Undergraduate Admissions
General Education Requirements
Academic Flowchart
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions assists students interested in continuing their education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Applications from all students are accepted and considered for admission. Eighty-two percent of the first-year class will be from North Carolina, with 18 percent coming from outside the state.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is competitive. A student’s academic record (both the difficulty of the courses attempted and the performance in those courses) and test scores are important elements in admissions decisions, but other accomplishments and personal qualities are also relevant, since the University seeks a diverse body of students.
By their anticipated date of enrollment, candidates for admission should have reached the age of 16 and must have graduated from an approved or accredited secondary school. In addition, the University asks that candidates present evidence of the capacity to cope with the demands of University life.
Items Necessary for a Complete Application
First-Year Admission
The admission application is available at www.admissions.unc.edu.
The completed application will include the following materials:
A. Official transcript(s) from approved secondary schools and colleges or universities attended;
B. Official SAT Reasoning or ACT Plus Writing test scores;
C. Counselor statement and teacher recommendation (if the candidate is in his or her first year at a new school, an additional recommendation from the previous school is suggested);
D. Essays as requested in the application;
E. Application fee (nonrefundable) or fee waiver, as indicated in the application;
F. Any further information that will enhance the University’s understanding of the applicant’s background and preparation for college (encouraged but not required);
G. Any additional items or information requested in the application or by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Note: Current federal legislation allows students enrolling at the University access to their files. Students do not have access to their applications.
Transfer Admission
The admission application is available at www.admissions.unc.edu.
The completed application will include the following materials:
A. Official transcript from each college attended, including summer sessions and including any online or distance-education classes;
B. Official high school transcript (grades nine through 12);
C. Application fee (nonrefundable) or fee waiver, as indicated in the application;
D. Official SAT Reasoning or ACT Plus Writing scores (sophomore transfers only);
E. Essays as requested in the application form;
F. Any additional items or information requested in the application or by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions;
G. Community standards form or criminal background check (for all enrolling transfer students and for other candidates as requested by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions).
High School Course Requirements
The University suggests that a student present for admission a challenging high school curriculum. Such a curriculum will normally include no fewer than five courses in the core academic disciplines (English, mathematics, social science, laboratory science, and foreign language) each year, as well as the most rigorous courses available in these disciplines at the student’s high school. The difficulty of the courses attempted by the student will be a factor in the admissions decision.
To be considered for first-year admission, all applicants graduating from high school after the summer of 2006 should present these minimum high school course requirements (including the ninth grade):
• Four units of English
• Four units of college preparatory mathematics (two algebra, one geometry, and a higher level mathematics course for which algebra II is a prerequisite)
• At least two units of a single foreign language
• Three units in science, including at least one unit in a life or biological science and at least one unit in a physical science, and including at least one laboratory course
• Two units of social science, including United States history, and
• Enough elective units in traditional academic areas (literature, mathematics, physical and biological sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages) for a total of 16 units
Admission to the University is competitive. Therefore, candidates should normally enroll in courses beyond these minimum requirements.
Since admitted students will take placement exams in foreign language, candidates should continue in advanced foreign language courses during their final year in high school even if they have already met the minimum requirements in these fields.
Placement in courses during students’ first semester at the University will be based on their performance on placement tests. 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 math placement, the Department of Mathematics very strongly recommends that enrolling students arrange to take the Math 2 SAT Subject Test; although this test is not required for admission, many majors at Carolina require a quantitative reasoning course for which a math placement score is necessary. Foreign language placement may be based on SAT Subject Tests or College Board Advanced Placement tests. English placement is based on the College Board Advanced Placement tests, as well as on ACT scores and the Critical Reading portion of the SAT Reasoning Test. Students also are encouraged to take standardized tests that are recognized for placement in other subject areas.
Dual Enrollment 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 grade point average.
College Board Placement Tests
The University recognizes, for placement and degree credit, satisfactory scores on the College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, certain SAT Subject Tests, and certain tests of the College Board College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). For more information, please visit www.admissions.unc.edu.
Information about College Board tests and applications for specific tests may be obtained by visiting www.collegeboard.com; by writing the Educational Testing Service, Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08504, or Box 025, Berkeley, CA 94707; or by contacting a high school counselor. Applicants should apply to take a test six to eight weeks in advance of the actual test date.
