Orange County-Durham Tech Promise

High school graduates from Orange County's two public school systems - Orange County Public Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools - can receive financial assistance to attend Durham Tech through the Durham Tech Promise program.

Durham Tech Promise was established by the Board of County Commissioners for the 2016-17 academic year. Enrollment has increased each year (see chart on right).

Students from every public high school in the county participate. Through the Durham Tech promise program, eligible students receive $500 per semester ($1,000 per year) to offset tuition costs. Students must enroll in at least six credit hours in the semester immediately after graduating high school.

The following chart shows the breakdown by school for the 2018-19 academic year:

Combat the rising cost of higher education

The cost of a four-year education, even for students attending in-state public schools, continues to rise. Durham Tech Promise offers students who graduate from an Orange County public high school a chance to complete the first two years of a four-year degree at a drastically reduced cost.

Students can save thousands on tuition and other expenses by completing their first two years at Durham Tech, then transferring to a four-year school.

According to the UNC System, tuition and fees for a student to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for 2019-20 is $8,750.46. This doesn't include the cost of books, room and board for students who choose to live on campus. Including those expenses, annual costs can exceed $20,000 per year.