Undergraduate Admissions

Admission Requirements

This catalog reflects admissions policies and requirements for fall 2024. Refer to the Undergraduate Admissions website for 2025 updates.

In evaluating candidates for admission, the University seeks an entering class whose collective strengths will foster excellence within the University community; enhance the education of everyone within it; provide for the leadership of the educational, governmental, scientific, business, humanistic, artistic, and professional institution of the state, nation, and world; and enrich the lives of all the people of North Carolina.

The University evaluates individual candidates comprehensively, individually, and compassionately. The members of the admissions committee seek to assess the ways in which each candidate will likely contribute to the campus community and enable the University to fulfill its mission. The qualities we seek include intellect, integrity, kindness, courage, creativity, curiosity, leadership, and initiative. Although we expect each successful candidate to demonstrate strength in many of these areas, we do not expect every candidate to be equally strong in all of them. Just as there is no formula for admission, there is no list of qualities or characteristics that every applicant must present.

In evaluating each candidate’s academic record, the admissions committee considers not only the student’s grades but also the courses attempted within the context of the school's and local community's course offerings. Although each candidate’s academic record and standardized test scores, if submitted, are important elements in the admissions decision, the candidate’s essays, letter(s) of recommendation, accomplishments outside the classroom, and personal qualities are also carefully considered. We understand that students travel many different roads to get to Carolina, and we celebrate the variety of interests, backgrounds, and aspirations that they bring with them. At the same time, it's fair to say that we seek excellence. We consider everything that a student submits as part of their application to try and understand not only their achievements and potential, but the context in which those achievements occurred and potential forged.

By their anticipated date of enrollment, candidates for admission must have graduated from secondary school or have their GED or high school equivalent diploma.

Items Necessary for a Complete Application

First-Year Admission

In addition to the completed application, which includes the nonrefundable application fee (or approved fee-waiver), accomplishments and activities outside of the classroom, and required essays, students are expected to submit the following materials:

• Official transcript(s) from all secondary schools attended, including summer sessions and including any online or distance-education classes. Transcripts must be sent directly from the educational institution to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, preferably via an approved electronic service.
• Applicants must self-report college-level coursework and grades not reported on an official high school transcript. Official college transcripts are required from all enrolling students. Transcripts must be sent directly from the educational institution to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, preferably via an approved electronic service.
• School report and one teacher recommendation (If the candidate is in his or her first year at a new school, a recommendation from the previous school is also acceptable.)
• University of North Carolina system institutions, which include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have a standardized testing waiver in place through fall 2024. First-year applicants have the option to self-report SAT and/or ACT scores with their application. If a student chooses to self-report their test scores, the student is admitted and chooses to enroll, then the student is required to have the testing service send their official scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by the stated deadline.
• Applicants who plan to claim North Carolina residency are also required to submit a residency application with the North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS), and to provide a Residency Classification Number (RCN).
• Enrolling first-year students may also need to submit and complete a background check as required by UNC System policy.
• Any additional items or information requested in the application or by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

As part of the first-year application, students have the option of expressing interest in being considered for Carolina Global Launch (CGL) in the case that we will not be able to offer admission for the fall semester. Expressing interest in CGL does not impact that student’s consideration for fall admission. CGL provides the opportunity to study abroad during the fall semester and then have guaranteed enrollment as a transfer student to Carolina for the spring semester upon successful completion of CGL.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions, at its discretion, may deny admission or withdraw applications from consideration for students who submit completed applications but who do not provide one or more of the materials listed above.

In addition to these materials, applicants may submit information that will enhance the University’s understanding of their background and preparation for college.

Transfer Admission

Students are considered transfer applicants if they have attended one or more post-secondary institutions after graduating from secondary school or who are active-duty service members or military veterans. Students may apply for transfer admission by following the instructions available at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

In addition to the completed application, which includes the nonrefundable application fee (or fee-waiver request), accomplishments and activities outside of the classroom, and required essays, students are expected to submit the following materials:

• Official transcript(s) from all colleges attended, including summer sessions and including any online or distance-education classes, regardless of whether college credit was earned or will transfer. Transcripts must be sent directly from the educational institution to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, preferably via an approved electronic service.
• Official secondary school transcript(s) or GED or a high school equivalency diploma. Transcripts must be sent directly from the educational institution to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, preferably via an approved electronic service.
• 
  The fall and, if applicable, winter grades should be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as soon as they become available. An application will be considered incomplete without them.
• Any items or information requested by programs requiring additional material for admission.
• Recommendation letter (academic, personal, or professional)
• University of North Carolina system institutions, which include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have a standardized testing waiver in place through fall 2024. Transfer applicants have the option to self-report SAT and/or ACT scores with their application. If a student chooses to self-report their test scores, the student is admitted and chooses to enroll, then the student is required to have the testing service send their official scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by the stated deadline.
• Applicants who plan to claim North Carolina residency are also required to submit a residency application with the North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS), and to provide a Residency Classification Number (RCN).
• Enrolling transfer students may also need to submit and complete a background check as required by UNC System policy.
• Any additional items or information requested in the application or by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions, at its discretion, may deny admission or withdraw applications from consideration for students who submit completed applications but who do not provide one or more of the materials listed above.

