Nation's first public residential STEM high school for talented North Carolina juniors and seniors.
NCSSM offers rigorous two-year curricula in mathematics, sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), engineering, computer science, and data science, complemented by a large humanities department covering American studies, world languages, and fine arts. All faculty hold master's or doctorate degrees and teach in small classes. The school does not rank students by class rank; students receive GPAs on transcripts to facilitate college applications. Students may earn college credit through agreements with UNC System institutions and have guaranteed admission to any UNC System university upon graduation.
The Durham campus, housed in a historic 1908 building (formerly Watts Hospital), sits within walking distance of Duke University in downtown Durham. The newer Morganton campus, opened in 2022, occupies renovated and newly constructed buildings in western North Carolina. Both are residential communities with housing, dining, and extensive extracurricular offerings including 21 varsity sports, robotics (FIRST Team 900, the Zebracorns), and numerous academic and cultural clubs. Students come from across North Carolina, with demographic representation designed to reflect the state's population.
Admission is highly selective and competitive. The school accepts rising juniors (students entering grade 11) from across North Carolina through a rigorous review process. Residency in North Carolina is required. A certain number of slots are reserved for each congressional district to ensure statewide representation. The school offers an online supplemental program for students who remain at their home schools, as well as summer programs for younger students.
NCSSM graduates consistently achieve recognition in national STEM competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search (multiple finalists annually), Siemens Competition, and FIRST Robotics. The school was ranked 4th best public high school nationally by Newsweek and #1 by Niche (2022). Notable alumni include NASA astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens, and leaders in academia, law, and public service. A 2003 law granted tuition waivers to UNC System universities for NCSSM graduates (renewed in 2021).