NCSSM Admissions Countdown 2026-27

Before the application closes

Times are Eastern. These dates are for the Class of 2029: students in their second year of high school in 2026-27. NCSSM can change its calendar, so we check the official NCSSM admissions pages and update this page when a date moves.

Before the application closes, NCSSM 2026-27.
Date	What happens	Calendar
Thu, Oct 15, 20264:00 p.m. ET	Application opens on CFNC.orgThe NCSSM application for the Class of 2029 opens on CFNC.org at 4:00 p.m. ET. One application covers Residential (Durham and/or Morganton), Online, and Summer Ventures.	Google Calendar
Sat, Oct 24, 2026Time not published	High School Open House at NCSSM-DurhamOpen House for 9th and 10th grade students and families. NCSSM lists this event as at capacity, with registration closed.	Google Calendar
Sat, Nov 7, 2026Time not published	High School Open House at NCSSM-MorgantonOpen House for 9th and 10th grade students and families. Registration opens one month before the event, at noon.	Google Calendar
Wed, Nov 11, 2026Time not published	Middle School Open House at NCSSM-MorgantonOpen House for 6th to 8th graders. Registration opens one month before the event.	Google Calendar
Tue, Dec 1, 2026Established by this date	North Carolina residency must be establishedBoard of Trustees policy: the custodial parent or legal guardian must have established permanent legal residency in North Carolina by December 1 of the school year the student applies. NCSSM's How to Apply page lists this date as TBA for the Class of 2029; its residency page gives December 1.	Google Calendar
Tue, Jan 5, 202711:59 p.m. ET	Application closes on CFNC.orgEvery section of the CFNC.org application must be complete by 11:59 p.m. ET. NCSSM says there are no exceptions to this deadline.	Google Calendar

After you apply: residency, testing, transcripts, evaluations

After you apply: residency, testing, transcripts, evaluations, NCSSM 2026-27.
Date	What happens	Calendar
Sat, Jan 30, 2027Due this day	Residency application (RDS) dueComplete the residency application with North Carolina Residency Determination Services at ncresidency.org, using the same login as CFNC.	Google Calendar
Sat, Feb 13, 2027Time not published	NCSSM Math Assessment (Discovery Day), first dateFor Residential applicants, at both NCSSM-Durham and NCSSM-Morganton. Applicants register for one date in their Blackbaud account after the application closes.	Google Calendar
Feb 15 to 28, 2027February 15 to 28, 2027	Transcript windowSubmit transcripts and report cards through CFNC.org, by the counselor (mail or transcripts@ncssm.edu), or by self-reporting in Blackbaud.
Sat, Feb 20, 2027Time not published	NCSSM Math Assessment (Discovery Day), second dateFor Residential applicants, at both NCSSM-Durham and NCSSM-Morganton. Each applicant takes the assessment on one of the two dates.	Google Calendar
Sun, Feb 28, 2027Due this day	Evaluations due; transcript window closesEvaluations are due from a 9th or 10th grade STEM teacher, a 9th or 10th grade English teacher, and the current 10th grade guidance counselor. The transcript window also closes.	Google Calendar

Decisions and Welcome Day

Decisions and Welcome Day, NCSSM 2026-27.
Date	What happens	Calendar
Sat, Apr 17, 2027Time not published	Welcome Day for accepted students at NCSSM-DurhamWelcome Day 2027 for accepted students.	Google Calendar
Sat, Apr 24, 2027Time not published	Welcome Day for accepted students at NCSSM-MorgantonWelcome Day 2027 for accepted students.	Google Calendar

Not published yet

Status notifications: NCSSM lists the release date as TBD.
Discovery Day for Online applicants: Held on Zoom for applicants who apply only to Online or rank Online first. NCSSM sends registration links after the application closes on January 5, 2027.

How to read this calendar

Times are Eastern.: October 15, 2026 falls in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4). Daylight saving time ends November 1, 2026, so the January 5, 2027 deadline falls in Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). The countdown and the calendar files handle the change for you.
Durham, Morganton and Online.: One application covers both residential campuses, NCSSM Online and Summer Ventures. The deadlines and the Math Assessment dates are the same for both campuses. Rows that name a campus are events on that campus only.
Date ranges.: NCSSM gives a window, not a single day, for transcripts. That row has no calendar button; the day the window closes has its own row.
Dates can change.: If NCSSM moves a date, we update this page and the calendar files. The NCSSM admissions pages are always the official record.

Not sure your student can apply this year? The NCSSM eligibility checker walks through the published rules.

Plan the essays and the Math Assessment around these dates

NCSSM Blueprint is a structured NCSSM preparation plan with asynchronous essay review and Discovery Day practice tests, designed to fit your schedule. It includes up to 3 rounds of asynchronous essay editing, 25 full-length Discovery Day math practice tests, email support, and access to successful essay examples.

See NCSSM Blueprint

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Common Questions

When does the NCSSM application open and close for 2026-27?

The application for the Class of 2029 opens on CFNC.org on Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET and closes on Tuesday, January 5, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET. NCSSM says there are no exceptions to the deadline.

When is the NCSSM Math Assessment (Discovery Day)?

Residential applicants take it on Saturday, February 13, 2027 or Saturday, February 20, 2027, at both NCSSM-Durham and NCSSM-Morganton. Applicants register for one date in their Blackbaud account after the application closes. Applicants who apply only to Online, or rank Online first, attend a virtual Discovery Day on Zoom instead, and NCSSM sends those links after the application closes.

Are the dates different for Durham and Morganton?

The application, residency, Math Assessment, transcript and evaluation dates are the same for both campuses, and one application covers both. The events differ: the High School Open House is October 24, 2026 in Durham and November 7, 2026 in Morganton, and Welcome Day for accepted students is April 17, 2027 in Durham and April 24, 2027 in Morganton.

When does NCSSM release admissions decisions?

NCSSM lists the status notification date for the Class of 2029 as TBD. We will add it to this page when NCSSM publishes it.

Are the deadlines in Eastern time?

Yes. The application opens at 4:00 p.m. ET on October 15, 2026, in Eastern Daylight Time, and closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on January 5, 2027, in Eastern Standard Time. If you are outside the Eastern time zone, the countdown also shows the time where you are, and the calendar files convert automatically.

Sources, last checked September 26, 2026

NCSSM can change its dates and requirements, and its pages are the official record. Questions go to NCSSM admissions at admissions@ncssm.edu, 919-416-2850 (Durham) or 828-347-9120 (Morganton). EduAvenues is independent and is not affiliated with the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

More free NCSSM tools

01NCSSM Eligibility CheckerAnswer five short questions and see whether your student meets the published NCSSM eligibility rules for the Residential and Online programs, with the rule behind each answer.