Standardized Testing

In accordance with University policy, as well as procedures approved by the Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions, members of the admissions committee evaluate each candidate comprehensively, individually, and compassionately, with an eye towards assessing the candidate’s capacity to contribute to the campus community that will enable the University to fulfill its mission. If the evaluation includes the results of standardized testing, these results do not constitute the sole or main criterion for admission. There are no cutoff or threshold scores — outside of the minimum admission requirements (MAR) set by the UNC system — that is, no scores below which candidates are automatically denied admission, and no scores above which they are automatically offered admission. Instead, results from standardized testing represent one factor among many. For more about the role of tests in admissions, see the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

High School Course Requirements

Students interested in attending the University should pursue a challenging high school curriculum. To be eligible to apply and be considered for admission, a student must complete the UNC System's Minimum Admissions Requirements (MAR) and Minimum Course Requirements (MCR). 

Minimum Course Requirements

• 4 units of English emphasizing grammar, composition, and literature
• 4 units of college preparatory mathematics
  • 2 algebra
  • 1 geometry
  • 1 higher level mathematics course for which algebra II is a prerequisite
  • For students attending a North Carolina public high school, the fourth unit of math must be one of the below courses. For North Carolina students not attending a public school and all out-of-state students, the fourth math must be comparable to one of the courses listed below or it must be approved by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
    • AP Calculus
    • AP Statistics
    • Pre-Calculus
    • Discrete Mathematics
    • IB Mathematics Level II
    • Integrated Mathematics IV
    • Advanced Functions and Modeling
    • Essentials for College Math
• 3 units in science
  • one in a life or biological science (example: biology)
  • one in a physical science (example: physical science, chemistry, physics)
  • one laboratory course
• 2 units of social science
  • one in United States history
• 2 additional units of English, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, or computer science
  • The UNC System encourages students to select these courses in alignment with their academic and career objectives, and recommends completion of two sequential world language courses.

Admission to Carolina is competitive, and successful applicants typically go far beyond these minimum requirements. In particular, most competitive applicants continue taking courses in English, mathematics, sciences, and social sciences through their senior year and complete at least two sequential world language courses.

Such a curriculum will typically include at least five academic courses during each year of high school — preferably one each in the core disciplines of English, mathematics, social science, natural science, and world languages. Students who challenge themselves with the rigorous courses available to them, such as Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Enrollment (DE), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, and other advanced or college-level work, tend to be more prepared to succeed in college — and we encourage our candidates to take at least five of the most rigorous courses available to them. We do not have a preference on what type of college-level curriculum students take; we encourage you to take the courses that best align with your academic journey.  

In evaluating academic performance in such a curriculum, we pay less attention to class rank and grade point average than we do to grades and to trends and patterns in grades.  

International Students: We understand that curricula differ from country to country, and our staff is sensitive to the intricacies of each curriculum. To be considered for admission, an applicant needs to be on track to complete the pre-university curriculum in their country prior to enrolling at Carolina (e.g. A Levels, Baccalaureate). Because we receive applications from students applying from high schools across the world, we see a variety of curricula and grading scales. We do not convert grades into a standard scale. Instead, we review each application individually and consider how each student has challenged themselves within the context of their school and how they have performed in those courses.  

Course Placement

Since admitted students will take placement exams in world languages, candidates should consider continuing in advanced foreign language courses during their final year in high school even if they have already met the minimum requirements.

Placement in certain courses during students’ first semester at the University will be based on their performance on placement tests. Students may also receive credit for University courses based on dual-enrollment courses taken during high school. Although the student will take placement exams in some subjects at the University before the first semester begins, it is to the student’s advantage to take placement tests in high school, especially those accepted by the University for placement purposes. For mathematics placement, the Department of Mathematics strongly recommends that enrolling students arrange to take the Aleks placement exam through the Mathematics Department. The department will also accept various college level examinations as listed on the website or an equivalent transferable course from another college or university. Although these tests are not required for admission, many majors at Carolina require a quantitative reasoning course for which a mathematics placement score is necessary. World languages placement may be based on University placement, AP, or IB exams. For English placement, students are required to take either English 105 at the University, or present an equivalent transferable course from another college or university. Students are also encouraged to take standardized tests that are recognized for placement in other subject areas.

