Yes. Research Triangle High School is a tuition-free independent public charter high school serving students in grades 9–12. There is no tuition or application fee to attend.

Yes. RTHS is a STEM-focused college-preparatory high school. Our approach to STEM preparation extends across the curriculum. Students build strong foundations in mathematics and science alongside the writing, communication, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, problem-solving, persistence, and creativity required for STEM-related college pathways, careers, and beyond.

RTHS serves approximately 575–600 students across grades 9–12. Our smaller school environment allows students to be known while still providing a full high school experience.

We call our ideal RTHS student a Possibility Seeker. Possibility Seekers welcome academic challenge, are curious about STEM-related possibilities, value being known in a smaller school community, and are willing to engage, grow, and take increasing responsibility over four years.

Students do not need to arrive at RTHS knowing exactly what they want to study or pursue after high school. They should arrive ready to build the foundation that keeps possibilities open.

RTHS is located at 3106 E NC Hwy 54, Durham, NC 27713, directly across from Boxyard RTP.

RTHS accepts applications for students entering grades 9–12. RTHS seeks to enroll approximately 150 incoming freshmen each year and fills seats in grades 10-12 as available.

Students participating in RTHS’s regular tuition-free admissions process must be eligible for admission to a North Carolina public school.

No. RTHS does not have a traditional school attendance zone. Eligible students from across North Carolina may apply.

Families currently living outside North Carolina should contact admissions@rthighschool.org before applying.

North Carolina law provides a specific provision for qualifying active-duty military families transferring to North Carolina that allows a student to apply and participate in the lottery before establishing North Carolina residency.

Applications for the 2027–2028 school year open October 1, 2026.

Applications submitted by February 26, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. will be included in the initial enrollment lottery.

No. An application submitted October 1 has no advantage over an application submitted before the February 26 deadline. All eligible applications received by the lottery deadline participate in the lottery according to the student’s applicable lottery group and enrollment priority.

The application asks for:

• Basic student and parent/legal guardian information
• The student’s current grade and grade entering
• The student’s current and anticipated next math course
• A copy or screenshot of the student’s complete current-year course schedule
• Information about any applicable RTHS enrollment priority

The application must be submitted by the student’s legal parent or guardian.

No. The application must be completed and submitted by a legal parent or guardian.

Students, relatives who are not legal guardians, counselors, school employees, educational consultants, and other adults may assist a family, but the legal parent or guardian must submit the application.

Yes. After submitting the application, the additional parent or guardian should create their own SchoolMint account without creating or adding a student.

Once the account is created, email admissions@rthighschool.org with the email address associated with the additional account and the student’s name. RTHS will link the accounts internally and send confirmation when access has been added.

Yes. Applications submitted after the initial lottery deadline may be added to the admissions process according to RTHS’s post-lottery procedures. These applications do not participate in the initial March 4 lottery.

No. RTHS does not accept students for mid-year enrollment. Applications are for enrollment at the beginning of the following school year.

As a public charter school, when RTHS receives more eligible applicants than it has available seats, admission is determined through an enrollment lottery.

RTHS organizes its enrollment lottery using both the grade a student will enter and the math course the student is prepared to take.

Each application is placed into the appropriate lottery group based on those two pieces of information. Enrollment offers are then made according to available capacity and applicable enrollment priorities.

Students enter RTHS at different points in the mathematics sequence. RTHS has a limited number of seats available in each grade and math course.

Organizing the lottery by both grade and math course allows RTHS to make enrollment offers based on the space available for students at each point in the academic program.

No. RTHS does not use GPA, standardized test scores, academic achievement, or an admissions test to select students through the enrollment lottery.

The academic information requested during the application helps determine the student’s appropriate grade/math lottery group and does not function as a selective admissions criterion.

RTHS uses enrollment priorities permitted under North Carolina law and the school’s approved admissions policies. These include qualifying:

1. Children of current full-time RTHS staff
2. Children of current RTHS Board members
3. Certain former RTHS students returning under qualifying circumstances
4. Students attending RTHS feeder schools
5. Siblings of current RTHS students
6. Siblings of RTHS graduates who completed all four years at RTHS
7. General applicants

The application will help families identify any priority that may apply to their student.

RTHS’s current feeder schools are Maureen Joy Charter School and Sterling Montessori.

No. Attending an RTHS event has no effect on lottery placement or enrollment priority.

Open Houses and admissions events are opportunities for families to experience RTHS, learn about the school, ask questions, and determine whether RTHS is a good fit.

The initial enrollment lottery will be conducted on Thursday, March 4, 2027.

Families will receive an email indicating whether their student has received an enrollment offer or has been placed on a waitlist.

