Living at UNC-Chapel Hill

Do I have to live on campus? Does Carolina have separate residence halls for freshmen? Do most transfer students live on campus? Will I have good internet access in my residence hall? I'm from out of state. Will I feel comfortable at Carolina? I'm from North Carolina. Will there be too many people just like me at Carolina? How can I get involved while I'm at Carolina? What kind of service opportunities does Carolina offer? How can I participate in athletics? Can freshmen have cars on campus? Is there public transportation? What can I do with my free time in Chapel Hill?

Do I have to live on campus? No, students aren't required to live on campus. Still, almost all first-year students choose to live in University housing or in nearby Granville Towers. We encourage students to live on campus during their first year because learning takes place in the residence halls as well as in the classroom. Living on campus helps you get acclimated to the University and meet new people of various backgrounds and interests. TOP

Does Carolina have separate residence halls for first-year students? We don't designate any residence halls exclusively for first-year students. Instead, freshmen live in residence halls throughout all regions of campus. Students do have the option of several living and learning housing programs; among these are the First Year Initiative, a residential community designed to meet the academic and social needs of first year students and to integrate learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Read more about theme housing. TOP

Do most transfer students live on campus? Transfer students live both on and off campus. On-campus housing for transfer students is awarded on a space-available basis. Like a large number of upperclassmen, the majority of junior transfer students choose to live off campus in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community. Read more about off-campus housing. TOP

Will I have good internet access in my residence hall? Every residence hall room at Carolina is equipped with excellent access to the internet - a port for every pillow. You can read library catalogues and databases, send email, and check class web pages from your room. Each room also has a telephone line and cable hook-up. Read more about the Carolina Computing Initiative. TOP

I'm from out of state. Will I feel comfortable at Carolina? While it's true that enrollment in the first-year class is only 18 percent out of state, you won't find any wall between North Carolinians and residents of other states. For one thing, there are thousands of out-of-state undergraduate students on campus. For another, because North Carolina has become an attractive location for families from all over the country, many students who are classified as in-state residents are recent arrivals and have spent much of their lives in other locations. The variety is much richer, and the environment much more welcoming, than the 18-percent figure would suggest. It's also worth remembering that the University -- and the towns that surround it, Chapel Hill and Carrboro -- are well known for their tolerance, their open-mindedness, and their friendliness. It's also worth noting that transportation to and from Chapel Hill generally is a snap, with two major interstates and an international airport, Raleigh-Durham International, nearby. TOP

I'm from North Carolina. Will there be too many people just like me at Carolina? It's true that 82 percent of our enrolling first-year students each year are North Carolinians, and that most of these North Carolinians enter the University alongside one or more of their classmates. But these students find at Carolina opportunities few of them enjoyed in their high schools or their neighborhoods -- opportunities to exchange ideas, on a daily basis, with students from around the country and around the world; opportunities to study almost everything under the sun; opportunities to work alongside a university faculty that's among the best in the world. We offer a rich marketplace for diverse ideas and experiences. Every student from North Carolina or any other place in the world has the opportunity to design his or her personal educational experience. This ability to take ownership of your education defines the Carolina experience. TOP

How can I get involved while I'm at Carolina? With more than 600 officially recognized student organizations in areas such as politics, music, drama, hobbies, sports, community service, cultural awareness, social activism, and religious ideas, new students find venues for pursuing existing interests and exploring new ones. Students join in activities sponsored by their residence halls and some students participate in Greek life as well. Read more about student organizations. TOP

What kind of service opportunities does Carolina offer? Carolina has a long tradition of public service. Taking an active role in the Carolina community is one of the many ways that learning extends outside of classroom walls. Students not only participate in existing programs such as Habitat for Humanity, Big Buddy, and Project Literacy, they identify problems and develop plans to alleviate them. The APPLES service learning program provides the link between classroom learning and community work. Through a variety of programs, students create partnerships with faculty and community leaders in an effort to address social concerns and needs in North Carolina communities. By hosting 19 student committees, the Campus Y promotes social justice on campus, in the community, state, and throughout the world. Through the Black Cultural Center, students can help educate local youth about their heritage, culture, and community. TOP

How can I participate in athletics? Carolina takes great pride in the athletic achievements of our students, whether those achievements come at the varsity, club, intramural, or personal level. Every student has the opportunity to participate in athletic programs whether as a competitor, coach, or spectator. With 28 varsity sports teams, the Tar Heels compete in the Division I Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the premier athletic conferences in the nation. Students crowd the various sports arenas on campus to support their teams. Students compete in the sports club setting as well. Student organized and student run, these more than forty clubs provide a competitive atmosphere for students who wish to continue their high school athletic interests or to develop new skills in activities not available in many high schools such as fencing, crew, ice hockey, Ausie rules football, sailing and scuba diving. Intramural recreation leagues offer the opportunity for every person to participate in sports and physical activities. The student recreation center (SRC) serves also to meet individual fitness needs. Read more about campus recreation. TOP

Can first-year students have cars on campus? Is there public transportation? First-year students can't bring cars to campus. Upperclassmen may apply for a limited number of on-campus parking permits. Most students find that they do not need a car on campus. The campus is highly pedestrian oriented, and the vast majority of the classes for undergraduates are located in a concentrated area just a short walking distance from dorms. The University provides a number of highly efficient transportation options for traveling longer distances and providing safety at night. Point-to-point shuttle buses and vans that circle campus and SAFE escort, running from libraries to residence halls, are two of these options free of charge for students. The Chapel Hill transit system provides excellent transportation for campus and the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. A free bus runs a scheduled route around the campus, while separate bus routes accommodate residents traveling to other places in town such as the local mall. Read more about transportation. TOP

What can I do with my free time in Chapel Hill? Chapel Hill and the nearby town of Carrboro offer a variety of cultural events and entertainment. Several museums, including The Ackland Art Museum located on campus, host touring exhibits as well as permanent collections. Performances ranging from the North Carolina Symphony to rock concerts, from Broadway musicals to comedic performers such as Bill Cosby, take place yearly on the stage of Memorial Hall. PlayMaker's Repertory Company, a professional acting group, and the various student acting groups on campus provide the theater lover with choices throughout the year. Festivals and the thriving local music scene offer even more entertainment. The cities of Raleigh and Durham are only a short drive away, and some students find themselves making the occasional trip to the beach or the mountains, either of which can be driven in about three hours. TOP