No, your financial aid package is based on an estimate called the Cost of Attendance, used to determine your need. This amount includes direct and indirect costs. To determine your actual cost, use the worksheet on the other side of this document. There are choices you and your family can make that can increase or decrease your cost, including: selecting a room that is not a standard double, opting into a different meal plan, choosing to waive your health insurance, and more.

Students beginning fall semester will have their bill with actual charges emailed to them during the first week of July.

Direct costs are determined by ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú and listed directly on your bill. This includes tuition (costs for classes), required fees and course fees, on-campus housing, a meal plan, and health insurance.

Indirect costs are estimates that the University provides families after regularly surveying current undergraduates on their lived experiences. The most common indirect costs include books and supplies; travel costs to and from campus each semester; and personal expenses, including personal hygiene items, clothing, and items for your residence hall.

The North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS), not ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú, is responsible for authorizing your residency status. Many factors impact a student’s residency, which could result in being designated out-of-state.

Students can visit ncresidency.org to receive a Residency Certification Number (RCN) and residency determination. Be extra careful that all the personal information you provide matches the information you included in your ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú application. Additionally, double-check that your RCN does not expire prior to the first day of classes if you completed the process more than one year earlier.

Students do not have to accept the loans packaged as part of their financial aid. Loans provided in your financial aid package generally have lower interest rates than private loans. If you’re unsure whether a loan is right for you and your family, we encourage you to meet with a Financial Aid Counselor to make the most informed decision possible.

Subsidized loans do not start charging interest until you either graduate or are not enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours). They are only available to undergraduates with financial need.

Unsubsidized loans begin to accrue interest once they are disbursed.

Direct PLUS Loans are available to parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for their college or career school.

No, ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú offers a monthly payment plan that students can opt into through Nelnet. Each semester, a new payment plan must be created by the student. The payment plan does not have interest charges or late fees. However, there is an enrollment fee of $47 to set up the plan.

Yes, the enrollment deposit of $300 is applied to the student’s first semester bill.

Please send the scholarship award letter or email to the Office of Financial Aid to add the scholarship to your financial aid package. The award letter or email must include the amount of the scholarship, your ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú Student ID Number, and the duration of the scholarship (semester or year). You can email the award letter or email to finaid@unca.edu, or the Office of Financial Aid can provide a secure link for you to upload the award in OnePort.

Undergraduate Students – Federal Subsidized Loans and Federal Unsubsidized Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025, and before July 1, 2026, have a fixed interest rate of 6.39%.

Graduate Students – Federal Unsubsidized Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025, and before July 1, 2026, have a fixed interest rate of 7.94%.

Parents and Graduate Students – Federal PLUS Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025, and before July 1, 2026, have a fixed interest rate of 8.94%.

These interest rates are set by federal law. Visit for more information.