Transfer Candidates
Transfer applicants who graduated from high school between 1988 and 2005 must present the following 16 academic units from high school to be eligible for admission consideration:
• Four years of English
• Three years of mathematics (algebra I, algebra II, and geometry)
• Three years of natural science (one biological, one physical, and at least one laboratory course)
• Two years of social science (one must be United States history)
• Two years of the same foreign language
• Two additional years of academic electives
Transfer applicants who graduated from high school in 2006 or later must present all of the high school courses listed above plus one approved mathematics course beyond algebra II.
Transfer applicants deficient in any of the minimum course requirements will be eligible for transfer consideration only if one of the following conditions is met:
A. The applicant has 30 transferable semester hours in the following areas: six semester hours of acceptable college level English (not to include remedial courses); six semester hours of acceptable college level mathematics (not to include remedial courses; college algebra is considered remedial at UNC–Chapel Hill); six semester hours of acceptable college level social science; six semester hours of acceptable college level natural sciences; six semester hours of an acceptable college level foreign language;
OR
B. The applicant holds an associate of arts, associate of fine arts, or associate of science degree from a regionally accredited institution earned before enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill;
OR
C. The applicant is at least 24 years old.
To be considered for transfer admission, students must present at least a C average (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) in all courses attempted at other accredited colleges and universities. However, a much higher average is required to be competitive.
Except as otherwise noted, transfer students must satisfy the minimum course requirements of the University of North Carolina system, even if these requirements differ from the minimum requirements of their previous institutions.
Students also must be eligible to return to all institutions previously attended. Students who have less than a C average and who are, therefore, academically ineligible for consideration as transfer students may complete courses through the Self-Paced Courses or Carolina Courses Online programs in order to raise their grade point average to the point where they may be considered for transfer admission to the University. However, courses completed in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Summer School cannot be used to establish eligibility for transfer admission. Because spaces are limited, admission is competitive, and the University usually cannot admit all of the students who meet minimum requirements.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions evaluates candidates based on both their high school and college records. We value strong performance in a challenging curriculum, including courses in English, mathematics, laboratory science, social science, and foreign language. All established academic records, as well as personal qualities and accomplishments, will be considered in the selection of the transfer class.
Once an applicant is admitted as a transfer student, any course credits taken at UNC–Chapel Hill in a prior summer session become part of the student’s official transcript, and grades received are included in the grade point average.
A transfer student’s class standing upon admission is based on credit hours accepted by UNC–Chapel Hill for transfer, not on semesters enrolled at other colleges. Because students are allowed only eight undergraduate semesters to complete their degrees at the University, the number of semesters that a student completes before enrolling at Carolina determines the number of semesters available after enrolling. Because at least 15 credit hours are required to complete a semester, a student’s class standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill may differ from his or her class standing at the college or university previously attended. Students must earn at least 45 academic credit hours at UNC–Chapel Hill to earn a UNC–Chapel Hill degree.
Transfer students with fewer than 15 hours of transfer credit accepted by UNC–Chapel Hill will have class standing as first-year students upon admission to the University.
To enroll with sophomore class standing, a transfer student must have at least 15 (and fewer than 51) credit hours accepted for transfer by UNC–Chapel Hill. Summer enrollment immediately prior to the first semester of UNC–Chapel Hill enrollment will not be counted in the hours needed to qualify as a sophomore.
To enroll with junior class standing, a transfer student must have at least 51 credit hours accepted for transfer by UNC–Chapel Hill. Summer enrollment immediately prior to the first semester of UNC–Chapel Hill enrollment will not be counted in the hours needed to qualify as a junior.
More specifically:
• A 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 student having between 15.0 and 29.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed one semester and will have sophomore standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A 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 student having between 45.0 and 50.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed three semesters and will have sophomore standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A student having between 51.0 and 59.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed three semesters and will have junior standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A student having between 60.0 and 74.9 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed four semesters and will have junior standing upon enrollment at UNC–Chapel Hill.
