Aspiring Eagles Academy FAQs

The Aspiring Eagles Academy allows incoming NCCU freshmen students to take three college courses and adjust to campus life during the summer following their high school graduation. Participants also attend a weekly workshop series that addresses issues related to campus life and the educational process. The summer bridge program will be a hybrid structure to provide students a realistic experience as they start their academic careers at NCCU.

Entering NCCU freshmen students may be eligible to participate in the Aspiring Eagles Academy. Responses will be sent out after the participant’s interview.

If you participate in the Aspiring Eagles Academy, you will cultivate friendships with peers in your freshman class that may last throughout your college career. In addition, you will have the opportunity to “jump start” your academic career and gain the skills necessary to excel in your chosen major.

Students will enroll in three courses that will be offered in the summer. All these intensive courses emphasize the development of the fundamental learning strategies and critical thinking skills that are essential for success as you transition into your college career.

Note: Students who have taken college English, Math and Freshmen Seminar courses will not be eligible for the program. The English course is hybrid.

The online classes offered are as follows:

• ENG 1100: This class provides intensive instruction and practice in the writing process. It focuses upon the formal conventions and conceptual expectations of college writing, with emphasis upon the grammatical, stylistic and rhetorical techniques required in successful writing.
• MATH 1100 (College Algebra and Trigonometry): Topics include fractional expression, exponents and radicals, equations and inequalities of linear and quadratic types, functions and graphs, exponential and logarithmic functions and the binomial theorem.
• UNIV 1100: As a requirement for graduation, this course is designed primarily to introduce students to college life and develop skills necessary for their success. It serves to promote scholastic attainment, the value of education, self-actualization, involvement in the campus and local community and leadership skill development. The course focuses on the mastery of study skills, writing skills, critical thinking, health issues and related issues.

The Summer Bridge program is scheduled to begin on June 21, 2026, and will end on July 24, 2026. 

No, you cannot. Living Learning Communities provide a distinct setting where students learn to bridge their academic, social and institutional experiences. Using the outcomes of student learning, Living-Learning Communities design intentional learning experiences to help students connect various campus experiences into their everyday lives.

You will live in Chidley Hall Residential Hall near the center of campus to help you make a successful transition to NCCU.

Participants are required to pay a non-refundable entry fee of $600.00. This fee is separate from tuition and university costs. All participants must complete two years of the FAFSA, which includes the 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 FAFSA. Please refer to the Tentative Total Cost of Participation section.

The 2025–2026 and 2026-2027 FAFSA is available now, and you should do it immediately to be considered for AEA. 

Students are invited to participate in the Aspiring Eagles Academy on a first-come, first-served basis by submitting the online application. If the student meets the qualifications, we will invite the student to an interview with the AEA committee. Students who choose to participate must complete and return an Aspiring Eagles Academy acceptance package and submit a copy of proof of medical records.