2025-2026 First-Year Students
YOU’RE A NINER NOW.
Every great city needs a great university, and we are this city’s great university.
49ers are bold individuals who are ready to make their mark on the future in ways they only can at Charlotte. When you’re here, you won’t have to look far to strike gold. Our growing city’s momentum pushes our unstoppable community of leaders to grab on to opportunity and drive progress in Charlotte and beyond. CONTINUE YOUR PATH TO GREATNESS ONLY AT
EXPLORE YOUR MAJOR
With over 170 programs, Charlotte offers great opportunities to explore your academic interests. Our eight academic colleges provide you with a wealth of resources to be a future leader in your field.
Now that you’ve been accepted, learn more about your major! To find your major and connect with your academic college, visit academics.charlotte.edu. Explore student organizations and undergraduate research opportunities in your field.
If you haven’t decided on a major yet, don’t worry! Take advantage of your academic advisor, campus events and the University Career Center. You can even experiment with courses and internships to get a better sense of how you want to shape your future.
CELEBRATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Scholarships
The NinerScholars Portal makes it easy for you to apply through one online system for all scholarships you are eligible for. Institutional scholarships are not automatically awarded with an offer of admission to the University. Learn more at scholarships.charlotte.edu
Build your scholarship profile. Most of your information is automatically transferred into your profile from your admissions application.
Get matched to scholarships. The portal will determine your eligibility for available scholarships and immediately match you based on your profile. Submit your application to any of the available matched scholarships.
Check the NinerScholars Portal. View status updates and awards. Most scholarships are awarded in April and May for the following academic year.
The Honors College
From your first year through graduation, Charlotte offers several honors programs to elevate your experience in your academic college or your major department.
Honors students work closely with professors, actively participate in stimulating coursework, receive individualized honors advising and mentoring, connect with internships and research opportunities, are eligible for honors-associated scholarships and more. Learn more and apply at honorscollege.charlotte.edu
1,800+
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED EACH YEAR
LIVING
CAMPUS
Your residence hall is your home. It’s a place to make friends, explore your identity and make memories. You can even choose a learning community that’s linked to your area of study. Sushi or an acai bowl? A wood-fired oven pizza or a grilled cheese? Looking for something gluten-free and vegan? Maybe you just want some coffee and a place to study. No problem. Our dining locations offer you a place to kick back or fuel up. You can even practice your own culinary skills in our community kitchens.
BUILD COMMUNITY, BUILD SUCCESS
More than just a place to live.
Some of our residence halls are for first-year students ONLY!
Starting Fall 2025, incoming first-year students are required to live on campus. Living on campus helps you build your foundation for success at Charlotte. Research shows that living on campus contributes to greater overall satisfaction and success in college. Student residents develop strong friendships and connections, take advantage of academic and support resources and graduate at higher rates.
More than just community.
Beyond making strong connections with your peers, living on campus your first year offers several benefits:
• Academic Success. University research shows that students who live on campus in year one are more likely to return for year two and more likely to graduate in four years than those who live off-campus.
• Convenience. On-campus living puts you within walking distance to your classes, labs, libraries, events and sports facilities, making it easier to take advantage of these resources from day one.
• Connections. There’s many opportunities to build your community! You’ll form study groups and join clubs and engage in recreation and wellness activities, making memories that last a lifetime.
• Personal Growth & Support. Learn to live independently with a full support network of peers, resident assistants and building staff at your fingertips.
• Safety. Your security is incredibly important. Buildings offer robust security for on-campus residents, including limited building access, security guard, cameras and professional staff.
Exemptions
Living on campus may not be the right fit for every student and certain students may be exempted from living on campus. Visit housing.charlotte.edu/apply/first-year-live-requirement for more information.
UNIVERSITY RECREATION CENTER
At the University Recreation Center (UREC), you can enjoy great facilities, programs and services that promote an active lifestyle. UREC’s wide-range of services includes fitness, intramurals, sport clubs, aquatics, personal training, open recreation and special event programming. UREC also operates multipurpose facilities and outdoor field spaces. Visit urec.charlotte.edu to learn more, as we have something for everyBODY!
POPP MARTIN STUDENT UNION
When you open the door to the Popp Martin Student Union, you enter much more than a building. This is your place to get involved, meet new people, make life-long friendships and create campus memories. Make yourself at home!
EXPERIENCE THE PULSE OF THE CITY
UNC Charlotte’s campus gives you easy access to everything the city has to offer. However you want to get around, it’s just outside your door.
LIGHT RAIL
The light rail is a 22-min ride from campus to Uptown Charlotte
BUSES
Niner Transit buses are free with various routes on campus
AIRPORT
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is 11 miles from campus.
CAMPUS SAFETY
Charlotte is dedicated to providing a safe, secure and supportive environment as you pursue academic, professional and social opportunities. University police provide 24/7 service to the campus while emphasizing community-oriented policing that strives to foster a protective and accessible environment for the campus community.
Download the community LiveSafe mobile app that provides access to campus emergency resources and a direct line of communication with campus police via text and phone services. Blue light emergency phones are also placed strategically throughout campus providing students with an easy and reliable way to contact the police.
NinerAlerts
NinerAlerts are used to notify the campus community when an emergency, incident or inclement weather may threaten safety and operations. Students automatically receive NinerAlerts via email and text. Families can opt-in for alerts at emergency.charlotte.edu
BALANCE YOUR MIND & BODY
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
Highly recommend attending some wellness events to relax and recharge!
CAPS provides many services to promote positive mental well-being in Niner Nation. The center offers education, clinical and prevention-based services to encourage a healthy and resilient student body. Learn more about mental health education, group counseling and workshops at caps.charlotte.edu.
