University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)is one of the top-rated public universities in the US and a leading Public Ivy school as well as one of three institutions to claim the title of the nation’s first public university. Founded in 1795, it is known for the excellence of its teaching, its progressive values and Southern charm. All undergraduates receive a liberal arts education before specialising.

Academic highlights

UNC Chapel Hill constitutes one corner of the Research Triangle, which includes the two other North Carolina-based research-intensive institutes, Duke University in Durham and North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The 29,000 students are enrolled in 14 schools, plus the College of Arts and Sciences. UNC has produced Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winners alongside sports stars like Michael Jordan.

Location

UNC Chapel Hill's nearly 300-hectare campus is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a small college town with a vibrant music scene about 40 kilometres from the capital Raleigh. The campus is beautifully manicured and boasts several nationally significant historic landmarks among its buildings.

Did you know?

North Carolina State law requires that around 82 per cent of its students must be from North Carolina, making it even harder for everybody else to be admitted to this prestigious institution.

Handbook/Catalogue

Courses

Exchange students at UNC can take units in any department within the College of Arts and Sciences, which includes more than 40 academic departments and interdisciplinary curricula. Download the CAS Dept List to see all the departments and department codes in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Note that you will not be able to take more than two units in the Psychology and Economics departments and none in the professional schools.

Full-time Credit Load Equivalents

Academic Calendar

UNC 'Spring' Semester (Monash semester 1): early January – early May
UNC 'Fall' Semester (Monash semester 2): mid-August – early December

See UNC's academic calendar here.

Note

• The listed disciplines are not necessarily exhaustive and other fields of study might also be available at the institution.
• Approval to study particular subjects at any institution is always at the discretion of the departmental/discipline and faculty advisers in your managing faculty(ies) and subject to available places at the host.

Important notes

Exchange students at UNC can take units in any department within the College of Arts and Sciences, which includes more than 40 academic departments and interdisciplinary curricula. Download the CAS Dept List to see all the departments and department codes in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Note that you will not be able to take more than two units in the Psychology and Economics departments and none in the professional schools.

To begin your application and study plan, click the button below.

Apply here

Have you been to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and want to share your experience? 
Let us know about your exchange via this survey form and your testimonial could be shown here!

Moe Ayman
Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts
Semester 2, 2019
Studied: Politics, Philosophy units

Study Experience

Classes at UNC were very engaging and often involved discussion-based learning. I particularly enjoyed the smaller class size and the frequency of small assessments which meant that when the exam came around, it was only a small hurdle to overcome. Classes were unique and interesting. I did a unit called 'Baseball and American History' which was truly fascinating and informative. The lecturer had perfected the art of story-telling and provided a truly immersive experience.

Culture

UNC is first and foremost a college town. The entire community, economy and vibe revolves around the little slice of heaven on earth known as Chapel Hill. Everything is within a stones-throw away. Basketball at UNC is huge and basketball games form a huge part of the university experience. There is nothing like 'rushing' Franklin Street after UNC beats Duke in one of the most intense rivalries in all of sports.

I loved that everything and everyone was on campus. Friends, food, sports, classes were all accessible and prevalent. The inclusivity of the university and ease of accessibility made involvement in curricular or events that much easier. Exchange in America provided the opportunity to travel around both the east and west coasts, and weekend trips were quite common.

Benefits of going on exchange

Exchange has provided me with lifelong friends that I still keep in touch with till this day. It has taught me independence and interdependence (living with a roommate is both fun and challenging). I have explored many new interests, taken more calculated risks and have opened up many experiences I would otherwise have never tried.

Career Benefits

I now have a clearer understanding of where my interests lie, and what's important to me both professionally and personally. This has re-energised my career goals and aspirations.

Money and Budgeting

Definitely live on campus. I cannot stress enough how much this changes the experience. Particularly in America, with the dorm layout, living on campus is such a unique and worthwhile experience. You meet so many people down the hall, or in the common room. It's also so conveniently located. I would recommend living on North campus as opposed to South campus, but better to live on campus than not at all.

Top Tips

• Check out all the food and try everything- even the deep fried cheesecake at the State Fair.
• Travel lots and do at least one road trip- make friends with a local or ZipCar hires to under 25s (don't drive to the beach in a hurricane like we did).
• Embrace the college spirit- buy all the merch, paint yourself blue and cheer your head off (I still don't know how Gridiron works and it doesn't matter).