UNC Asheville Expands Eligibility, Geographic Reach for Groundbreaking Aid Program

Building on a successful launch, the University of North Carolina Asheville is introducing a major expansion of Access Asheville, a financial aid initiative supporting low- and middle-income students.

This two-pronged move will allow more applicants to qualify for robust aid by increasing the program’s income ceiling and extending eligibility to applicants from Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Access Asheville began awarding aid to North Carolinians for the Fall 2024 semester.

“The goal of Access Asheville is to offer a quality education at an affordable cost,” University Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said. “Because of the high level of interest in the first year, we are gratified not only to continue Access Asheville but also increase the number of eligible applicants.”

Under the program’s expansion, qualifying applicants from North Carolina with family adjusted gross income (AGI) of $90,000 or less are guaranteed full coverage of tuition and fees through federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships. Eligible Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia residents who meet the $90,000 income threshold are guaranteed to have tuition and fees reduced to $10,000 after the University applies all federal and institutional grants and scholarships — a minimum annual savings of $14,849 per student. 

The eligibility changes take effect for new first-time and transfer students applying to enroll for the 2025-26 academic year. 

UNC Asheville launched Access Asheville in October 2023 to make an exceptional, transformative education attainable for qualified North Carolinians whose family AGI was $80,000 or less. For participating in-state students, minimum annual savings for the 2024-25 year amount to $7,501 apiece. Their minimum savings in 2025-26 will depend on the fees and tuition rates that the UNC System Board of Governors determines in February.  

Interest in Access Asheville has been overwhelmingly positive, with 216 new first-year and transfer students enrolling at UNC Asheville in Fall 2024 through the groundbreaking program. Together they represent 21.5 percent of all new students and are part of the third-largest entering class in the University’s history.

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. Students may be eligible for additional financial support upon enrollment, including federal work study and loans. After attending at least one semester at UNC Asheville, students can also apply for academic scholarships.

Families can estimate remaining expenses, including room, board, and other indirect costs, through the Net Price Calculator at https://unca.edu/npc. For complete information about Access Asheville, visit https://unca.edu/accessasheville.