Because admissions communications contain time-sensitive deadlines, families should monitor the email account associated with their SchoolMint application.

Students who do not receive an initial offer remain on the appropriate waitlist. As seats become available, RTHS makes additional offers based on available capacity, lottery order, grade level, math placement, and applicable enrollment priorities.

Waitlist movement can continue through the spring and summer.

Students currently enrolled in a North Carolina public school should select the math course they are scheduled or expected to take during the following school year.

Students currently enrolled in a private school or homeschool can use this general guide:

Standard 8th Grade Math → NC Math 1
Pre-Algebra → NC Math 1
Algebra → NC Math 2
Geometry → NC Math 3
Algebra II → NC Math 4 or Precalculus
Precalculus → AP Calculus AB

All students currently taking a standard 8th-grade math course should select NC Math 1.

Families who are unsure should contact admissions@rthighschool.org before submitting the application.

No. The math information provided on the application is used for lottery-group placement, not final scheduling.

If the student receives an enrollment offer, RTHS will review completed coursework and academic records before finalizing course placement.

Students entering from a North Carolina public school who have completed and passed high school-level courses with corresponding NCDPI course codes will receive transfer credit for those courses at RTHS.

Common transfer credits include NC Math 1–3, Spanish I, and English I.

RTHS may request course curricula or other documentation to determine whether completed high school-level coursework meets the requirements of an equivalent NCDPI course.

This evaluation occurs as part of the records and enrollment process.

Yes. RTHS offers Honors coursework through two models.

Many courses are offered as separate Honors sections with increased academic rigor and expectations. In select courses without a separate Honors section, students may pursue Honors credit by completing additional advanced coursework and projects beyond the standard course requirements.

When those requirements are successfully completed, the Honors designation is reflected on the student’s transcript.

Yes. RTHS offers Advanced Placement coursework across multiple disciplines. Current AP offerings are listed in the RTHS Course Guide.

Yes. Eligible students may extend their learning beyond RTHS through college coursework. Requirements and available opportunities vary. Freshman cannot enroll in any dual enrollment programs during the first half of their freshman year. All students must consult their counselor before enrolling in any dual enrollment courses.

The RTHS Course Guide contains graduation requirements, course descriptions, academic pathways, Honors/AP information, and current course offerings. Navigate to the Student Resources page.

Every RTHS student has a Seminar period built into their schedule. Seminar is required rather than elective.

Students can use Seminar to study, complete assignments, prepare for assessments, catch up on work, or simply take a needed brain break during the school day.

RTHS students have access to teacher support, academic resources, counseling and wellness support, and appropriate services and accommodations for documented learning needs.

RTHS expects students to increasingly take responsibility for identifying when they need help and using the support available to them.

Yes. RTHS offers interscholastic athletics during the fall, winter, and spring seasons.

Families can visit the RTHS Athletics page for current teams, schedules, eligibility requirements, and participation information.

RTHS offers a variety of clubs, student organizations, service opportunities, leadership opportunities, and academic activities.

Offerings can change from year to year based on student interest and available sponsorship. We aim to keep our Clubs & Organizations page as updated as possible.

Yes. Students can pursue arts and creative interests through available courses and extracurricular opportunities. Current offerings are listed in the Course Guide.

Yes. RTHS’s robotics program provides participating students with an opportunity to engage in competitive robotics. Check out the TerrorBytes at terrorbytes.org.

The RTHS school day is 8:45-3:30 Monday-Thursday and 8:45-2:15 on Friday.

RTHS offers transportation options for families, but routes, stops, availability, and procedures may change from year to year. Visit our Transportation page for more.

RTHS has a limited number of student parking spots on campus. There is an annual lottery to receive a spot. Demand has exceeded availability historically. RTHS has no agreements with offsite parking lots.

All RTHS students must provide their own laptop, commonly referred to as BYOD (bring your own device). Students may have PCs or Macbooks, but we ask that you not provide your student with a Chromebook due to compatability with state-run testing systems. There is an application for enrolled families who cannot provide a laptop for their student due to financial burden.

RTHS does not have a cafeteria. Students must bring their lunch daily or can order from our third-party service, MyHotLunchbox.

All students eat at the same time in common areas of the school or classrooms that teachers open.

No, uniforms are not used at RTHS.

RTHS hosts multiple Open Houses during the admissions season. Families can view current dates and register through the Admissions Events section of the RTHS website.

No. Attending an Open House is not required to submit an application and does not affect lottery placement.

We strongly encourage prospective families to visit, however, because experiencing the school is one of the best ways to determine whether RTHS is the right fit.

RTHS does not do individual tours. Families are welcome to visit RTHS during any of our fall/winter Open Houses.

Contact RTHS Admissions at admissions@rthighschool.org.