• A student having 75.0 transferable credit hours will be regarded as having completed five 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 hours for courses from other accredited institutions when the student has made a satisfactory grade (usually a C or its equivalent) and when a similar course is offered by the University. If a passing grade of D or lower is earned, the University will not grant course credit hours; however, the appropriate University department will determine if the course(s) may be applied towards requirements for the degree.
Students should expect difficulty in transferring professional courses and courses from nonaccredited institutions (including foreign institutions). In these cases, the courses must be approved through the appropriate departments at this University, and the departments will determine if the course(s) may be applied toward requirements for the degree.
The University honors the official Comprehensive Articulation Agreement with the North Carolina Community College System.
The University will consult two publications when settling questions that arise 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.
A student may challenge any University course credit evaluation directly through the appropriate academic department. The academic department will determine how many, if any, credits can be awarded.
Students seeking transfer to the University may wish to plan their courses at their current institution in a way that will ensure the transfer of those courses. The University encourages such prior planning, and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will assist prospective transfer students with it.
The University will award a maximum of 75 semester hours of transfer credit for courses taken at other institutions. Students may only transfer credit hours from a two-year institution while they are earning their first 64 hours of college credit. For example, if a student has transferred fewer than 64 credit hours from two-year institutions but has earned 64 or more total credit hours (including hours from UNC–Chapel Hill or other four-year institutions), the student cannot transfer any additional credit hours from a two-year institution.
If a student enrolls in a course at a two-year institution concurrently with enrollment in courses at a four-year institution (including UNC–Chapel Hill), transfer credit hours will not be awarded for the course taken at the two-year institution if the hours from the concurrent courses at the four-year institution bring the total earned hours to 64 or more.
For the calculations described herein, credit hours are tallied according to the chronological order in which the courses are taken, not according to the sequence in which documentations of the credits are submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
When to Apply for First-Year Admission
First-year applicants may choose to apply by the first deadline of November 1 or by the final deadline of January 15. Neither deadline is binding. All materials except first-term grades must be postmarked by this date or the student will be considered a late applicant and will be considered on a space-available basis.
When to Apply for Transfer Admission
The transfer application deadline for sophomore and junior admission to the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication is March 1. The deadline for junior transfer applicants to dental hygiene, clinical laboratory science, health policy management, nursing, radiologic science, biostatistics, and education varies by department. Please contact the specific department for additional information.
The University does not admit or enroll a first-year or transfer class for the spring semester.
Notification
For first-year applicants: If the application is submitted by November 1, students will be notified by the end of January. If the application is submitted by January 15, students will be notified by the end of March.
For transfer applicants: If the application is submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by March 1, decisions will be mailed in late April. The notification dates for dental hygiene, clinical laboratory science, health policy management, nursing, radiologic science, biostatistics, and education varies by department. Please contact the specific department for additional information.
Deadlines and notification dates for first-year and transfer applicants are subject to change. Please consult a current application or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for confirmation of these dates.
Appeals of Admissions Decisions
For information on appealing an admissions decision, refer to the "Admissions Appeal Procedure" in the "Admissions" section of this bulletin.
Programs with Limited Admissions
Prospective transfer students are advised that only a small number of transfer students will be admitted in the majors of journalism and mass communication, education, and the allied health and public health programs. Junior transfer students planning to major in business administration, environmental health science, nutrition, computer science, or information and library science must enroll in the College of Arts and Sciences and complete at least one semester before applying for admission to these degree programs. 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 is generally 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 must also provide Pharmacy College Admission Test scores as part of the application. Sophomore students must apply directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Education Majors
Transfer students should take the SAT Reasoning, ACT Plus Writing, or PRAXIS I basic reading, writing, and math examinations to be considered for admission to teacher education programs. PRAXIS scores must be sent directly to the School of Education at UNC–Chapel Hill by the testing service before students apply for admission. SAT or ACT scores must be sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. For more about testing requirements, please visit the School of Education Web site at soe.unc.edu/services/apply/ug/test_req.php.
Music or Dramatic Art Majors
First-year and transfer students applying as music majors should contact the director of undergraduate studies in music at 101 Hill Hall to arrange an audition. Please indicate whether you wish to study voice or an instrument; if an instrument, please indicate which one. Students applying to major in the dramatic arts should contact the director of undergraduate studies in dramatic arts at 222 Center for Dramatic Art.
