Skip To Main Content

High School to Community College Articulation

The North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement is an agreement between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Community College System.

The North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement provides a seamless process that joins secondary and postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of study.

This statewide articulation agreement comprises approximately 50 high school CTE courses that match the knowledge and skills taught in similar community college courses. The articulation agreement ensures that if a student is proficient in his/her high school course, the student can receive college credit for that course at any North Carolina community college. This streamlines the student's educational pathway by eliminating the need to take multiple courses with the same learning outcomes.

Process to Document and Award Credit

To receive articulated credit, students must enroll at the community college within two years of their high school graduation date. 

High school students who enroll in a Career and College Promise pathway may earn articulated college credit as described in this agreement while enrolled in high school if the CTE articulated college credit is part of their Career and College Promise pathway.

Criteria for Receiving and Documenting Articulated Credit

To receive credit through the HS/CC AA, the articulated course(s) must be included in a selected program of study. Additionally, students must enroll in a NC community college within two years of high school graduation and meet the following criteria:

1. Final grade of "B" or higher in the high school course 

     AND 

2. Proof of Learning (POL) 

       · CTE post assessment* - Score of 90 or higher  

       · Performance-based Measurement (PBM) - Meets course proficiency

       · Industry Credentials - Courses that have industry credentials as proof of learning will follow the procedure for Credit for Prior Learning as outlined in the NC Community College System Curriculum Procedures Reference Manual.

Community college officials must verify eligibility of the courses listed on the submitted high school transcript to receive articulated credit. Students may be asked to submit additional supporting documentation or demonstration to receive credit. Colleges must follow the criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in awarding credit.