College Profiles/ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Chapel Hill, NC · 22,007 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admitted 16.7% of 76,247 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1400 to 1530.[1] The 2026-27 cost of attendance is $29,050 for in-state students and $70,264 out of state.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $20,939.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Action Oct 15, Regular Decision Jan 15.[3]
16.7%
Overall admit rate[1]
1400 to 1530
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$70,264
Out-of-state cost, 2026-27[2]
$20,939
Average need-based grant[1]
$6.1B
Endowment, FY2025[4]
91.1%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at a Glance
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Type
- Public
- Student to faculty ratio
- 14:1[1]
- Endowment
- $6.1 billion (FY2025)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional (scores required only if weighted GPA below 2.8: min ACT 17 / SAT 930)[3]
- Application
- Common App[3]
- First-year retention
- 96.7%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The ConnectPrep take
UNC calls testing one factor among many and never the sole or dominant reason for a decision, and its enrolled students carry an average GPA of 4.47, so the transcript leads. There is no binding round. The two nonbinding deadlines are Early Action on Oct 15 and Regular Decision on Jan 15, and the Oct 15 date drives far more than timing: Assured Enrollment for programs such as Biostatistics, Nutrition, and Pharmacy, Morehead-Cain consideration for out-of-state students without a nominating school, and the Robertson early window all line up with it. The admit rate is 16.7% on 76,247 applicants. Testing is optional for students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above, and UNC superscores. With a middle 50% SAT of 1400 to 1530, submit at 1465 or higher. The biggest mistake is treating Jan 15 as the real deadline.
What to do this fall
- Apply Early Action by Oct 15. It is nonbinding and anchors Assured Enrollment and Morehead-Cain consideration.
- Use the application questions to request Assured Enrollment in up to three programs.
- Send self-reported scores of 1465 or higher, with supporting materials due Nov 7 for EA.
- File both the FAFSA and CSS Profile by Dec 1 for Early Action to be considered for all aid.
Applying to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
Book a Free Consultation
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
76,247 |
12,751 |
16.7% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 39.9%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
690 to 750 |
| SAT Math[1] |
700 to 780 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1400 to 1530 |
| Average high school GPA[1] |
4.47 |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1530 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1460, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill looks for
In its own words: UNC says testing is one factor among many and never the sole or dominant reason for a decision, and it reviews self-reported scores within a broader application.[5]
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Action |
Oct 15 |
by Dec 20 (NC residents); by Feb 15 (all others) |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 15 |
Mar 31 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Morehead-Cain Scholarship
Before RD |
Oct 15 (UNC EA required for ARP route) |
Separate Morehead-Cain application: school nominations are due Jun 30 and nominees and NC self-nominees open the application Aug 15. Out-of-state students without a nominating school can only be considered through the Admissions Referral Program by applying to UNC Early Action by Oct 15, 2026; semifinalists notified mid-Dec.[6] |
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program
Before RD |
Oct 15 (early window); Nov 15 |
Separate Robertson application for the joint UNC and Duke program; early window deadline Oct 15, 2026 and final deadline Nov 15, 2026, both well before UNC's Jan 15 RD deadline.[7] |
Assured Enrollment (Biostatistics, Public Health majors, Nutrition, Pharmacy)
Before RD |
Oct 15 (EA encouraged) |
Assured enrollment is requested through questions on the first-year application (up to three programs). For the asterisked programs (Biostatistics, Community and Global Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Policy and Management, Nutrition, Pharmacy) applicants are encouraged to apply by the Oct 15 Early Action deadline.[8] |
| Honors Carolina |
Oct 15 (EA) or Jan 15 (RD) |
No separate application; students indicate interest in the Honors Carolina and Special Opportunities section of the UNC application.[9] |
| FAFSA and CSS Profile |
Dec 1 (EA); Mar 1 (RD) |
Both FAFSA and CSS Profile are required by the round's financial aid deadline to be considered for all forms of aid.[3] |
See how University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill compares with other colleges in the South deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance, in-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$29,050 |
| Cost of attendance, out-of-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$70,264 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
32.0% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$20,939 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$21,695 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
275 students, average $7,233 |
first-year on campus, out-of-state budget (tuition $47,472, fees $2,130, housing $9,168, food $6,702, books $638, travel $2,050, personal $2,048, loan fees $56). In-state total $29,050 (tuition $7,230).[2]
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
- Carolina Covenant: families at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline (e.g., up to $126,960 for a family of ten) graduate debt-free with full need met by grants, scholarships and work-study.[10]
- International students: The Common Data Set reports 'Institutional scholarship or grant aid is not available' for international undergraduates.[1]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year in-state students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[11]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$2,004 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$3,918 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$8,538 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$16,415 |
| Over $110,000 |
$24,396 |
| All aided students |
$11,655 |
Academics and Majors at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Signature programs
Carolina Covenant
Debt-free aid package for students from households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline, meeting full need with grants, scholarships and Work-Study, plus academic, career and well-being support.[10]
Kenan-Flagler Business School (undergraduate)
Listed among UNC's undergraduate schools; the catalog notes some professional schools have additional requirements and deadlines.[12]
UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
Listed among UNC's undergraduate schools in the catalog.[12]
School of Nursing
Listed among UNC's undergraduate schools; some professional schools have additional requirements and deadlines.[12]
Choosing a major and getting in
Undergraduate admission is to the first-year class. The catalog lists Kenan-Flagler, Nursing, Hussman and other schools among undergraduate units and notes that some professional schools and programs have additional requirements and deadlines. No first-year assured or direct admission program is described. First-year applicants choose one of two nonbinding deadlines, one of which is Early Action. Applicants can also express interest in Carolina Global Launch, a fall study-abroad semester followed by guaranteed spring enrollment as a transfer student.[12]
Special admission paths
- Early Action (nonbinding).
- Second nonbinding first-year deadline.
- Carolina Global Launch (fall abroad, guaranteed spring transfer enrollment).
- Carolina Covenant (aid program).
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
96.7% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
83.2% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
91.1% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[11] |
$72,200 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[11] |
$14,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[11] |
20% |
Make University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill FAQs
What is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill acceptance rate?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admitted 16.7% of first-year applicants (12,751 of 76,247), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
When are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Action Oct 15; Regular Decision Jan 15. 3 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $29,050 for in-state students and $70,264 for out-of-state students. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $20,939. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1400 to 1530 on the SAT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1530, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional (scores required only if weighted GPA below 2.8: min ACT 17 / SAT 930).
Is UNC test optional?
Yes, for most applicants. Students applying for 2026-2027 and beyond with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above do not have to submit a score; below 2.8, applicants must submit at least an ACT 17 or SAT 930. UNC superscores and uses self-reported scores. With a middle 50% SAT of 1400 to 1530, we advise submitting at 1465 or above.
Does UNC have early decision?
No. UNC has two nonbinding first-year deadlines, Early Action on Oct 15 and Regular Decision on Jan 15. NC residents applying EA hear by Dec 20 and other EA applicants by Feb 15. Applying by Oct 15 also matters for Assured Enrollment programs and for out-of-state Morehead-Cain consideration through the Admissions Referral Program.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