Fall/Winter Grades–Transfer Applicants
The fall and 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 and will not be reviewed until they arrive.
Confirmation of Acceptance
The University requires a nonrefundable enrollment deposit, due by May 1 for first-year admission or within two weeks of receipt of the admission decision for students admitted after the deadline.
Degree candidates starting in Summer School who intend to continue in the fall must pay their summer fees, as well as the fall term deposits, to reserve a space for the fall term.
Admission of International Students
International students are considered for admission on the same basis as other candidates. They must, however, provide a bank statement and complete and submit a financial certificate. The appropriate forms are available at www.admissions.unc.edu.
An international student should present results from the SAT Reasoning or ACT with writing examination, as well as transcripts from schools previously attended. International students should also submit results on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in support of their application if English is not their native language.
U.S. immigration law requires proof of financial support for the student’s entire program of study. Before admission, applicants must provide documentation that they have sufficient funds in a bank to cover the first year’s tuition and living expenses. See the section "Finances and Financial Aid" in this bulletin 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 the Foreign Student Advisor, Nash Hall Room 208, CB #5240, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5240.
Readmissions
Any student who withdraws or for any other reason fails to complete a semester must apply for readmission through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Students applying in this manner must submit a nonrefundable application fee or fee waiver, as indicated in the application. Application for readmission should be made as early as possible and in no case later than two weeks before the opening of the semester. The online readmission application is available at https://s4.its.unc.edu/sis/adm/ugreapp.html. The readmission application may also be downloaded from www.admissions.unc.edu/pdf/Readmission_App.pdf.
A student leaving the University with an academic deficiency must restore his or her eligibility in order to be readmitted as a regular student. Restoration of eligibility can be accomplished only by enrolling in summer sessions or through correspondence instruction from the University (see below).
Students who have enrolled in courses at another college or university since their last enrollment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill must submit transcripts of these courses and must have maintained a C average for all such courses attempted in order to be eligible for readmission. The grade point average (GPA) required for eligibility is based on all courses attempted on all campuses.
Students leaving the University for medical or disciplinary reasons must be cleared by the appropriate office before being readmitted.
Because the University must adhere to enrollment projections, readmission cannot be guaranteed even if the student is academically eligible.
Admission as a Summer School Visitor
Any student who has not been regularly enrolled or has not been admitted for the fall semester in any school in the University should send an application for admission as a visiting summer student to Dean of Summer School, CB# 3340, 134 E. Franklin St. Those students who are in residence at the University will preregister or register for a summer session through their academic dean or advisor and need not make a separate application to the dean of the Summer School. A student who plans to restore academic eligibility through work done in a summer session must apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, CB# 2200, Jackson Hall.
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 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 and members of the Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and its subcommittees.
Exceptions to this policy will be made only at the direction of the chancellor or the provost.
Further Information
For additional information and services related to the admission of first-year and transfer students, please contact the Associate Provost and Director of Undergraduate Admissions, CB# 2200, Jackson Hall, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2200.
Intra-University Transfer
Transfer from one school or college within the University is possible with the approval of both academic deans concerned.
Other Credit Programs
Carolina Courses Online
Carolina Courses Online is a distance education program that offers UNC–Chapel Hill courses over the Internet. Class sessions are not required, but courses follow the semester schedule. Access to the World Wide Web and e-mail are required in order to enroll. The courses are administered through the Friday Center for Continuing Education, (919) 962-1134. Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are limited to 18 semester hours of credit toward a degree at UNC–Chapel Hill through Carolina Courses Online.
See the section in the bulletin under "Distance-Learning Courses via the Friday Center for Continuing Education" for additional information.
Self-Paced Courses
In addition to the courses listed in this bulletin, many undergraduate distance education courses are available through Self-Paced Courses. Online and print-based correspondence courses are available. Students can enroll at any time, work at their own pace, and take up to nine months to complete a course. Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are not allowed to take Self-Paced Courses except in unusual circumstances; written consent of the dean is required in order to enroll.
Students found academically ineligible to continue in resident study at the University should consider enrolling in Carolina Courses Online and/or Summer School. If extraordinary circumstances exist, a student may contact his or her dean to discuss using Self-Paced Courses to restore eligibility.