Dual Enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill for High School Students

All courses attempted at UNC–Chapel Hill, including but not limited to summer session courses and dual-enrollment courses attempted while a student is still in secondary school, will be included in the student's UNC–Chapel Hill grade point average.

N.C. Cooperative Innovative High School (Early and Middle College) Students

Students who graduate from a Cooperative Innovative High School (also known as “Early College” or "Middle College") in North Carolina and who are simultaneously earning a high school diploma and a qualifying associate degree may apply either as first-year or as transfer candidates. For more information, please see the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Home-Schooled Students

The University welcomes applications from students schooled at home and imposes on those students no special or additional requirements for admission. At the same time, since the credentials of home-schooled students may lack some or most of the contextualizing information typically found in the credentials of students schooled in more traditional settings, many home-schooled students take steps to contextualize and clarify their achievement and potential.

In recent years these steps have included taking courses at local colleges or community colleges; joining community organizations; providing samples of academic projects (for example, essays or research papers) and detailed descriptions of courses; sending recommendations from non-family members who know candidates well and can comment specifically on their capacity for advanced academic work; and taking and submitting optional supplemental exams recognized by the University.

College Board Placement Tests

The University recognizes, for placement and degree credit, satisfactory scores on the College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and certain global exams, such as Cambridge A Levels, offered across the world. For more information, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Transfer Candidates

Applicants’ eligibility to return to previous institutions may be considered in their evaluation. Students who have less than a C average (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) may complete courses at another university to raise their grade point average to the point where they may be considered for transfer admission to the University. Courses attempted through any academic program at UNC–Chapel Hill cannot be used to increase a student’s grade point average for the purpose of establishing transfer eligibility.

Once an applicant is admitted as a transfer student, all course credits taken at UNC–Chapel Hill, including summer courses taken prior to fall enrollment, become part of the student’s official transcript, and grades received are included in the grade point average.

Transferred Semesters

The University calculates transferred semesters based on the number of transfer credit hours accepted by UNC–Chapel Hill, not based on the number of semesters in which the student was enrolled at other colleges. For each 15 hours transferred upon enrollment, the student is considered to have completed the equivalent of one UNC–Chapel Hill semester. Excluded from this calculation are transfer hours awarded for courses taken concurrent with high school, summer enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill immediately before the first semester of full-time degree-seeking enrollment, and any credit awarded by exams, such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams. 

Although all students at UNC–Chapel Hill are expected to graduate within eight total semesters of post-secondary enrollment, transfer students who enter with two transfer semesters (30 or more transferable hours) may enroll in up to 10 total semesters. For additional information, see “Calculation of Transferred Semesters Based on the Number of Transferred Credit Hours” in the Credit and Evaluation section and Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

Specifically:

• A new transfer student with fewer than 15.0 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed no semesters and will have first-year standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A new transfer student having between 15.0 and 29.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed one semester and will have first-year standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A new transfer student having between 30.0 and 44.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed two semesters and will have sophomore standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A new transfer student having between 45.0 and 59.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed three semesters and will have sophomore standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A new transfer student having between 60.0 and 75.0 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed four semesters and will have junior standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.

Offers of admission typically are extended before an applicant’s transfer credit can be fully evaluated. As a result, while transfer students are advised of their likely classification at the point of admission, this classification is provisional until confirmed by notification of transfer credits earned.

Transfer of Credit

The University will award credit for a course from another college or university when the student has earned a grade of C or its equivalent and when a similar course is offered by the University. Courses whose grades are reported on a scale other than A–F, such as pass/fail, will earn credit only if the transferring institution verifies that the passing grade represents achievement at the level of C or higher. Courses with final grades of C- or below (or the equivalent, if reported on a scale other than A–F) will not earn credit and will not satisfy University requirements. Courses completed in units other than semester hours will be converted to semester hours.

Students may receive no more than 75 total semester hours of credit for courses transferred from other colleges or universities. Credits earned by exam through Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and similar programs are not included in this limit. However, test credit only can be used to fulfill a maximum of 5 Focus Capacities in the Ideas in Action curriculum. Remaining hours can fulfill other requirements such as course prerequisites.

When a student has completed more than 75 transferable semester hours, credit will be awarded in this order:

• For courses that equate directly with specific courses in the UNC–Chapel Hill curriculum;
• For courses that do not equate directly with specific courses but are comparable to elective courses offered by UNC–Chapel Hill departments.

