The UNC Policy Manual

700.1.3

Adopted 04/07/22

Amended 01/19/23

Amended 09/12/24

 

Policy on Nonresident Undergraduate Enrollment

 

I.                Purpose. To ensure that constituent institutions maintain a level of nonresident undergraduate enrollment consistent with historical University policy and tradition, and one consistent with strong and balanced educational programs, this policy defining nonresident undergraduate student enrollment has been promulgated by the Board of Governors.1 Each constituent institution has, since 1988, limited the proportion of students classified as a nonresident for tuition purposes2 in the entering fall first-time undergraduate class.3

 

II.              Requirements. Effective with the fall semester 2025, the following caps are established for students classified as nonresidents for tuition purposes in the fall first-time undergraduate class. The cap shall be equal to the percentage of the total number of first-time undergraduate students enrolled in the fall of the prior academic year.

 

A.              The cap shall be 18 percent for Appalachian State University, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and University of North Carolina Wilmington.

 

B.              The cap shall be 25 percent for East Carolina University, Fayetteville State University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Western Carolina University.

 

C.              The cap shall be 35 percent for North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University,4 North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina Asheville, and Winston-Salem State University.

 

D.              The cap shall be 50 percent for Elizabeth City State University.

 

III.             Penalties. Any constituent institution that exceeds their nonresident enrollment cap prescribed in section II, above, for two consecutive fiscal years shall have its State operating budget reduced. This reduction shall be made in the second fiscal year in which the two consecutive fiscal year condition is violated; the reduction shall be made, on a non-recurring basis, immediately after the Board of Governors reviews final fall semester enrollment figures. The budget reduction shall be based on the number of non- resident students for tuition purposes in the entering fall first-time class enrolled in excess of the specified institutional percent limitation and the established method used for calculating the operating requirements for regular term enrollment changes.

 

IV.            Pilot Programs. The Board of Governors may, on the president’s recommendation, authorize enrollment pilot programs that are exempt from the requirements of sections II., and III., of this policy.

 

V.              Academic Competitiveness. It is the Board's expectation that institutions will admit only academically well-qualified out-of-state students. In any year in which the average combined SAT score or ACT composite score for students classified as first-time nonresidents for tuition purposes are below that for students classified as first-time residents for tuition purposes, the president shall require a written report from the chancellor.

 

VI.            Other Matters.

 

A.              Effective Date. The requirements of this policy shall be effective as of the 2025-26 academic year.

 

B.              Relation to Federal and State laws. The foregoing policy as adopted by the Board of Governors is meant to supplement, and does not purport to supplant or modify, those statutory enactments which may govern or relate to the subject matter of this policy.

 

C.              Regulations and Guidelines. This policy shall be implemented and applied in accordance with such regulations and guidelines as may be adopted from time to time by the president.

 

 

 


1The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the constituent high school, may not admit or enroll out- of-state students, and therefore is not subject to this policy G.S. 116-235. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts nonresident enrollment levels shall not exceed 50 percent, per S.L. 1985-479, Sec. 73, and therefore is not subject to this policy.

2See G.S. 116-143.1 for the definition of nonresident student for tuition purposes.

3As reported by the institution to the UNC System Office and the U.S. Department of Education as defined by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

4Does not include undergraduate engineering students enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University per Board of Governors action, January 11, 2002.