As the nation’s first public university, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has dedicated over 229 years to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and service to the people of North Carolina and beyond.

Carolina’s mission “is to serve as a center for research, scholarship and creativity and to teach a diverse community of undergraduate, graduate and professional students to become the next generation of leaders.”

Students, faculty and business leaders across a wide variety of industries who hire hundreds of our graduates each year say one of the great strengths of a Carolina education lies in the opportunities our students have to interact with and learn from classmates who bring different perspectives and life experiences to our community.

Carolina vigorously defended our undergraduate admissions approach before the U.S. Supreme Court as it weighed whether universities may continue to consider race as one factor among many in admissions decisions.

Students for Fair Admissions Inc., a private group, filed lawsuits against Carolina and Harvard University in 2014. A federal trial court overwhelmingly ruled in UNC-Chapel Hill’s favor; federal trial and appeals courts also sided with Harvard. In July 2022, a Supreme Court order reversed a previous decision to consolidate the two cases, which were heard separately in oral arguments in October 2022.

Our need-blind approach to undergraduate admissions reflects the University’s core values including a deep commitment to accessibility and affordability. Carolina long has been one of only two public U.S. universities to fully fund 100 percent of demonstrated need among eligible students.

We aspire to create a community where students who come to us with all kinds of experiences across North Carolina and beyond can excel and thrive.