Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
U. North Carolina Wilmington admits about 6 in 10 applicants (65%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 71% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$80 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 60%, women at 66%.
Yield
21% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
4 admitted from the wait list
Applying early
Early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Jan 20
No early decision plan.
Where you stand
How U. North Carolina Wilmington reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank is important; tests are considered. This college reports (average 4.09), which pile most students into the top band; the bands can't show how crowded unweighted GPAs are. Scores are recommended. 7% of first-years sent an SAT and 13% an ACT. Of the 79% whose high school reported a rank, 19% were in the top tenth. Recommends 2 years of foreign language. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Important | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Important | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program considered; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
91% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 65% of first-year applicants
3,755 applied · 3,415 admitted · 2,034 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall, spring, and summer.
At least 24 credits completed to apply as a transfer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.4
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by June 1
- Spring entry: apply by October 15
- Summer entry: apply by March 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Recommended
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Not required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by February 1 for fall 2026.
- Priority date: November 1. Applying by then can matter for scholarships, programs, or housing.
- Decisions are sent on a rolling basis starting January 20.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 1 week if admitted later.
- $150 housing deposit, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | – |
| Math | 4 | – |
| Science (lab: 1 / –) | 3 | – |
| Foreign language | – | 2 |
| Social studies | 1 | – |
| History | 1 | – |
| Total | 13* | 2* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
Recent change: Stopped requiring recommendations (still considered) in fall 2023.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 4.09, weighted
This average gives extra points for honors and AP courses, so it runs above 4.0 and can't be compared with an unweighted GPA.
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
At colleges with a weighted average, the “4.0” band seems to hold every GPA of 4.0 or more.
- 4.062%
- 3.75–3.9926%
- 3.50–3.7411%
- 3.25–3.491%
- 3.00–3.240%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.75–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 61.9% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 25.5% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 11.1% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 1.3% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 0.2% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
19% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 51% in the top quarter, of the 79% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1305 on the SAT, 135 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Recommended
Scores are recommended, not required. For students entering in fall 2027.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Score bands
13% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1400 or higher.
16% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
20% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
17% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
21% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
59% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 24–29.
Shares of the 7% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Shares of the 13% of first-years who sent an ACT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
216 studentssubmitted ACT
391 studentsRead with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)