The Admissions Process
The Department of City and Regional Planning encourages applications from men and women whose intellectual ability, communication skills, motivation, and capacity for leadership give them strong potential for successful careers in planning.
Admission to the Graduate School of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is selective and the process is highly competitive. The Department considers all credentials submitted as part of the application. No single factor is regarded as qualifying or disqualifying. Factors considered in the review of all applications include grades and academic transcript, GRE scores, references, strength of courses and undergraduate institution, professional work experience, and statement of interest. The statement of interest should demonstrate understanding of and commitment to the planning field. The student's overall academic record should be strong with a grade-point average of B or better. The Graduate School guidelines recommend a minimum of 1000 combined score on both the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE. The prospective student must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Decisions on admissions are made by the Graduate School on the basis of recommendations from the Department.
In addition, the doctoral program gives special consideration to applicants whose research interests and career goals are well matched to those of the faculty.
The Department has a strong commitment to increasing diversity and providing opportunities for disadvantaged persons to enter the planning profession. We admit students from a variety of academic fields, work experiences, ethnic backgrounds, and geographic locations. Most successful applicants have planning-related work experience.
What do I need to submit?
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Application for Admission to the Graduate School.
Including a two-page statement of purpose, resume, and three letters of reference. - Please upload a completed version of the Supplemental Questionnaire with your online Graduate School Application ("Supplemental Documents" section). No action can be taken on your application until both this Supplemental Questionnaire and the Application for Admissions to the Graduate School are complete.
- Application fee of $78. Pay by credit card online, or send check/money order made payable to the University of North Carolina (application will be processed upon receipt of payment).
- One unofficial transcript from each university attended must be uploaded with the application. Please do not mail transcripts as that will significantly delay the processing of your application. If offered admission, one paper official transcript for each university attended will be required at a later date.
- Graduate Record Examination scores and TOEFL Scores (if applicable). Must be original or direct from Testing Service. UNC’s institutional code is 5816.
- Financial Certificate (non-resident aliens).
International applicants are encouraged to visit the UNC Graduate School website for more detailed information about TOEFL or IELTS tests and the financial certificate requirement.
Submit your Graduate School application via the online application for admission. This user-friendly, online application is faster and easier than completing a paper application and ensures the prompt receipt and distribution of your application information. You may check your application status online at http://my.unc.edu/dt.
Applicants are encouraged to submit all materials by December 13 to be considered for university-wide merit awards. The DCRP preferred deadline is no later than January 2nd. The department will continue to accept applications until March 15.
Individuals with special needs, or Internet access problems, can request a paper copy of the application from gradinfo@unc.edu.
Applicants are encouraged to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) at the earliest possible date. You should take the Aptitude/General Test. Information on the GRE is available at http://www.ets.org.
All questions concerning the application or application procedures should be directed to the Student Admissions Coordinator, dcrp-admissions@unc.edu at the Department of City Regional Planning. You may also contact the Student Services Manager at 919.962.4784, or turnerc@email.unc.edu.