UNC Charlotte breaks records for first-year, graduate and international student enrollments

September 12, 2023
Categories: General News Tags: Academic Affairs, Chancellor

This fall, UNC Charlotte welcomed to campus its largest-ever class of first-time college students. In combination with new highs for graduate and international students, and along with those transferring from other institutions, they pushed Charlotte’s total enrollment to 30,298. With this achievement, second only to the University’s record-breaking enrollment in fall 2021, UNC Charlotte’s undergraduate student enrollment continues as the second-highest for the UNC System’s 17-member institutions — and defies a trend toward declining enrollments underway in several regions of the country.

“Students are choosing UNC Charlotte for high-quality academics and research opportunities, the co-curricular and extracurricular options available to them — and much more,” said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “Charlotte is designated by U.S. News & World Report as the best city in North Carolina for young professionals and is ranked in the nation’s top 10. Through the University’s deep connections to Charlotte’s innovative tech, health care and financial industries as well as its vibrant cultural scene, students can envision themselves thriving here during and after college. UNC Charlotte is truly Charlotte’s great university.”

First-Year Class: Smart and Diverse

start of fall semesterThe composition of the new first-year class — whose numbers reach 4,501 — reflects Charlotte’s ascending academic excellence and the region’s growing diversity. With their arrival, first-time college students complete a total undergraduate population that identifies as 17% Black, 14.8% Hispanic and 5% multiracial. More than 9.7% of undergraduates identify as Asian American, a new high for Charlotte. Additional facts about first-year Niners:

Academically Ambitious

  • Average weighted high school GPA = 3.98, exceeding that of last year’s class.
  • Awarded more than $1.8 million in scholarships (to first-year students) for the academic year, rising 40% over last year as annual scholarships for all students increased to $7.1 million.
  • 40% are pursuing science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) majors.
  • 175 students were admitted to the University Honors Program