Unc Employees: Can They Study Law?

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill offers a range of benefits to its employees, including tuition waivers for a limited number of courses. This benefit is available to full-time employees, as well as their spouses and dependent children, provided they are legal residents of North Carolina. While it is not clear if this waiver applies to law classes, UNC does offer a robust curriculum for its law students, including foundational first-year courses and opportunities to take law courses at Duke University or North Carolina Central University.

UNC tuition waiver program

The University of North Carolina offers a tuition waiver program for its employees. Full-time employees, or the spouse or dependent child of a full-time employee, who are also legal residents of North Carolina, qualify as residents for tuition purposes. UNC Health employees also qualify for the waiver. However, Teacher's Assistants, Research Assistants, Post-Docs, or Residents/Fellows of the UNC System are not eligible.

The waiver allows employees to take a limited number of courses free of charge. Employees can take one of the three tuition waivers for one course during the summer. This waiver also applies to mandatory student fees for the academic term, even if additional courses not covered under the tuition waiver program are taken. It is important to note that the tuition waiver does not cover all coursework and does not apply to course-related expenses such as laboratory, material, program, registration, or travel fees.

To receive the benefit, employees must be continuously employed during their enrollment and submit the necessary forms by the University census date for the term. The specific procedures and forms for using this benefit may vary for employees of other UNC System campuses, who should seek assistance from their campus Human Resources office.

The tuition waiver is considered reportable taxable compensation and is subject to social security, federal, and state tax withholding if the value exceeds IRS-established limits. Any tuition costs not covered under the Tuition Waiver Program remain the responsibility of the employee.

UNC School of Law enrolment

Enrolling in the UNC School of Law means joining a community of roughly 30 first-year students who take required courses together in their first and second semesters. This not only creates a solid foundation for a legal education but also fosters lifelong friendships and close relationships with professors.

The UNC School of Law seeks to ensure that its students are well-prepared to begin their legal careers. To that end, the curriculum in the second and third years of law school builds upon the fundamentals learned in the first year and allows students the freedom to develop a path that supports their unique career goals.

The UNC School of Law also offers a range of academic policies and support services to assist students in their studies. Students are required to seek consent for absences from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in advance of the class period. Additionally, students may not drop or add any course after the drop/add deadline except in unusual circumstances, such as an extended absence due to illness, and even then, only with the consent of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

The UNC School of Law also provides opportunities for students to take courses at other law schools, such as Duke University or North Carolina Central University, that are not regularly offered at Carolina Law. These opportunities are available through the interinstitutional program during the academic year, with no additional tuition charge.

Furthermore, UNC offers a tuition waiver program for its employees, allowing them to take a limited number of courses free of charge. This benefit is available to full-time employees, as well as their spouses or dependent children, who are legal residents of North Carolina.

Course transfer credits

The University of North Carolina (UNC) offers a tuition waiver program that allows full-time employees to take a limited number of courses free of charge. This benefit extends to the spouse or dependent child of a full-time employee, provided they are a legal resident of North Carolina. However, this waiver does not apply to state employees enrolled at UNC-Chapel Hill but is specific to UNC employees enrolled in courses at the university.

For UNC School of Law, the waiver allows employees to take up to three courses per academic year, which can be approved for tuition waiver. Any additional courses taken in the same term that are not covered under the tuition waiver program remain the financial responsibility of the employee.

Regarding course transfer credits, UNC School of Law students can take courses at other law schools, such as Duke University or North Carolina Central University, if those courses are not regularly offered at Carolina Law. These courses must be similar in content and academic rigor to those offered at UNC Law School for upper-level students. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is responsible for approving transfer credits, and students may be required to provide course syllabi, reading lists, and writing assignments to demonstrate the academic value of the proposed courses.

Additionally, UNC School of Law students can take graduate-level coursework in other departments at UNC-Chapel Hill, earning up to six hours of credit toward their law degree with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academics. It is important to note that credits for courses taken outside the law school cannot be used toward the 65 credit hours required to be earned in regularly scheduled law school classes.

Course auditing

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill offers a tuition waiver program for full-time employees, which allows them to take a limited number of courses for free. This benefit is also extended to the spouse or dependent child of a full-time employee, provided they are a legal resident of North Carolina. The waiver counts as one of the three courses per academic year that can be approved for a tuition waiver.

While UNC does not explicitly state that employees can take law classes, the UNC School of Law does allow students to audit classes with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, provided there is space available. However, it is important to note that auditing opportunities are typically reserved for enrolled law school students or other UNC students, and not generally offered to those outside the university.

UNC School of Law offers a comprehensive curriculum for students, with required courses in the first and second semesters, building a solid foundation for a legal education. In the second and third years, the curriculum expands on the fundamentals learned, allowing students to develop a path that aligns with their career goals. The school also encourages students to take graduate-level courses in other departments at UNC-Chapel Hill to enhance their legal education, with up to six hours of credit towards their law degree.

Additionally, UNC School of Law provides opportunities for students to take law courses at Duke University School of Law or North Carolina Central University School of Law, which are not regularly offered at Carolina Law, without additional tuition charges during the academic year. However, summer school courses are not covered by this interinstitutional program, and students cannot fulfill their writing or experiential requirements at these institutions.

UNC School of Law has a median GPA range of 3.68-3.77 and considers various factors when evaluating applicants, including undergraduate GPA, LSAT scores (up to five years old), extracurricular activities, and whether the applicant was employed while in school. The school also offers application fee waivers and deferrals for certain programs.

Application and enrolment FAQs

Yes, UNC employees can take law classes. The University of North Carolina waives tuition on a limited number of courses for full-time employees. This benefit allows employees to take courses free of charge. However, any tuition costs not covered under the Tuition Waiver Program remain the responsibility of the employee.

You can apply for the fall 2025 entering class by requesting an application fee waiver. You may also schedule an appointment to meet with an admissions representative, meet with a financial aid representative, tour the building, and/or observe a first-year class.

The median GPA range in recent years was 3.68-3.77. The Admissions Committee considers several factors when evaluating an applicant's undergraduate GPA, including trends in grades, extracurricular activities, and whether the applicant was employed while in school. While there is no required major, UNC suggests applicants have a well-rounded education that allowed them to develop critical and analytical thinking, reading comprehension, writing, and communication skills.

Carolina Law will accept LSAT scores that are up to five years old. The LSAT is offered multiple times a year; check the LSAC website for the most up-to-date information.

Yes, students may take law courses at Duke University School of Law or North Carolina Central University School of Law that are not regularly offered at Carolina Law. There is no additional tuition charge for courses taken through the interinstitutional program during the academic year. However, summer school is not covered by the program, and students may not fulfil their writing or experiential requirements with classes at these institutions.

Frequently asked questions