UNC Charlotte is a publicly supported institution and primarily receives its revenue from the State of NC appropriations, in addition to tuition and fees. It is the combination of tuition and fees that primarily supports the operations and expansion of UNC Charlotte. Tuition and fees are approved by the Student Representatives, UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees, and the UNC Board of Governors. Tuition rates are also approved by the NC General Assembly. These fees are mandatory to every student and cannot be waived.
Tuition and fees are billed by credit hour for Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. 12 or more credit hours are considered full-time for undergraduate students, and 9 or more credit hours are considered full-time for graduate students.
Charges for tuition and fees vary according to the student’s status as a resident or non-resident of North Carolina. A non-resident student pays a higher rate of tuition than a legal resident. For more details, see the heading for Residence Status for Tuition Purposes later in this section.
For a complete list of current tuition and fees, visit the Niner Central website.
Graduate Tuition Increment
In addition to the tuition listed on the website above, there is an additional per term charge that is assessed to all students in specific graduate programs. See the Niner Central website for a list of applicable graduate programs and the cost of the increment.
| The University reserves the right, with the approval of proper authorities, to make changes in tuition and fees at any time. The University also reserves the right to correct any clerical errors on a student’s account. For the most current listing of tuition and fees at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, see ninercentral.charlotte.edu. |
Residence Status For Tuition Purposes
Tuition charges are based upon classification of a student as a resident or a non-resident of North Carolina for tuition purposes. The North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS), the sole authority for residency determinations, shall determine whether a student is a resident or non-resident for tuition purposes.
Residency Application Procedure
A new, incoming, or current student who wishes to request a residency classification will apply using the Residency Determination Service (RDS). RDS is the entity responsible for all new classifications of residency in North Carolina. To begin the process, visit www.NCresidency.org. ALL student inquiries about initial determinations, reconsiderations, or appeals, should be directed to RDS. Students may contact RDS at 844-319-3640 or rdsinfo@ncresidency.org.
Appeal Procedure
A new, incoming, or current student who has exhausted the residency application procedure and has been classified as a non-resident for tuition purposes, may request further consideration of that decision to the Residency Determination Service (RDS). RDS is the entity responsible for all classifications of residency in North Carolina. ALL student inquiries about initial determinations, reconsiderations or appeals, should be directed to RDS. Students may contact RDS at 844-319-3640 or rdsinfo@ncresidency.org.
Required Fees
The required fees included in the Tuition and Fees table above are explained below.
49er Card Access Fee
This fee supports the University’s 49er Card operations and support. The ID card is not only used for identification purposes, but also as a library card and as a campus card for dining and vending purchases. This fee does not cover the replacement of a lost or stolen card.
Ed and Tech Fee
This fee is directly related to the infrastructure supporting student technology needs across campus including hardware and software applications, supplies for educational materials, web services, laboratory expenses and equipment, public student computing labs, central email and Internet services, training classes and classrooms, and central help desk services.
Food Service Facilities Fee
This fee provides funds to support year-round access, maintenance, repairs, and operation of campus dining facilities.
Health Services Fee
This fee funds health and counseling services for students, which includes the operations of the Student Health Center, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Center for Wellness Promotion.
Niner Course Pack Fee
This fee funds the Niner Course Pack for students, which provides textbook rental course materials to students who remain opted into in the program. Students who wish to remove this fee must opt out of the program by the posted deadline each semester.
Safety and Security Fee
This fee provides funding for several of the recommendations made by the UNC Board of Governors’ 2013-14 UNC [system-wide] Campus Security Initiative report which include, but are not limited to: (1) campus police officer and telecommunicator compensation; (2) highly qualified and trained investigators and hearing officers for reports of serious offenses, such as sexual violence; (3) Title IX and Clery Act compliance coordination; (4) substance abuse counselors, case managers, and/or other counseling staff; and (5) system-level safety and security training, coordination, and audit functions. The fee may also provide funding to meet some additional campus-specific safety and security needs consistent with the report’s recommendations. The structure for this fee allows $26 of the $30 collected from each student per academic year to fund campus level and shared-services activities, while $4 of the $30 is allocated by the UNC General Administration for system-wide coordination, trainings, and other shared services functions.
Transportation Service Fee
This charge supports funding for Niner Transit (campus shuttle system), the Niner Paratransit service, and the CATS All-Access Pass. The services provide UNC Charlotte with efficient and safe campus transportation, reduce vehicular congestion, and decrease the demand for proximity parking.
UNC System Student Association Fee
This fee is a University of NC system-wide fee charged to all system students to support the University Of North Carolina Association of Student Governments. This association is a student led advocacy group whose main purpose is to ensure that the benefits of the University of North Carolina are extended to the people of North Carolina, as far as practicable, free of expense.
University Fee
This is a consolidated fee that relates to University debt service payments (to construct new facilities and purchase administrative computing systems) and to support other activities/operations including Athletics programs and events, Student Activity Center operations, and Cone University Center operations. The following fees are consolidated into the University Fee:
- Athletics - Funds intercollegiate athletics, including salaries and maintenance and operation of athletic facilities.
- Student Activities - Funds non-academic student services (student unions, intramural facilities, student organizations, newspapers, yearbooks, and entertainment programs).
- Debt Service - Funds the principal and interest for capital projects. Examples for UNC Charlotte include the Student Union, Football Stadium, and Student Activity Facility.
Special Fees
The following additional course fees are charged to cover the cost of supplies or special materials:
Application Fee
A $75 application fee must be submitted with the application for admission or $85 for an international applicant, and just $25 for applications as a post-baccalaureate. The fee is nondeductible and nonrefundable.
Credit by Examination Fee
A written examination for a course requires a fee of $15. A laboratory examination requiring the arrangement of such things as laboratory materials will require a fee of $25. A combination of a laboratory and written examination will require a fee of $30.
Matriculation Fee
Instead of paying separate fees for such things as new student convocation, commencement, and hardcopy academic transcripts, UNC Charlotte students pay a matriculation fee and receive these and other services at no charge. Students are charged the $150 matriculation fee upon entry into a baccalaureate, graduate certificate/master’s, and doctoral program at UNC Charlotte.
