Chapel Hill, NC
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was founded in 1795, and its official site identifies it as the nation's first public university. UNC-Chapel Hill is organized into 14 schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences, the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and the Kenan-Flagler Business School. The university is also known for the Carolina Covenant, a program guaranteeing a debt-free education for eligible low-income students.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 28% submitted SAT scores, 41% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Action: Oct 15, 2026 (passed)
- Regular Decision: Jan 15, 2027
Confirm on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
Out-of-state students pay $40,242 more per year in tuition and fees (5.3x the in-state rate).
North Carolina residents keep this tuition rate for eight semesters.
Tuition & fees are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own published 2026-27 rates (source); other figures are from the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill weighs your application
From University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
72 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 32 admitted, 40 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
The full breakdown, with what stood out: UNC Chapel Hill Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill look for in applicants?
Per University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, application essay, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, state residency as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's acceptance rate?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC admits approximately 15% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
Per University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1400–1530 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
Per University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 29–34 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill cost?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's total cost of attendance is reported at $26,055 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
What is out-of-state tuition at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
For 2026-27, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's tuition and required fees are $49,593 for out-of-state students and $9,351 for in-state students -- $40,242 more per year for out-of-state students. That's before financial aid, and room and board are extra.
When is the application deadline for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's deadlines are Early Action Oct 15, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 15, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill require students to live on campus?
No -- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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