Access Asheville

students sitting in a circle on the grass

Expanding Affordability in the Region

UNC Asheville remains committed to creating access and affordability to higher education for our local community, our state, and our surrounding region. Our Access Asheville financial aid program continues to succeed in meeting the financial needs of low- and middle-income families from North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the university is excited to announce that students and families with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less are now eligible for the program.

Household AGI: $100K or less
North Carolina residents
Full tuition and mandatory fees guarantee
$7,628 minimum savings*

Residents of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia
Tuition and mandatory fees coverage
$14,914 minimum savings*
*Valued as of the 2026-2027 academic year.

First-year and transfer students from NC, GA, SC, TN, and VA applying to UNC Asheville for Fall 2027 and beyond are eligible if their household adjusted gross income (AGI) is $100,000 or less.*

Eligible North Carolina residents are guaranteed to have tuition and mandatory fees covered after all federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships are applied, with a minimum annual savings of $7,628 per student.

Eligible residents from GA, SC, TN, and VA are guaranteed to have all but $10,000 of their tuition and mandatory fees covered after all federal and institutional grants and scholarships are applied—a minimum annual savings of $14,914 per student.

Families can estimate their remaining expenses, including room and board and other indirect costs, by visiting UNC Asheville’s Net Price Calculator.

Students may be eligible for additional financial support upon enrollment, including Federal Work-Study and loans. Students can also apply for institutional scholarship after committing to UNC Asheville.

Qualification for Access Asheville requires the successful completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). North Carolina students must also complete the residency determination process through the North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS).

Scholarship and grant funding from Access Asheville is available for up to eight semesters for first-year students and seven semesters for transfer students, or until degree completion, whichever occurs first. All eligibility and financial aid requirements indicated below must be met annually.

*Students who received Access Asheville in Fall 2024 and/or Spring 2025 must be NC residents and annually demonstrate an AGI of $80,000 or less. Students who received Access Asheville in Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Fall 2026, and/or Spring 2027 must be residents of NC, GA, SC, TN, or VA and annually demonstrate an AGI of $90,000 or less.

Eligibility Criteria:

    • Students must annually complete the FAFSA by UNC Asheville’s priority filing deadlines (fafsa.gov).

    • Students must be NC residents as determined by the NC RDS (ncresidency.org) or have a permanent address in GA, SC, TN, or VA listed on their FAFSA.

    • Students must enter as new first-year or transfer undergraduates pursuing their first bachelor’s degree.

    • Students must pursue a course load of at least 12 CPOS credit hours per semester. A course load of 15 CPOS credit hours per semester is recommended for a pathway of completing your degree in four academic years. CPOS is the Course Program of Study requirement.

    • Students must maintain continuous enrollment at UNC Asheville.

    • Students can only qualify for Access Asheville beginning their first semester at UNC Asheville.

    • No separate application is required to qualify for Access Asheville.

Admission

    • First-year students must apply to UNC Asheville using Common App (commonapp.org) or the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) application (cfnc.org).

    • Students entering fall semester must apply by the February 1 Regular Decision deadline.

    • Students entering spring semester must apply by November 15.

Financial Aid

    • Students must annually submit the FAFSA at fafsa.gov to UNC Asheville using Federal School Code 002907 by the appropriate priority deadline:

        • Fall enrollment: March 1

        • Spring enrollment: November 15

    • For questions about the FAFSA (or to request a paper FAFSA), please call the U.S. Department of Education at 1.800.433.3243. If you have a hearing disability, you can call the TDD number at 1.800.730.8913.

Residency

NC students must complete residency determination through North Carolina RDS at ncresidency.org.

Admission

For students applying to Spring 2025 and onward:

    • Transfer students must apply to UNC Asheville using Common App (commonapp.org) or the College Foundation of North Carolina application (CFNC, cfnc.org).

    • Students entering fall semester must apply by June 15.