Application for Self-Paced Courses is made to the Friday Center for Continuing Education, CB# 1020, (919) 962-1134. Application forms and a complete catalog of course listings may be obtained from the same office.
Admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies
Part-Time Classroom Studies is the academic unit in the Friday Center for Continuing Education through which area adults (customarily students aged 24 and older) enroll in University courses part time. Both undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students are admitted without respect to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or handicap.
Part-Time Classroom Studies students may register for a maximum course load of eight credit hours per semester. A small selection of courses is scheduled for the evening hours; the University’s daytime courses are also open to Part-Time Classroom Studies students if space permits.
Undergraduates or high school students desiring to enroll through Part-Time Classroom Studies should file an admission application and nonrefundable $70 application fee with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, CB# 2200, Jackson Hall, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2200, or at www.admissions.unc.edu. The Part-Time Classroom Studies application is available online at https://www.unc.edu/sis/adm/ugcsapp.html, or it can be downloaded from www.admissions.unc.edu/pdf/Part-time_Classroom_App.pdf.
Admission is limited for both prospective degree candidates and for those seeking to take courses for personal benefit and enjoyment. To be eligible, students must have been away from a traditional school setting for at least 12 consecutive months and must have graduated from an approved or accredited secondary school. Admission is available to UNC–Chapel Hill faculty/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. All students admitted as prospective degree candidates must meet minimum University requirements for admission; in considering prospective degree candidates for admission, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions shall use the same 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.
Students who have a baccalaureate degree can apply online at https://www.unc.edu/sis/adm/ugcsapp.html, or they may download an application from www.admissions.unc.edu/pdf/Part-time_Classroom_App.pdf and submit it to Part-Time Classroom Studies, CB# 1020, Friday Center, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1020.
Admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies does not constitute admission to a degree program at the University. Undergraduates must be accepted for transfer into one of the degree-granting schools or colleges of the University. A minimum of 45 academic credit hours must be earned from UNC–Chapel Hill, and at least 24 of the last 30 academic credits must be earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses. Beyond these minimum course requirements, students attempting to transfer from Part-Time Classroom Studies into one of the degree-seeking schools or colleges of the University must present evidence that they are prepared to make satisfactory progress towards the degree. Postbaccalaureate students must apply and be accepted to a graduate degree program.
Part-Time Classroom Studies students who have not registered for a semester or more should apply for readmission at least 30 days prior to the start of the term of their return. The readmission application for Part-Time Classroom Studies is available at fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cs/applprc.htm.
Undergraduate students enrolled through Part-Time Classroom Studies for personal benefit and enjoyment may apply to convert to degree-seeking status. Such applications will be reviewed in light of the criteria for admission to Part-Time Classroom Studies for degree-seeking status.
Orientation and New Student Registration
Summer orientation offers a wide range of programs intended to introduce new students and their parents to the University; to acquaint them with the academic opportunities available to undergraduates; to aid them in their adjustment to campus living; to offer other information, discussion, and academic advice; and to begin the process of becoming an active member of the Carolina community. New student orientation continues when students arrive in the fall with a variety of activities during the Week of Welcome.
All new first-year students are required to attend orientation in the summer prior to their first semester. During the two-day summer orientation program, students meet and interact with faculty and staff, as well as many other first-year students. They attend a formal welcome, complete a foreign language placement exam, learn about the undergraduate curriculum, register for courses using the Web registration system, and learn about the services and educational opportunities available to them.
Transfer Student Orientation
All new undergraduate students admitted as sophomore or junior transfers are encouraged to attend one of the summer orientation programs designed specifically for transfer students to learn about college life at Carolina.
During this one-day transfer orientation program (TSOP), new transfer students meet and interact with faculty, staff, and other new transfer students. Students attend a formal welcome, learn about academic advising, learn about the services and educational opportunities, and, if applicable, complete a foreign language placement exam.
To help ensure the availability of preferred courses, transfer students should register for fall classes prior to summer orientation. Transfer students can use the Web registration system to register as soon as their deposit is paid and the personal identification number (PIN number) is generated.