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It is rare to find a college, even of the public variety, with an annual tuition figure only four digits in length. It is even rarer to find a university that provides an elite undergraduate education with numerous for such an affordable sum. UNC-Chapel Hill is one the finest higher education bargains in the United States, and, for North Carolina residents, is often a no-brainer first choice. Of course, when you offer a premier product at a bargain price, there inevitably exists a lengthy line of customers waiting to get into the door. UNC receives a massive number of applications each year, and while the overall UNC-Chapel Hill acceptance rate has been steadily dropping, your chances of admission change dramatically depending on whether you are an in-state or an out-of-state student—more on that later.

How to Get Into UNC-Chapel Hill

While you have to be at the top of your class to be seriously considered, it is relatively “easy” to gain acceptance as a state resident versus as an out-of-stater or international student. At the same time, those who seek to don the iconic powder blue gear representing this stellar state school should fully grasp the admissions landscape before them. The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to UNC-Chapel Hill an understanding of the following topics:

• UNC-Chapel Hill acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances using our free admissions calculator)
• UNC in-state & out-of-state acceptance rate
• UNC-Chapel Hill’s early action (EA) acceptance rate
• GPA, SAT, and class rank of accepted UNC-Chapel Hill applicants
• Admissions trends
• UNC-Chapel Hill’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates
• The percentage of accepted students that attend UNC-Chapel Hill (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to UNC-Chapel Hill
• How to approach the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays
• Whether UNC-Chapel Hill is transfer-friendly
• How to assess whether applying to UNC-Chapel Hill is even worth the $85 application fee (for you)

UNC-Chapel Hill – Admissions Calculator

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UNC-Chapel Hill Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2028, UNC-Chapel Hill received a whopping 66,535 applications. Of these applicants, 10,209 were accepted, yielding an acceptance rate of 15.3%, which is the lowest rate ever.

Historical UNC acceptance rates are as follows:

UNC In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate

It is important to note that it is far more difficult to gain acceptance to this university if you are not a North Carolina resident. In-state students make up 82% of the student body and the state government has set a hard cap of 18% non-residents, so the school does not have an inch of wiggle room.

For the Class of 2026 (most recent data available), the UNC out-of-state acceptance rate was 8% compared to an in-state rate of 43%.

UNC Early Action Acceptance Rate

There may be a quantifiable edge to applying early action to UNC-Chapel Hill. The EA deadline for this school is October 15th. EA applicants are generally accepted at higher rates than those in the RD round. However, much of this difference may be attributed to special populations (e.g., recruited athletes) applying in the early round. In one recent year, the UNC-Chapel Hill Early Action acceptance rate was 13 points higher than the overall acceptance rate.

What GPA do you need to get into UNC-Chapel Hill?

Among enrolled 2024-2025 first-year students (most recent data available), the average GPA was 4.49.

97% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 2% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Only 1% of students had a GPA between 3.25 and 3.74. Accordingly, if your GPA is less than 4.0, the chances of acceptance are very low.

What class rank do you need to get accepted?

Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, an impressive 77% hailed from the top 10%, while 97% earned a place in the top quartile.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for UNC-Chapel Hill?

According to the most recent statistics available (Class of 2028), the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1400-1530, which is up slightly from the previous year.

Admissions Trends & Notes

• The top 5 majors of incoming students were: Biology, Business Administration, Computer Science, Psychology, and Political Science.
• 6.3% are affiliated with the military.
• 81% of the Class of 2027 participated in community service in high school.
• 16% enrolling are first-generation college students.
• 15% of enrolled students want to become physicians
• In 2024, the UNC System Board of Governors updated the admission requirements. From 2025 onward, students with less than a 2.8 GPA will be required to submit either an ACT or SAT. (That being said, in 2024, the number of enrolled, first-year students with a GPA below 3.00 was 0%.)

How UNC-Chapel Hill Rates Applicants

UNC-Chapel Hill considers only one factor as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load. Items that are “important” as part of the admissions process are: class rank, GPA, essays, recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, and state residency (being from NC is a major advantage), volunteer work, and work experience. “Considered” factors are: first-generation status, legacy status, and standardized test scores.

The admissions staff reads every application carefully and discusses them “at length” before extending an offer of admission. In their own words: “As we sit down to read each application, we really don’t have an ‘ideal’ student in mind. Rather, we like being surprised by each individual applicant’s interests and talents. But some common themes still tend to emerge among our favorites: They’re smart. Motivated. Service-oriented. Curious. Creative. Courageous. The kind of people who will not only flourish in but actively enhance our community while they’re here.”

It is also worth highlighting that recruited athletes enjoy a huge edge. This is because UNC-Chapel Hill takes great pride in their . Overall, nearly 800 student-athletes are presently attending the university.

For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Who Actually Gets Into UNC-Chapel Hill?

Let’s look at the demographics of the student body. UNC-Chapel Hill enrolls students from 79 countries and 49 U.S. states. One recent freshman class was comprised of the greatest numbers of students from the following U.S. states:

1. North Carolina
2. Virginia
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. New York
6. Maryland
7. Pennsylvania
8. Texas
9. California
10. South Carolina

The fewest number of students came from the following U.S. states:

1. Vermont
2. Maine
3. New Mexico
4. Hawaii
5. North Dakota
6. Alaska
7. South Dakota
8. Iowa
9. Nebraska
10. Wyoming

Among non-residents, competition is stiffest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you hail from the Deep South like Alabama or Mississippi or a less-populated state like Wyoming or North Dakota, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown in the Class of 2028 was as follows:

• Caucasian/White: 63%
• Asian American: 26%
• Hispanic or Latino/Latina: 9%
• Black or African American: 5%
• American Indian: 1%

Looking at the gender breakdown, the university enrolls far more women than men:

• Men: 38%
• Women: 62%

Percentage of Class of 2027 members who…

• Completed an internship in high school: 23%
• Participated in arts and music: 46%
• Held a part-time job: 63%
• Had major family responsibilities: 9%
• Played JV/Varsity/club sports: 65%

Yield Rate

UNC-Chapel Hill’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—is 45%. This figure is comparable to other powerhouse state universities like the University of Michigan, UVA, and UCLA.

Tips for Applying

If you plan on joining the 67,000+ Tarheel hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• The university does not use interviews as part of their evaluation process.
• If you have a parent (or two) who attended the university, you will get special consideration in the admissions process. About 15% of the class of 2028 have a mother or father who graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill.
• UNC-Chapel Hill also does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the two short supplemental essays required by this school. They are as follows:

1. Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250 words)
2. Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (250 words)

For a detailed look at how to tackle these essays, visit our blog entitled: UNC-Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips.

Should I apply to UNC-Chapel Hill?

Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% range who are also at the very top of their respective high school class are absolutely viable candidates for UNC-Chapel Hill.

Moreover, if you live in North Carolina, your road to acceptance will be much smoother than if you are an out-of-state or international applicant. If you do not hail from the Tar Heel State, you will need to bring higher test scores and, possibly, a special skill or “hook.”

Do I have a better chance of acceptance as a transfer student?

Yes, you do! The UNC Chapel Hill acceptance rate for transfers is much higher than it is for freshmen. In the 2024-25 cycle, 1,713 students were accepted out of 4,692 applicants, meaning that the transfer acceptance rate is a very friendly 36%. Here is a sampling of past transfer acceptance rates:

Read more about Chapel Hill transfer rates and requirements here.

UNC-Chapel Hill Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts

It goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of UNC’s ilk also need to also have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. Need more on creating a balanced college list? Check out How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?

Additional resources you might find useful include:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts