University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Founded in 1789, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is a public university. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,880 (Fall 2023) and is located on a 729-acre campus in a suburban area. The university operates on a semester-based academic calendar. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is ranked 27th in National Universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $9,003 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $41,211.

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, commonly referred to as UNC, offers a wide variety of student activities. Some of the most popular student organizations include UNC's student newspaper, The Daily Tarheel, and the student-run radio station, WXYC. nearly 20% students are members of Greek Life. Chapel Hill, which surrounds UNC, is often considered one of the best college towns in the U.S., with music, restaurants and shopping. Nearly half of all undergraduates live in residence halls or apartment buildings on campus. The North Carolina Tar Heels, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, is known for its men's basketball team, which maintains a storied rivalry with nearby Duke University and is one of college basketball's most successful programs. Former players include Michael Jordan and Vince Carter.

UNC has several colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts and Sciences, the undergraduate school. Graduate programs include the highly ranked Kenan-Flagler Business School, the School of Education, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, the Gillings School of Global Public Health, the School of Social Work, the Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and the School of Government. At least 82% of each freshman class is from North Carolina, as required by state law. Actor and former professional basketball player Rick Fox, 11th President of the United States James K. Polk, and former U.S. Senator John Edwards have all earned degrees from NC State.