    • Students entering spring semester must apply by November 15.

Admission

    • Transfer students must apply to UNC Asheville using Common App (commonapp.org) or the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) application (cfnc.org).

    • Students entering fall semester must apply by June 15.

    • Students entering spring semester must apply by November 15.

Financial Aid

    • Students must annually submit the FAFSA at fafsa.gov to UNC Asheville using Federal School Code 002907 by the appropriate priority deadline:

        • Fall enrollment: March 1

        • Spring enrollment: November 15

    • For questions about the FAFSA (or to request a paper FAFSA), please call the U.S. Department of Education at 1.800.433.3243. If you have a hearing disability, you can call the TDD number at 1.800.730.8913.

Residency

NC students must complete residency determination through North Carolina RDS at ncresidency.org.

Financial Aid

    • By May 1, students must annually submit the FAFSA at fafsa.gov to UNC Asheville using Federal School Code 002907.

    • For questions about the FAFSA (or to request a paper FAFSA), please call the U.S. Department of Education at 1.800.433.3243. If you have a hearing disability, you can call the TDD number at 1.800.730.8913.

Students who began at UNC Asheville in Fall 2024 or Spring 2025:

    • Students must have an AGI less than or equal to $80,000 every year they submit their FAFSA.

    • When they applied to UNC Asheville, students must have submitted their 2024-2025 FAFSA by the appropriate priority deadline:

        • Fall first-year: March 1, 2024

        • Fall transfer: March 15, 2024

        • Spring first-year or transfer: November 15, 2024

Students who began at UNC Asheville in Fall 2025 through Spring 2027:

    • Students must have an AGI less than or equal to $90,000 every year they submit their FAFSA.
    • When they applied to UNC Asheville, students must have submitted either their 2025-2026 FAFSA or their 2026-2027 FAFSA by the appropriate priority deadline.
      • Fall first-year: March 1, 2025 or March 1, 2026
      • Fall transfer: March 15, 2025 or March 15, 2026
      • Spring first-year or transfer: November 15, 2025 or November 15, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

No, there is no additional application for Access Asheville. Students must apply to UNC Asheville using Common App or the CFNC Application. Additionally, they must submit the FAFSA. NC students must submit their residency determination through NC RDS.

If you are a NC resident with an AGI of $90,000 or less applying for your first bachelor’s degree, you are eligible for in-state Access Asheville. Tuition and fees are fully covered by federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships.

If you are a GA, SC, TN, or VA resident with an AGI of $90,000 or less applying for your first bachelor’s degree, you are eligible for out-of-state Access Asheville. Tuition and fees are reduced to a maximum of $10,000 after all federal and institutional grants and scholarships are applied.

You are not eligible for Access Asheville if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • You are a current undergraduate who enrolled prior to Fall 2025 from GA, SC, TN, or VA.

  • You are a post-baccalaureate student or a non-degree seeking student.

  • You are not a resident of NC, GA, SC, TN, or VA.

  • You do not submit a FAFSA.

  • Your household AGI is greater than $90,000 annually.

  • You are not a U.S. citizen.

Private scholarships are not factored into Access Asheville coverage. Access Asheville is only funded by federal, state, and/or institutional grants and scholarships. Any private scholarships are applied in addition to Access Asheville funding.

No, Access Asheville only covers fall and spring semesters.

You can only qualify for Access Asheville at the start of your first semester at UNC Asheville. Your Access Asheville program is determined by NC RDS or FAFSA permanent address at the time of your first semester.

If your NC RDS residency determination or FAFSA permanent address changes during your enrollment, you can speak with the Director of Financial Aid to determine if you are eligible to maintain your Access Asheville package.

Have Questions? Contact the Financial Aid Team! 

Ask questions and get advice from the University of North Carolina Asheville if you need assistance with applying for Financial Aid.

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 828.251.6535
Email: finaid@unca.edu
Federal School Code for FAFSA: 002907

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