University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill, UNC, North Carolina or Carolina) is a public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university began enrolling students in 1795, making it one of the oldest public universities in the United States. The university offers degrees in over 240-270 distinct academic programs, divided among 13 professional schools and a primary unit, the College of Arts & Sciences. It is classified as "R1: Doctoral Universities – very high research activity" and is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). The National Science Foundation ranked UNC–Chapel Hill ninth among American universities for research and development expenditures in 2023 with $1.5 billion. Its endowment is $5.7 billion, making it the ninth-wealthiest public academic institution in the United States as of 2024. The campus covers 760 acres (310 ha), encompassing the Morehead Planetarium and the many stores and shops located on Franklin Street. Students can participate in over 550 officially recognized student organizations. UNC-Chapel Hill is a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which was founded on June 14, 1953. The university's athletic teams compete in 28 intercollegiate sports and are known as the Tar Heels. They have won 51 NCAA team championships in eight different sports which ranks eighth all time, and 52 individual national championships. UNC-Chapel Hill is one of three corners of North Carolina's Research Triangle. The other two corners are North Carolina State University in Raleigh and Duke University in Durham.