University in United States
Chapel Hill, NC, United States
University profile
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, known as Carolina, is the nation's first public university. It prepares a diverse student body for roles as creators, explorers, innovators and leaders in North Carolina and beyond, combining innovative teaching, campus-wide inquiry and public service. The University opened its doors to students in 1795 and is a member of the Association of American Universities, which admitted it in 1922.
The campus is in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a town with a small-town feel that sits in a triangle of cities with Raleigh and Durham, each less than half an hour away, and close to the largest research park in the nation. Landmarks include the Old Well, the Bell Tower, Coker Arboretum, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, the Pit and the Carolina Basketball Museum. Town and University buses are free.
Study is organised through the College of Arts and Sciences and a set of professional and graduate schools:
The University offers 79 bachelor's degree programmes, 159 master's degree programmes and 85 doctoral degree programmes. It counts 22,007 undergraduate students and 12,092 graduate and professional students, 4,538 faculty members and 9,849 staff members, and 375,000 living alumni in 50 states, the District of Columbia and 152 countries.
Access programmes include the Carolina Covenant, which promises a debt-free education to low-income students, and the University commits to meeting 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for eligible undergraduates. Students who do not hold U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status apply as international students, and Carolina accepts TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge English C1 Advanced and Cambridge C2 Proficiency scores. UNC-Chapel Hill is part of the UNC System, created in 1972.
Nearly half of all admitted students receive financial aid, and 60% of Carolina students graduate with no federal loan debt. Aid applications are the FAFSA (school code 002974) and the CSS Profile (school code 5816). Admitted students are automatically considered for University academic scholarships.
Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for need-based federal and University funds, and international students are not considered for Academic Scholarships. International students are expected to be self-funded, and individual schools may offer private funding.
Academic scholarship and need-based aid: December 1 (Early Action) or March 1 (Regular Decision).
UNC-Chapel Hill Academic Scholarships →
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View scholarships for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill →Apply online through the Common Application. Early Action (non-binding) closes October 15, with decisions by December 20 for North Carolina residents and by February 15 for all other applicants. Regular Decision closes January 15, with decisions by March 31. The enrollment confirmation deadline for both is May 1. The non-refundable application fee is $85, and a fee waiver can be requested through the school counselor.
Required materials are the Common Application (activities, personal essay, college courses taken, optional global opportunities and Honors Carolina/special opportunities sections), a letter of recommendation from a teacher in a core academic area, and the official transcript and school report. Other deadlines: residency October 15 (Early Action) or February 21 (Regular Decision); supporting materials and test scores November 7 or February 21; financial aid December 1 or March 1.
Under the UNC System policy for 2026-2027 and later, students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale are not required to submit a test score. Students below 2.8 must submit an ACT of 17 or higher or an SAT of 930 or higher. Self-reported scores are used in review and official scores are required on enrollment. Scores from multiple dates are superscored.
Applicants who have taken college coursework after high school apply as transfers through the Common Application. About 900 transfer students enroll each year. The application and fee or fee waiver are due February 15, decisions are released by April 30 and enrollment is due May 15. Required: letter of recommendation and official transcript; SAT or ACT scores are optional with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above.
Students without U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status apply as international students. All transcripts must be translated into English. English proficiency is shown with TOEFL (code C182), IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge English C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency; the requirement is waived for applicants who have lived in an English-speaking country or attended an English-speaking school for at least the last four years. Financial documentation for the visa is requested by International Student and Scholar Services after admission, not with the application.
Apply through the Graduate School online application. Minimum requirements are a four-year bachelor's degree or international equivalent from an accredited institution and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Materials: application fee of $95 (non-refundable), one unofficial transcript from each university attended, three recommenders, standardized test scores as set by each programme, statement of purpose, resume/CV, community standards questions and programme supplements. International applicants submit a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score no more than 2 years old. Deadlines vary by programme; applications received by December 15, 2026 receive full consideration for Graduate School fellowships, and no fall applications to residential programmes are accepted after June 8.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina: the main campus, with the College of Arts and Sciences and the professional schools, the Graduate School (Bynum Hall, 222 E. Cameron Avenue), Carolina Housing residence halls and apartments, libraries, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Coker Arboretum and the Carolina Basketball Museum.
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