Courses that equate directly with specific courses in the UNC–Chapel Hill curriculum will fulfill the same course requirements as their equivalents at UNC–Chapel Hill, unless specifically identified otherwise at the time of the initial awarding of credit. Other transferable courses may not fulfill course requirements but may count towards the total semester hours required for graduation.  

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions reviews and awards transfer credit to enrolling students based on their official transcripts. The admissions office typically cannot award credit for professional courses or courses taken from non-accredited colleges and universities. The admissions office may be able to award credit to enrolling students for courses from colleges and universities outside the United States, provided the college or university is recognized by the appropriate higher-education authority or government agency, and provided students submit their official transcripts and evaluations of those transcripts from World Education Services (WES®).   
 
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions cannot award credit to currently enrolled UNC–Chapel Hill students for courses taken while participating in an exchange or study-abroad program. Credit for such courses must be approved before the program begins by the UNC Study Abroad Office or the UNC school sponsoring the program, and credit will be awarded after the program ends and official transcripts have been received. The admissions office may be able to award transfer credit to students for study-abroad courses they completed before enrolling at UNC–Chapel Hill, provided they completed the courses while attending colleges and universities in the United States, and provided the courses are reported on the official transcripts of their U.S. institutions.

An enrolling or enrolled student may request a review of transfer credit awarded or denied by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by submitting course descriptions and syllabi through the ConnectCarolina Student Center no later than the last day of classes during the student’s second semester in residence at the University. In those rare instances when a later change in transfer credit will enable a student to graduate on time, the student must appeal to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. In the absence of such a request by a student, the University will not review or change transfer credit that has been awarded by the admissions office after the first day of the student’s first semester in residence, except to correct clerical or other errors that may negatively affect the student.

Reverse Transfer (UNC–Chapel Hill and the N.C. Community College System)

The University honors the official Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) with the North Carolina Community College System. Students who transfer to UNC–Chapel Hill from a North Carolina community college may transfer credit earned at UNC to fulfill their degree requirements at the community college. They may subsequently use the associate degree to fulfill all of the University’s lower-division general education requirements, Ideas in Action, with the exception of Global Language, Research and Discovery, Lifetime Fitness, Communication Beyond Carolina, Campus Life Experience, provided they complete the steps below:

• Consult with an academic advisor at their North Carolina community college to identify UNC–Chapel Hill courses that will satisfy the remaining requirements for the associate degree in accordance with the reverse transfer program;
• Meet with their UNC–Chapel Hill academic advisor during their first full-time semester at UNC–Chapel Hill to discuss their intent to fulfill the University’s general education requirements through reverse transfer;
• Provide proof from the community college of the associate degree before the beginning of the third semester of full-time enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill, whether fall or spring.

 
For more information on Reverse Transfer please visit the UNC System Office website.

The University will consult two publications when settling questions concerning the transfer of credit: Transfer Credit Practices, published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and Accredited Institutions of Post-Secondary Education, published by the American Council on Education.

Military-Affiliated Students

We welcome applications from veterans of the United States military, active-duty servicemen and women, and their dependents. Veterans and those who remain on active duty may earn University credit for their military education and training, depending upon their experience. Military veterans or those on active duty will be eligible to have the application fee waived and may qualify for the military tuition benefit, which allows them to attend the University at the in-state tuition rate. Students who are eligible for GI Bill or other veteran education benefits must apply directly to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for these funds.

For more information, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Application and Notification Deadlines

First-year applicants may apply for admission by choosing one of two deadlines, neither of which is binding. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions does its best to evaluate applications similarly across the two deadlines but cannot guarantee complete consistency between the two, since earlier decisions are made before the size and strength of the entire applicant pool is known.

Decisions will be posted securely online for all applicants. For the latest first-year admission deadlines and notification dates, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

The application deadline and notification dates for sophomore and junior admission to the College of Arts and Sciences are available at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The admission deadlines and notification dates for transfer applicants to the professional schools with programs in business administration, clinical laboratory science, dental hygiene, human development and family sciences, information and library science, journalism and media, nursing, public health: biostatistics, public health: environmental health science, public health: health policy and management, public health: nutrition, neurodiagnostics and sleep science, and radiologic science vary by department. Please contact the specific department for additional information.

Programs with Limited Admissions

Only a small number of transfer students will be admitted to programs with limited admissions such as biomedical engineering and business administration. Students interested in one of these fields may wish to consider another major as a second choice; however, even if admitted to an alternate program, students cannot be guaranteed subsequent admission to their first choice of major. In addition, notification of acceptance to these programs could be later than for other programs.

Health Program Majors

Early applications for these programs are encouraged. After completion of the fall semester, a transcript of that semester’s work should be submitted. Applicants should also contact the specific department for additional application materials and specific program requirements.

