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Meet the Class of 2026

Graduates by the numbers

Published April 27, 2026

More than 7,100 Tar Heels, including undergraduate, graduate and professional students, will have their Carolina degrees conferred at Spring Commencement on May 9. More than 5,500 of those students are North Carolina residents.

The Class of 2026 excelled in the classroom, conducted research, won national championships and served their country. They've made lasting impacts on our campus community and left their heelprints on Carolina.

  • 7,183total graduates, including professional and certificate degrees
  • 4,453undergraduates
  • 1,608master's degree candidates
  • 981students receiving doctoral degrees
  • 807first-generation students
  • 398Covenant scholars

Meet the graduates

Click on a photo below to get to know a few members of the Class of 2026 and learn more about their paths to Commencement.

Rhodes scholars

Carolina matched its record with three Rhodes scholars in the Class of 2026: Tiana Dinham, Rotimi Kukoyi and Gabrielle Moreau.

Read more about the trio's Carolina experience and what they hope to accomplish with their prestigious scholarship.

Class of 2026 accolades

Carolina is calling Eric Church home

The country music superstar and western North Carolina native whose public service supported Hurricane Helene victims will deliver the keynote address to graduates at Spring Commencement.

Learn more about Eric Church.

A photo of Eric Church wearing all black and sunglasses with some Carolina diagonal lines breaking up the rustic wall behind him.

Saying goodbye to their jobs

For many students, working a campus job is just as much a part of college as going to class. At Carolina, there’s a wide range of roles that students fill.

Read about four graduating Tar Heels whose campus jobs were a central part of their Carolina experience.

Four-photo collage: Jasleen Kaur posing for a portrait in Morehead Planetarium and Science Center's dome; Ainsley Fauth posing for a portrait in the dugout of Boshamer Stadium; Aneesh Shakthy posing for a portrait next to a Campus EMS vehicle outside of Campus Health; and Cameron Morris posing for a portrait while sitting in a lifeguard chair with Bowman Gray Memorial Pool seen in the background.

Commencement through the years

Relive Commencements past with these photos and videos from UNC-Chapel Hill archives.

Commencement information

Spring Commencement will be held under the lights at 7 p.m. May 9 at Kenan Stadium. Departmental ceremonies across campus are scheduled from May 7-10.

Read 11 key things you need to know for Commencement weekend, including clear bag policies, parking and more.

The 2026 graduation tassel for U.N.C. Chapel Hill.

Celebrating together

Before the big ceremony in Kenan Stadium, the University celebrated graduates across several small group events across campus. Those included Red, White and Carolina Blue Graduation, the Carolina Firsts Pinning Ceremony, the Exitos Awards Ceremony and the Buckley Public Service Scholars Graduation.

See photos from these campus ceremonies.

Hooding ceremony features call to lead through uncertainty

UNC-Chapel Hill celebrated its doctoral graduates at the annual Doctoral Hooding ceremony May 9 at the Dean E. Smith Center, with keynote remarks from Morehouse College President and 2000 alumnus F. DuBois Bowman.

Read about doctoral hooding.

A doctoral graduate holds his dog while talking to guests at doctoral hooding.

Sharing advice

It was just a year ago that Carolina celebrated the Class of 2025. With 365 days of post-graduate experiences under their belts, four alumni looked back at lessons learned and imbued some advice to this year’s graduates.

Read what advice four 2025 graduates gave to the Class of 2026.

Photos of four 2025 graduates, placed into a graphic next to a photo of students walking on Polk Place in front of Wilson Library.

‘It doesn’t get any better’

Roy Williams, the legendary basketball coach who guided the Tar Heels to three national titles, is also a proud Carolina alumnus. He offered life lessons, words of encouragement and more at the annual Last Lecture, past of Carolina Alumni’s Senior Week.

See photos from the Last Lecture.

Roy Williams raising his right hand while speaking to Carolina seniors during the Last Lecture on Polk Place.

Continuing a tradition

Seniors participated in the annual Bell Tower Climb on April 8, going up 128 steps to the top of the Carolina landmark. The event, hosted by Carolina Alumni, also included games, good trucks and a Rameses Jr. appearance.

See photos from the Bell Tower Climb.

Springtime at Carolina

Video by Rob Holliday,
University Communications and Marketing

From the air and on the ground, in fast motion and slow, Carolina's campus is gorgeous in the spring. Take a look as the dogwoods, azaleas and landscapes across campus come to life with the arrival of a new season.

See more springtime photos from Carolina's campus

    Press the play button above to watch the video

Picture time for the Class of 2026

With Spring Commencement right around the corner, Carolina’s campus is filled with soon-to-be graduates in their caps and gowns.

From the Old Well to the Bell Tower and all across campus, the Class of 2026 is stepping in front of the camera and celebrating the journey.

Photos by Johnny Andrews and Jon Gardiner, University Communications and Marketing

    Learn more