Student Health Center
The Student Health Center provides primary medical care and disease prevention as well as health education to all registered Charlotte students, regardless of the type of health insurance they carry. Services also include a full service pharmacy, nutrition services, immunizations and lab and x-ray services. Explore all health services studenthealth.charlotte.edu.
Center for Wellness Promotion
The Center for Wellness Promotion uses a public health model and effective prevention and health strategies to help students make informed decisions about their personal health and wellbeing. Their multidisciplinary team of professionals address many things from wellbeing and safety, sexual and relationship violence, recovery from substance use disorders and much more. wellness.charlotte.edu to explore their services.
Center for Integrated Care (CIC)
CIC is a one-stop shop for referral and linkage to wellbeing resources both on and off campus. CIC provides outreach and programming to encourage and provide more access to care for students who may be ambivalent, unsure or do not have the desire to seek more formal wellness services. To learn cic.charlotte.edu
GET INVOLVED
Charlotte is more than just a great campus, it’s a great community. More than 400 student organizations and countless leadership and involvement opportunities are at your fingertips on campus. Charlotte is where engagement leads to great success. Don’t miss your opportunity to forge your 49er destiny!
UTOP STUDENTS
COMMITTED TO YOUR SUCCESS
At Charlotte, we know every student needs different support to succeed. Whether it’s academic support offered by the University Center for Academic Excellence or personal support offered through the Dean of Students Office, you can count on Charlotte to be there for you. We also know that some students benefit from kick starting their college career before the first day of classes. If you think you might benefit from a head start, check out these programs:
University Transition Opportunities Program (UTOP)
UTOP helps facilitate your transition from high school to college through a rigorous six-week academic and peer mentorship experience. Students build a strong foundation in classes, earning seven credit hours toward graduation. Peer mentors assist you in becoming comfortable with campus living and building community before starting in the fall! Applications close in early June 2025. Apply and learn more at utop.charlotte.edu
49er Intensive Transition Program (FIT)
FIT offers incoming students an immersive student success experience two weeks prior to the start of the semester. Using a cohort model, FIT connects students with academic and social resources around a topic of interest such as computing, engineering, chemistry and more! You can also earn credit toward graduation through the program. Applications close in late July 2025. Apply at go.charlotte.edu/shegbo.
Students Achieving First-Year Excellence (SAFE)
SAFE is a peer mentoring and academic readiness program designed to help students succeed during their first year at Charlotte. SAFE eases the transition from high school to college and helps minimize academic, social and economic challenges by encouraging students to actively utilize Charlotte support services, peer to peer support, secondary academic advising and raising awareness of various campus resources. Participants can also attend SAFE Voyage, which takes place the week prior to the start of classes. Applications close in early July 2025. Apply and learn more at safe.charlotte.edu
VALUE THAT DRIVES YOUR FUTURE
Charlotte is one of North Carolina’s best educational values for in-state college students, according to Niche. Students from outside of North Carolina also enjoy one of the lowest non-NC resident tuition rates in the nation.
2024-2025 Tuition & Fees
+ Books and supplies, personal spending money & vehicle parking pass (if applicable) The Dubois Center
*Estimated costs are based on the 2024-2025 academic year approved rates
in Uptown Charlotte
FINANCING YOUR EDUCATION
U.S. News & World Report ranks Charlotte in the top 10 Best Value Schools in North Carolina and #3 of public NC institutions
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
There are many types of financial aid available to students including federal grants, state grants, student loans, parent loans and work-study employment. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only application required to apply for all types of financial aid.
HOW TO APPLY
In order to apply for financial aid, students must complete the FAFSA each year. Complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA at studentaid.gov. Be sure to list Charlotte’s school code (002975) on the application so that we receive your FAFSA.
On average, 75% of Charlotte students receive financial aid each year
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES
Making a Smooth Transition
Now that your student has completed the admissions process, they’re ready to start making the transition from high school to college. This is a fun and exciting time for the entire family, with lots of choices to be made. The Dean of Students Office and Transition & Success Initiatives offer an array of programs and services that can be of great benefit to your student – and can help make the transition go even more smoothly.
Dean of Students Office
The Dean of Students Office (DSO) serves as a central point of contact when students want to get involved, need to resolve a conflict, have questions about policies and procedures or are trying to identify campus resources and information that will put them on the path to success. With services that include support and advocacy, financial literacy and transition programs, DSO staff strive to see your student succeed at Charlotte and beyond. Explore much more at dso.charlotte.edu.
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Hey
49er Families! Want to hear something exciting? You’re a Niner now too! To keep you connected to this great University and to help you support your student, Transition & Success Initiatives (TSI) offers a variety of resources and experiences for family members. Get involved with TSI at tsi.charlotte.edu
49er Family Hub. Families are invited to join this portal that is designed to enhance your Niner Nation family experience by providing you with customized newsletters and access to information, news and resources curated for Charlotte families.
Niner Nation Family Association (NNFA). Joining NNFA gives members access to additional publications, events and volunteer opportunities. Families also receive priority registration for all TSI family events, like Family Weekend, and you can sign up through the Hub.
Family Weekend. Get a bird’s-eye view of your student’s college life by experiencing Family Weekend, hosted every fall at Charlotte! This special weekend provides families with an opportunity to visit the University and to participate in many fun activities, including athletic events and information sessions provided by students and campus partners. Family Weekend is open to all parents and families.
Guest Access Portal & FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted in 1974 and affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. The primary purpose of FERPA is to protect the privacy of student information, and this protection is achieved by controlling access to and disclosure of students’ education records. This means that parents and family members will not have access to their student’s records unless the student grants view access via the Guest Access Portal.
For more information, view University Policy 402 at legal.charlotte.edu/legal-topics/ferpa. All questions concerning this policy may be directed to Niner Central.