Junior transfer applicants for the pharmacy program must apply directly to the School of Pharmacy. Junior transfer applicants also must provide Pharmacy College Admission Test scores as part of the application. Sophomore students must apply directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Appeals of Admissions Decisions

For information on appealing an admissions decision, refer to the Admissions Appeal Procedure in the Admissions Policy section of this catalog.

Confirmation of Acceptance

The University requires a nonrefundable enrollment deposit, due by May 1 for first-year admission and Carolina Global Launch admission or May 15 for transfer admission, or within two weeks of receipt of the admission decision for students admitted after these dates.

Degree-seeking students who wish to start their studies during the summer must pay their fall term enrollment deposit and then complete the process for requesting a summer start through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Information on enrolling in summer school prior to starting at Carolina in the fall can be found on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Students enrolling in Carolina Global Launch are not eligible to take summer classes prior to participating in Carolina Global Launch.

Admission of International Students

International students are considered for admission on the same basis as other candidates and must provide the same information required of all other applicants. All non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent resident students for whom English is not their first language must submit test scores to demonstrate their English proficiency. We accept TOEFL (our code is C182), IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge English C1 Advanced, and Cambridge C2 Proficiency. Strong applicants typically score the following, though please note that these are not minimums and testing is always one factor among many, and never the sole or dominant reason we make our decisions:

• TOEFL or TOEFL iBT Home Edition –  100 or higher
• IELTS Academic – 7.5 or higher
• Duolingo – 130 or higher
• Cambridge English C1 Advanced – 185 or higher
• Cambridge English C2 Proficiency

We do not waive this proficiency requirement based on grades in English courses or SAT/ACT scores. However, we may waive this requirement if you meet one of the following conditions by the time you would enroll at Carolina:

• You will have lived for at least four years in a country where English is the primary language.

OR

• You will have attended a school for at least four years where English is the primary language of instruction.

To request this waiver, please complete the request form, which you can access at mycarolina.unc.edu/register/englishexamwaiver. Waivers are granted on a case-by-case basis.  

As a condition of enrollment, all entering students who have completed coursework from a foreign college or university that is not accredited within the United States must have their official transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES®).

United States immigration law requires proof of financial support for the student’s entire program of study. Before UNC can issue an I-20, admitted students must provide documentation that they have sufficient funds in a bank to cover the first year of tuition and living expenses. See Tuition and Financial Aid in this catalog for information on expenses. The University will issue the necessary visa documentation to those students who are formally admitted to the University. International students should not leave their native country intending to enroll at the University until they have received a formal letter of acceptance and appropriate visa documents.

Questions concerning international student life on the UNC–Chapel Hill campus should be referred to International Student and Scholars Service.

Return to Carolina

After their first enrollment as degree-seeking students at UNC–Chapel Hill, students who withdraw, fail to complete, or do not enroll in one or more fall or spring semesters must submit the Return to Carolina survey to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions when they are ready to return to the University. The Return to Carolina survey should be submitted as soon as possible and no later than the stated deadline on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Students who plan to claim North Carolina residency are also required to submit a residency application with the North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS).  

Returning students who have holds on their records — such as academic eligibility, medical, student conduct, or financial — may need to complete additional steps before they can be reenrolled and register for courses. For additional information, refer to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Returning students may also need to submit and complete a background check as required by UNC System policy.

International students who will require either an F1 or J1 visa should submit the Return to Carolina survey at least one month before the deadline for the term in which the student wishes to return in order to allow adequate time to process the student’s visa.

Nontraditional Readmission

The University’s policy requires returning students to be academically eligible. However, the University recognizes that individuals can gain personal and intellectual maturity over time. In such cases, the University may evaluate students based on their current academic promise rather than their earlier academic performance. Under this policy, the University will review students who have not been enrolled full time in a formal educational program for at least five years and who, by their life experiences, might be considered nontraditional students. Re-enrollment in the College of Arts and Sciences under this policy requires the approval of the associate dean for advising or the appeals committee of the college. Re-enrollment in a professional school under this policy requires the approval of the professional school to which the student is seeking readmission.

Advising and degree-granting bodies within the University will monitor the performances of all individuals re-enrolled under this policy. The monitors will provide up-to-date guidance and counseling and ensure that each student fulfills the requirements for continued enrollment as specified in the letter from the student’s dean’s office. Students who fail to meet these requirements and who lose their academic eligibility must then restore their eligibility before they will be permitted to continue their enrollment at the University. A nontraditional return to the University is granted only once.

Admission as a Part-Time, Degree-Seeking Student 

UNC–Chapel Hill admits a limited number of part-time, degree-seeking undergraduates. Part-time students may register for a maximum of eight credit hours per semester.

