About

About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

flagship public universityvery high research activityselective admissionsstrong premed programsnorth carolina roots

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university in Chapel Hill, NC, known for its flagship public university, very high research activity, and selective admissions. With an acceptance rate of 17%, Carolina is highly selective, typically enrolling around 4,435 students each year. Carolina is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1400–1530, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. Carolina meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and has replaced loans with grants; for families earning under $80,000, the net cost is often $0.

Admissions

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill acceptance rate and admitted student profile

highly selective

17%
Overall Accept Rate
4.00
Typical Admitted GPA
1465
Median Admitted SAT
GPATypical admitted range: 4.00 – 4.00 unweighted

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SATSubmitted score range: 1400 – 1530 (test optional)

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ACTScore range: 28 – 34

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
UNC's supplemental essays ask why you want to attend Carolina specifically, so go beyond mentioning the campus or reputation and name actual programs, faculty research, or student organizations like the Carolina Indian Circle or the Morehead-Cain community that connect to your specific goals.
Application Strategy
UNC is legally required to reserve roughly 82 percent of its seats for North Carolina residents, so if you are an out-of-state applicant you are competing in a much smaller, more selective pool and should treat this school as a reach regardless of your stats.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Loan-free financial aid: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has replaced all loans with grants. For families earning under $80,000, the average net annual cost is $0. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's sticker price of ~$53k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30kOften $0~$53k/yr~$0 / yr
30k-48kOften $0~$53k/yr~$0 / yr
48k-75kOften $0~$53k/yr~$0 / yr
75k-110k~$53k/yr$16.4k
110k+~$53k/yr$24.4k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

92%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$57k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
13:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
18,892
Undergrad Enrollment
UNC Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch