For more information and resources, you can visit the UNC Graduate School website.
In many ways, Chapel Hill is the quintessential college town. It’s home to the first public university in the United States. You’ll see references to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill everywhere, from the fire trucks painted Carolina blue to the “Tar Heel” mentions in the names of many businesses.
The University’s oldest quads, McCorkle Place and Polk Place, stretch from the heart of campus to Chapel Hill’s main street, Franklin Street, where students find shopping, dining, and night life just steps from campus. Although Chapel Hill has a population of nearly 60,000 people (including thousands of University students, faculty, staff, and alumni), its downtown has a small-town feel.
Just one mile from campus, Chapel Hill merges effortlessly with Carrboro, a smaller town that boasts its own film festival and music festival. Both towns share a school system and public transportation but have separate governments.
Visit each town’s website to find all kinds of helpful information, from bicycle trails to local parks to voter registration. The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau website provides listings of hotels, restaurants, events, and things to do in the area.
Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
Larger cities are nearby — Durham (home to Duke University and North Carolina Central University) within 15 miles, Raleigh (home to North Carolina State University and several colleges) within 30 miles, and Greensboro (home to North Carolina A&T University and UNC Greensboro) within 50 miles.
Housing
Students are responsible for making their own arrangements for housing.
UNC-Chapel Hill offers two on-campus housing communities for graduate students. Mason Farm Graduate Housing is available for graduate students with or without roommates. A few apartments at Mason Farm include basic furnishings, but most are unfurnished. All apartments at Mason Farm include utilities.
Baity Hill Family Housing is available for graduate students with families. This community includes a playground and organized play groups for children. All apartments at Baity Hill are unfurnished, and all include utilities.
For students who prefer to live off campus, Chapel Hill and Carrboro provide many options — graduate student housing, apartments, condominiums, duplexes, houses, and more. Most (but not all) off-campus housing options are unfurnished and do not include utilities.
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Graduate and Professional Student Federation provides a convenient guide to housing for graduate students, with links to several apartment-finding tools.
If you have questions about lease terms or other legal concerns, the Carolina Student Legal Services program offers consultations for UNC-Chapel Hill students.
Transportation
Like most universities, UNC-Chapel Hill doesn’t have enough parking spaces for everyone who wants one! Parking options are very limited around Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building (home to our School).
Students, faculty, and staff take advantage of free public bus service through Chapel Hill Transit, with routes that serve both Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Bus service is generally available from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. on weekdays, although schedules vary by route.
Regional bus service is available between Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh through GoTriangle. Although there are fees to ride GoTriangle buses, UNC-Chapel Hill students and employees can obtain a free GoPass if they register for the Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP).
Both Chapel Hill Transit and GoTriangle serve park-and-ride lots in addition to regular bus stops.
There are two major bus stops near our School:
- 310 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill
(directly across from our School in front of the State Employees Credit Union) - 335 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill
(in front of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Health Sciences Library, a short walk from our School)
Both Chapel Hill Transit and GoTransit use these bus stops with multiple routes. These bus stops have shelters and electronic “arrival time” signboards.
UNC-Chapel Hill also offers other transportation options, including ZipCar rentals and P2P Express buses, for times when regular bus service is not available.
Please visit these websites for more information about transportation options:
UNC-Chapel Hill Transportation & Parking
Care for Loved Ones
UNC-Chapel Hill contracts with Child Care Services Association (CCSA), a nonprofit child care resource and referral agency, to help employees and students find affordable, high-quality child care in Chapel Hill and in Durham. You can find information about CCSA eligibility, types of care, costs, and other details on the UNC Childcare Resource & Referral Program web page.
UNC-Chapel Hill provides assistance for employees and students who need assistance finding elder care.
The Helping Heels Directory is an online list of individuals affiliated with the University (either employees or students) who offer child care, elder care, or pet care services. This list changes each semester; you can find a current link to the updated list on the UNC-Chapel Hill links above for both child care and elder care.
