The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

It is very difficult to get into The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The acceptance rate at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is 17%. Out of 57,221 applications received in 2023, 9,640 students were offered admission.

If you are considering submitting an application to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 1/15 and the application fee is $85.

Students who apply to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for fall semester should hear back from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by March 31.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's admissions stats.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2023	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	4.0
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	74%
Mean SAT Score	1416
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	15%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	60%
Waitlist	Yes

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	No	–	–
Early Decision II	–	–	–
Early Action	Yes	October 15	January 31
Regular Decision	Yes	1 15	March 31

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Considering Applying Early to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill does not offer early decision but does offer early action.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is October 15. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will release EA admissions decisions no later than January 31.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accepts around 22% of early action applicants and 17% all applicants for all deadlines. In 2022, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admitted 7,696 of the 35,188 who applied early action.

Some students apply early to college to boost their chances of getting in. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of being admitted, since it demonstrates that you are very interested in a school.

➡️ Discover a list of some top colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Admissions

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How Challenging Is It To Get Admitted to UNC Chapel Hill?

UNC Chapel Hill is a very difficult school to get into. UNC Chapel Hill evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2022, UNC Chapel Hill accepted 17% of all applicants, around 9,640 from 57,221 applicants.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like UNC Chapel Hill, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT. Admissions to journalism, communications, math, nursing, pharmacy, public health, education programs is program extremely difficult.

For applicants who are non-residents, getting into The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is extremely difficult.

Transferring to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Transfer student admissions is very difficult.

For Students Waitlisted to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In 2022, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill waitlisted 7,258 students and 5,392 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 383 eventually got in.

What Does The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are are most important in the admissions process. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that put the most emphasis on the areas where you shine.

Admissions Factors at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What does The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
State Residency	Very Important
Talent/Ability	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Class Rank	Important
Volunteer Work	Important
Work Experience	Important
Academic GPA	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
First Generation	Considered

Make sure to check with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for more information on admission factors.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)	–	–	–	–
Letter(s) of Recommendation	1	–	–	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–
Other Requirements	√	–	–	counselors statement
Transcript of High School Record	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

Students admitted to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have an average unweighted GPA of 4.0. At The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 74% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 95% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	95%
3.75 and 3.99	3%
3.50 and 3.74	1%
3.25 and 3.49	1%
3.00 and 3.24	–
2.50 and 2.9	–
2.00 and 2.49	–

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 15% of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 60% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

To be competitive with other The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill applicants, you should strive to earn between 1350 and 1510 (or higher!) on the SAT. At The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1510 and 25% of scored lower than 1350, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student is 1416.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 670 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students scored 750 or higher, and 75% scored a 670 or higher.

To be most competitive at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, you should strive to earn between 28 and 33 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 33 means you fall in the 75th percentile for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 33, and three out of four students scored lower than 33 on the ACT.

A 28 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students. Only one out of every four students scored below 28.

More Information on Transferring to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is February 15. Applicants should hear back by April 15.

Transfer students can enroll in The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Does The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accept transfer credits?

✅ The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accepts:

• CLEP subject tests • DSST/DANTES

Does The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

❌ No, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you probably want to include them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's acceptance rate?

✅ The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's acceptance rate is 17%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

❌ The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill does not offer early decision.

What is the early action acceptance rate at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was 22% in 2021.

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