Campus & Student Life at University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Home to about 14,650 undergraduates in 2020, UNCW is a large, public university located in Wilmington, North Carolina. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, UNCW offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by UNCW can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our UNCW Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

UNCW Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 6.0% of the student population at UNCW. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit UNCW Disability Services.

UNCW for the Military

While not a "service academy", UNCW does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. There is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit UNCW Veteran Services . For more information, check out our UNCW for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at University of North Carolina at Wilmington

UNCW offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at University of North Carolina at Wilmington

UNCW has a comparatively large, student body. There were 14,650 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 11,989 (81.8%). Part-time attendance was 2,661 (18.2%).

University of North Carolina at Wilmington is Ranked #1,724 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, UNCW is about average in terms of overall diversity. We rank UNCW #1724 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at UNCW by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the UNCW Diversity Guide.

University of North Carolina at Wilmington Competes in the NCAA

UNCW has a total of 365 student athletes, 174 men and 191 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to University of North Carolina at Wilmington Athletics