evaluation of your credits. If you would like to have an evaluation done, you may request one:

completE the transcript evaluation form.

The Registrar's Office can provide you details on how your credits earned elsewhere (through course completion or examination completion) may be approved as credits toward a degree at WCU. Take a look at how your credits can be used: 

CREDITS EARNED ELSEWHERE

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional questions? Not a problem, we've answered a lot of them in our FAQ but if you still find yourself needing assistance, we're glad to help. Contact us at distance@wcu.edu or 828.227.7397.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Graduate and Certificate Programs

In addition to our eight undergraduate programs, WCU offers 17 online graduate and certificate programs. While the NC Promise Tuition Plan is not impacting the cost of graduate tuition, our graduate programs will continue to be extremely cost competitive. Find a program that interests you: 

Distance and Online Programs