To be eligible, students must have been away from a traditional school setting for at least 12 months and must have graduated from a secondary school. Admission is also available to UNC–Chapel Hill faculty and staff employees. Traditional students who have been denied full-time admission to the University are not immediately eligible for enrollment through Part-Time Classroom Studies.  

Students who want to enroll as a part-time degree-seeking undergraduate are required to submit a Part-Time Classroom Studies application through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

All students admitted as prospective degree candidates must meet minimum University requirements for admission. In considering prospective part-time degree-seeking candidates for admission, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions shall use comparable admissions criteria that it uses to evaluate comparable full-time, degree-seeking students applying to the University. For information about those criteria, please see the sections on first-year and transfer admission above.

Admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies as a degree-seeking student does not constitute admission to a full-time degree program at the University. Part-time degree-seeking students who want to enroll in a full-time degree-seeking program must present evidence that they are prepared to make satisfactory progress towards the degree.

Enrolling part-time, degree-seeking students may also need to submit and complete a background check as required by UNC System policy.

Admission as a Part-Time, Non-Degree Student 

Part-time students may register for a maximum of eight credit hours per semester. Courses are open to non-degree students as space permits. Students are required to submit a Part-Time Classroom Studies application and a nonrefundable application fee through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

UNC Digital and Lifelong Learning provides advising and student services to non-degree students, including local high school students.

Admission as a non-degree student is limited and does not constitute admission to a degree program at the University. Part-time non-degree students wishing to pursue a degree must submit a degree-seeking application to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Enrolling part-time, non-degree students may also have to submit and complete a background check as required by UNC System policy.

Admissions Confidentiality

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will protect the privacy of all students seeking admission through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by soliciting and receiving all academic and nonacademic records obtained for the purpose of admission and selection for scholarships and special opportunities, on the condition that they be held in confidence by the University. No information obtained through the admissions process will be shared with individuals, internal or external to the University, other than the chancellor, the provost, vice provost of enrollment, and members of the Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and its subcommittees.

Though current federal legislation allows students enrolling at the University access to their files, candidates do not have access to their applications.

Exceptions to this confidentiality policy will be made only at the direction of the chancellor, the provost, or the vice provost of enrollment.

Intra-University Transfer

Students who wish to transfer from one school or college to another within the University may be required to submit an intra-university transfer application. For additional information, refer to the individual program.

Admission as a Summer School Visitor

Any student who has not been regularly enrolled or has not been admitted for a fall semester in any school in the University can obtain an application for admission as a visiting summer student through the Summer School. Applicants (undergraduates and high school students) who plan to claim North Carolina residency are also required to submit a residency application with the North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS).  

Continuing students who are enrolled at the University will register for a summer session through ConnectCarolina in spring.

New Student Orientation and Course Registration

First-Year Student and Family Orientation

All newly admitted undergraduate first-year students are required to attend one of the summer First-Year Orientation sessions prior to the start of their first term. Sessions are designed to introduce first-year students to the University.  

During this two-day program, new first-year students will be acquainted with the academic opportunities and skills needed to take personal responsibility for their academic achievement and persistence, introduced to the programs and services available for UNC students, made aware of University traditions, and connected to their peers and other ways to broaden their Carolina community. First-year students also receive information about the course registration process and academic advising. Family members and guests are invited to attend the First-Year Family Orientation program, which runs parallel to the student program.  

The transition process continues when students arrive on campus with a variety of programs and events during Weeks of Welcome in the fall semester and Winter Welcome in January.

Carolina Global Launch Student and Family Orientation

All newly admitted undergraduate students enrolling in Carolina Global Launch are required to attend a virtual pre-departure session, an in-person UNC Orientation session in Chapel Hill, and an in-person session at their Carolina Global Launch host institution prior to beginning courses. Students are then required to attend an in-person Orientation session in Chapel Hill in January prior to beginning courses. Sessions are designed to introduce students to UNC and their host institution.

During these programs, students will be acquainted with the academic opportunities and skills needed to take personal responsibility for their academic achievement and persistence, introduced to the programs and services available for Carolina Global Launch students, made aware of University traditions, and connected to their peers and other ways to broaden their Carolina community. Students also receive information about the course registration process. Family members and guests are invited to attend the virtual and Chapel Hill programs. Orientation sessions at the Carolina Global Launch host institutions are for participating students only.

The transition process continues when students arrive on campus with a variety of programs and events during Winter Welcome in January.

Transfer Student and Family Orientation

All newly admitted undergraduate transfer students are required to attend one of the summer Transfer Orientation sessions prior to the start of their first term. Sessions are designed specifically for transfer students to learn about life at Carolina.  

