For first-time College of The Albemarle (COA) student sponsors, submit a nonprofit sponsorship application from COA. The nonprofit will need to be exempt from taxation under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) section 501c, and provide a copy of both the Federal Tax Identification Number and the Income in Respect of a Decedent (IRD) designation of North Carolina nonprofit status (IRS 501c3).

Please submit a letter for each term on official letterhead with your organization’s name and address to the campus Designated School Official (DSO). Please include the following information:

• Name of the COA student being sponsored. Please make sure the name is spelled correctly
• Applicable term (for example, spring 2020)
• Name and signature of the authorizing individual
• Statement that the organization agrees to accept financial responsibility for the student’s tuition and other educational fees

Once your documentation is confirmed, the letter will be entered into the student’s file. To avoid having their classes dropped, students will need to turn in a letter before the payment deadline. Payment deadlines are provided during the registration period and reminder emails are sent to student COA email accounts. Students will be contacted if there is an issue with their letter or sponsor eligibility.

The nonprofit will be billed directly for the balance of the student’s account. Tuition bills are sent out after the start of classes for the term listed. Payment is expected within thirty days of billing.

North Carolina Nonprofit Entity Sponsorship Application

G.S. 115D-39 “(c) In addition, a person sponsored under this subsection who is lawfully admitted to the United States is eligible for the State resident community college tuition rate. For purposes of this subsection, a North Carolina nonprofit entity is a charitable or religious corporation as defined in G.S. 55A-1-40 that is incorporated in North Carolina and that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a civic league incorporated in North Carolina under Chapter 55A of the General Statutes that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. A nonresident of the United States is sponsored by a North Carolina nonprofit entity if the student resides in North Carolina while attending the community college and the North Carolina nonprofit entity provides a signed affidavit to the community college verifying that the entity accepts financial responsibility for the student’s tuition and any other required educational fees. Any North Carolina nonprofit entity that sponsors a nonresident of the United States under this subsection may sponsor no more than five nonresident students annually under this subsection. This subsection does not make a person a resident of North Carolina for any other purpose.”

When a qualified student has identified a non-profit organization that is willing to serve as their sponsor, the steps below should be followed to grant the student in-state tuition rates. Students should plan ahead as non-profit sponsorship letters are due at the tuition due date prior to the start of each semester. Please note that a new letter is needed every term.

1. If this is the first time the non-profit organization is sponsoring a COA student, the organization should request and complete a Nonprofit Entity Sponsorship Application from COA. The organization must be exempt from taxation under IRS section 501c and be incorporated in North Carolina.
2. Submit a letter each term to the Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) with the following information:
   1. Name of the COA student being sponsored; please pay close attention to the spelling of the student’s name as their name must be spelled correctly to be accepted.
   2. Applicable term (example: fall 2020)
   3. All letters must be on organization letterhead and include the name and address of the non-profit organization (organizations must be located in North Carolina).
   4. A name and a signature of the authorizing individual
   5. Statement that the organization agrees to accept financial responsibility for this student’s tuition and other educational fees.
3. Once received organizational documentation will be confirmed. Once confirmed the letter will be sent to the Registrar and Business office and will be entered into the student’s file. To avoid having their classes dropped students must turn in a letter before the payment deadline. Payment deadlines are provided to students during the registration period and reminder emails are sent to students’ COA email accounts. *Students will be contacted if there is a concern regarding their letter or sponsor eligibility.*
4. Once entered by the business office the non-profit organization will be billed directly for the balance of the students account. Tuition bills will not be sent out until after the start of classes for the term listed. The current tuition rate is $76 per credit hour. Below are the approximate dates to expect an invoice from COA:
   Fall — October
   Spring — March
   Summer — July
5. If a student registers for a class after bills have been mailed out, the student should contact a DSO so the Business Office can be notified to send a second bill for the newest classes added. All tuition refunds will be mailed to the sponsoring organization.
6. Per the legislation, sponsoring organizations are limited to sponsoring five students each semester.