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← Back to University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

💰 University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Merit Scholarships

Total Scholarships
10
Automatic
4
In-State Awards
$3,000/yr
Out-of-State Awards
$3,000/yr
Multi-Year Awards
$500-$7,000 total
Typical Requirements for Automatic Merit
Requirements vary by scholarship

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill offers 10 merit scholarships. Awards run $3,000/yr for out-of-state students. Against tuition of $39,228, students receiving the largest award pay about $36,228 a year before other aid.

What you'd actually pay at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Tuition & fees
$39,228
−
Largest annual award
$3,000
=
Students receiving it pay about
$36,228/yr

Tuition and fees only — housing (about $13,804), books and travel are extra. Awards must still be won and may carry renewal conditions. Need-based aid is separate and may reduce this further.

Official Scholarship Information
View complete details on University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's website
Visit School Website →

Automatic merit scholarships at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill — no separate application

4 awards granted on your admission application, based on GPA and test scores.

Academic Scholarships (various)
Award
$3,000/yr in-state
$3,000/yr out-of-state
Scholarships range in value from $3,000 all the way up to full cost of attendance.
Eligibility: The University offers academic scholarships based on a detailed and comprehensive review of your application for admission. There is no minimum GPA or test score required for consideration, nor is there any GPA or test score that guarantees a scholarship offer.
How to apply: ["most scholarships: no additional application materials (considered by applying for admission)", "submit FAFSA and CSS Profile by stated deadlines for scholarships with financial need"]
Source ↗
College Fellows and Tar Heel Merit Scholarships
College Fellows and Tar Heel Merit Scholarships are renewable for up to four years (eight semesters) of undergraduate study at Carolina.
Eligibility: College Fellows and Tar Heel Merit Scholarships are awarded to high-achieving students from North Carolina. Recipients demonstrate outstanding academic achievement in high school as well as supplementary extra-curricular achievements.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by Early Action or Regular Decision", "selection based on comprehensive review of admission application"]
📋 Scholarships are renewable for up to four years (eight semesters) of undergraduate study at Carolina. Source ↗
Fellowships (Gillings School of Global Public Health)
Fellowships are merit based and awarded at the time of admission or soon after.
Eligibility: Fellowships are merit based and awarded at the time of admission or soon after. Departments submit funding award nominations.
How to apply: ["apply for financial aid through OSSA (FAFSA)", "departmental nomination for departmental funding"]
Source ↗
University Merit Scholarship Program (Speech and Hearing Sciences)
The Merit Scholarship program is a University-wide competitive program. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit.
Eligibility: Applicants admitted to the program with superior GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and leadership potential will be nominated by the admissions committee for the award. No other information is required.
How to apply: ["nomination by the admissions committee", "admission to the program"]
Source ↗

Other scholarships at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (6)

These require a separate application, or the school does not publish their eligibility criteria.

State Merit Scholarship for Needy Students (statutory limit)
$1,000/semester
Limits the scholarships to $1,000 per academic semester and requires that it be used for costs of attendance.
Eligibility: Enacts new GS 115C-499.10 to provide that a student who is eligible for a scholarship for needy students under GS 115C-499.2 is also eligible for an additional merit scholarship if the student graduated from high school earning a grade point average of at least 3.0.
Source ↗
Doctoral Merit Fellowship/Assistantship
The Graduate School offers competitive funding packages for incoming students: Master's Merit Fellowship/Assistantship and Doctoral Merit Fellowship/Assistantship.
Eligibility: Departmental nomination required. Students cannot apply directly for some awards; you must be nominated in the admissions application process.
How to apply: ["submit online award application", "departmental nomination required", "letters of recommendation (if applicable)"]
Source ↗
Incoming Student Scholarships (UNC School of Medicine)
When you apply for financial aid, you will automatically be considered for all the types of assistance for which you are eligible, including both loans and scholarships. The Financial Aid Office creates a financial award for you with various different sources, the majority of which are loans and some of which are scholarships.
Eligibility: Scholarships are awarded from the Scholarship Committee based on review of your scholarship application, which is provided to you directly upon acceptance to UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Both merit and need are considered when the Scholarship Committee evaluates applicants.
How to apply: ["complete scholarship application provided upon acceptance to the MD Program", "review by Scholarship Committee"]
Source ↗
Kenan-Flagler merit scholarships (study abroad)
$500-$1,500
Merit scholarship awards typically range from $500-$1,500, depending on the type of study abroad program. Phillips Ambassador Scholarship recipients receive $7,000 for eligible in-person semester or summer study abroad programs.
Eligibility: UNC Kenan-Flagler Undergraduate Business Program students and Future Business Admit students who study abroad on certain programs in Asia are eligible for the Phillips Ambassador Scholarship. Merit scholarships are prioritized for first-time study abroad participants through FBA and UBP Global Programs.
How to apply: ["submit completed scholarship application form (embedded within global program application)", "resume", "personal statement", "application is embedded in UBP Global program application/FBA Global Program Application"]
Source ↗
Master’s Merit Fellowship/Assistantship
The Graduate School offers competitive funding packages for incoming students: Master's Merit Fellowship/Assistantship and Doctoral Merit Fellowship/Assistantship.
Eligibility: Departmental nomination required. Students cannot apply directly for some awards; you must be nominated in the admissions application process.
How to apply: ["submit online award application", "departmental nomination required", "letters of recommendation (if applicable)"]
Source ↗
Phillips Ambassador Scholarship
$7,000
Merit scholarship awards typically range from $500-$1,500, depending on the type of study abroad program. Phillips Ambassador Scholarship recipients receive $7,000 for eligible in-person semester or summer study abroad programs.
Eligibility: UNC Kenan-Flagler Undergraduate Business Program students and Future Business Admit students who study abroad on certain programs in Asia are eligible for the Phillips Ambassador Scholarship. Merit scholarships are prioritized for first-time study abroad participants through FBA and UBP Global Programs.
How to apply: ["submit completed scholarship application form (embedded within global program application)", "resume", "personal statement", "application is embedded in UBP Global program application/FBA Global Program Application"]
Source ↗

Deadlines that affect merit consideration at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Early Action
10/15/2025
Regular Decision
01/15/2026

Common questions about University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill scholarships

How much merit aid does University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill give?

Published awards range $3,000/yr. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill lists 10 merit scholarships in total.

Does University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill give merit scholarships to out-of-state students?

Yes. Awards for out-of-state students run $3,000/yr.

Is there a full-ride scholarship at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill?

Not a full ride. The largest published award covers about 8% of tuition.

When is the scholarship deadline at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill?

Merit consideration usually follows the admission deadline, which is 10/15/2025. Confirm scholarship-specific dates with the financial aid office.

💡 Tip: Award amounts and cutoffs change year to year. Confirm current figures with University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's financial aid office before making decisions — or check their scholarship page.

More on University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

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