During this one-day program, new transfer students meet and interact with faculty, staff, and other new transfer students. Students attend formal sessions about UNC policies and services and have the opportunity to learn more about areas of interest to them individually. To help ensure the availability of preferred courses, transfer students should register for fall classes as soon as registration is open. To register for courses, transfer students are required to pay their enrollment deposit, create their ONYEN and UNC Heelmail accounts, and complete the online academic advising module. Family members and guests are invited to attend the Transfer Family Orientation program, which runs parallel to the student program.  

The transition process continues when students arrive on campus with a variety of programs and events during Weeks of Welcome in the fall semester and Winter Welcome in January.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Admissions Policy

1. All qualified persons are welcome to seek admission to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and all persons may apply for and accept admission confident that the policy and regular practice of the institution are not to discriminate in offering access to its educational programs and activities on the basis of age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. (See University and Administrative Policies).
2. Projections of the number of students to be admitted and enrolled in any year shall be determined:
   1. by the capacity of the institution to meet the instructional and other needs of students in the colleges, schools, departments, curricula, or other programs to which applicants seek admission and
   2. by enrollment levels approved for budgetary or other appropriate purposes.
3. When at any time the number of qualified applicants for admission exceeds the number of persons who can be admitted and enrolled (as determined by the criteria specified in item 2b), those to be offered admission shall be selected on the basis of:
   1. recognition of the institution's special responsibility to residents of North Carolina and
   2. the institution's judgment of the applicant's relative qualifications for satisfactory performance in the specific college, school, department, curriculum, or other program to which the applicant seeks admission.

Provided that the criteria set forth hereinafter are met, this policy of competitive admissions shall not prevent the admission of selected applicants:

1. who give evidence of possessing special talents for University programs requiring such special talents, or
2. whose admission is designed to help achieve variety within the total number of students admitted and enrolled.

In seeking variety within the total number of students admitted and enrolled, the University shall affirm its commitment to achieve excellence, to provide for the leadership of the educational, governmental, scientific, business, humanistic, artistic, and professional institutions of the state and nation, and to enrich the lives of all the people of North Carolina.

Admission of persons to the specific colleges, schools, curricula, or other programs of the institution shall be governed by the provisions set forth below.

Undergraduate Admissions

Admission of undergraduate students to colleges or schools to pursue programs leading to a baccalaureate degree shall be the responsibility of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The Admissions Office shall apply policies and procedures that, not inconsistent with policies adopted by the Board of Trustees, are approved by the Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions.

In the application of the provisions set forth in the section above, preference for admission shall be given to qualified residents of North Carolina; however, in recognition of the educational and other values accruing to North Carolina students, to the institution, and to the state from participation of nonresident students in the programs of the institution, nonresidents may be admitted in the entering first-year class at levels deemed appropriate by campus leadership and in accordance with UNC system office policies.

Admission of undergraduates shall be to the first-year class, to other classes by transfer after satisfactory completion of college-level work in some other institution(s) of higher education, or to Part-Time Classroom Studies.

Admission and enrollment of persons who are candidates for financial aid for which athletic ability is a consideration shall be conditional upon compliance with applicable regulations of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Admission to the First-Year Class

Admission to and enrollment in the first-year class shall be conditional upon graduation from secondary school (or equivalent) with such units of secondary school academic course credit that, at minimum, meet the UNC System's Minimum Admissions Requirements (MAR) and Minimum Course Requirements (MCR), and any additional requirements specified by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. However, if all other criteria are met, the Admissions Office may make exceptions to MAR and/or MCR in accordance with procedures approved by the Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions.

Criteria employed for determination of each applicant's qualifications for admission may include:

1. satisfactory evidence of scholastic promise based upon the applicant's previous academic record, recommendations from schools previously attended, scores on selected tests of scholastic aptitude or achievement, and the applicant's written application for admission,
2. evidence of the applicant’s ability to succeed academically and personally and contribute to the university community.

Admission by Transfer

Admission and enrollment by transfer from another institution shall be conditional upon a satisfactory academic record of work undertaken in all other institutions attended, the applicant's written application for admission, and satisfactory recommendations from institutions previously attended. Applicants’ eligibility to return to previous institutions may be considered in their evaluation. Other factors include evidence of the applicant’s ability to succeed academically and personally and contribute to the University.

Part-Time Classroom Studies Admissions

Eligibility for admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies shall normally be limited to individuals living within commuting distance of Chapel Hill.

Admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies of an applicant who does not hold a baccalaureate degree shall be the responsibility of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Such admissions shall be either:

• For credit, applicable toward fulfillment of degree requirements: The minimum requirements shall be the same as those for admission to degree programs and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions shall review each applicant using comparable academic criteria as for other degree-seeking students applying to the University; OR
• For personal benefit and enjoyment: The applicant may be exempted from the qualitative requirements for admission to degree programs. Notwithstanding this exemption from qualitative requirements, the applicant must have graduated from an approved or accredited secondary school or equivalent and must demonstrate the capacity to cope with the demands of University life.
• For applicants currently enrolled in secondary school: admission will be considered only if the applicant:

a. seeks to enroll in a University course for which there is no comparable course at the student's secondary school and

b. demonstrates adequate preparation for the course in which the student seeks to enroll.

Admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies of an applicant who holds a baccalaureate degree shall be the responsibility of UNC Digital and Lifelong Learning. Such admissions shall be for personal benefit and enjoyment, for the satisfaction of prerequisite requirements for professional or graduate programs, or for transfer of credit to a postbaccalaureate degree program, in which case the applicant may be exempted from the qualitative requirements for admission to degree programs.

Graduate School Admissions

For information on Graduate School admissions, refer to catalog.unc.edu/admissions/graduate/.

Professional School Admissions

Admission of students to the professional degree programs in schools other than The Graduate School and to nondegree programs in the schools of the Division of Health Affairs shall be, in each of these schools, the responsibility of its established committee on admissions, which shall apply policies, procedures, and requirements, not inconsistent with the provisions of this policy, adopted by the faculty of the school and approved by the Chancellor or his delegate.

Summer Admissions

Admission of applicants to any summer session shall be the responsibility of the offices above with the following exception:

• The Summer School may accept visiting students who are enrolling only for the summer.

Admission during the summer term by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Graduate School shall be in conformity with the provisions set forth in this policy for other undergraduate and graduate admissions.

Admission as a Summer School visitor by the dean of Summer School shall be in conformity with policies, procedures, and requirements adopted by the Administrative Board of Summer School. Each such admission shall terminate as of the last day of that summer term and shall include no commitment, stated or implied, for admission of the student to any subsequent semester or session of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Admissions Appeals

Appeals concerning individual admission, or admission rescission, decisions shall be governed by the admissions appeal procedure contained in Appendix A.

* This policy adopted by resolution of the Board of Trustees on September 3, 1976.

* Amended by Board of Trustees, August 24, 1984.

* Amended by Board of Governors, March 14, 1986.

* Amended by Board of Trustees, May 27, 1994.

* Amended by Board of Trustees, effective January 1, 2006.

* Amended by Board of Trustees, effective January 23, 2014.

Appendix A: Admissions Appeal Procedure

This document sets forth the procedures to be followed with respect to the appeal of a negative admissions decision, including a decision to rescind an admission that has already been granted.

1. Appeal to Admissions Officer
   Appeals concerning individual admission, or admission rescission, decisions may be had only if it is contended that:
   1. a provision set forth in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admissions policy ("admissions policy") has been violated or
   2. the decision not to admit the individual or to rescind admission resulted from a material procedural error in the admissions process.
      An applicant’s omission of relevant information from the original application for admission will not ordinarily constitute grounds for an appeal; nor will academic or personal circumstances that changed after the submission of the application. Such an appeal shall be lodged by the applicant with the administrative officer (the director of undergraduate admissions, the dean of The Graduate School, the dean of the professional school concerned, or the dean of Summer School) whose office had responsibility for the admission in question (hereafter the "admissions officer") within 30 days after the University posts the applicant's online decision. The appeal shall be in writing and shall set forth the grounds for the appeal.
      Upon receipt of the appeal, the admissions officer or the admissions officer’s designee shall review the applicant's file and appeal letter, determine whether the grounds for an appeal are met, and shall communicate his or her decision on the appeal to the applicant in writing.
2. Appeal to Provost
   The decision of the admissions officer may be appealed to the provost only if it is contended that:
   1. The decision has been previously appealed to the designated admissions offier in item 1 and denied and
   2. a provision set forth in the admissions policy has been violated or
   3. the decision not to admit the individual or to rescind admission resulted from a material procedural error in the admissions, or appeal, process.

An applicant’s omission of relevant information from the original application for admission or from the appeal to the admissions officer will not ordinarily constitute grounds for an appeal; nor will academic or personal circumstances that changed after the submission of the application or the appeal to the admissions officer. Such an appeal shall be lodged with the provost by filing a letter of appeal specifying the grounds for the appeal within 15 days after the applicant has received the letter communicating the decision of the admissions officer. The provost may designate the review of these appeals within his or her immediate office.

The appeal shall be reviewed by the provost or the provost's designee. Following the review, the provost or designee will communicate the decision to the applicant in writing. The decision of the provost is final, and no further appeal is available.