This resources page is designed to assist families, mentors, faculty, staff, and others who are guiding students through their UNC Asheville experience.
If you have questions that aren’t addressed here or would like to add a resource, please email webmaster@unca.edu.
Quick links to topics below:
- Academics
- Campus Life
- Emergency Information
- COVID-19
Academics
Academic Services and Support
The Academic Success Center is students’ one-stop-shop for all things related to academics. All students are encouraged to take advantage of the services within the Academic Success Center, not only those who may need academic help.
Academic Success Center Offices & Departments include:
- Academic Advising – All students have an academic advisor who assists them in planning their course schedule during the advising period before class registration opens each semester. First-year students are assigned an academic advisor. Once they declare a major, they have a faculty advisor from their department. Students can reach out to their advisor at any point in the semester to discuss academic concerns or challenges, or to ask questions about specific classes or programs of study.
- Career Center – The Career Center assists current students in finding on- and off-campus jobs and internships, provides resume help and interview prep, and help with graduate and professional school applications. Services are also available to alumni.
- Office of Accessibility – Students in need of temporary or long-term academic accommodations should request them through this office.
- Office of the Registrar – The Office of the Registrar maintains the:
- Academic Calendar
- Course Schedule
- Class Registration Schedule (more details on class registration below)
- official course catalog, which includes credit requirements for every major, minor, and academic program
- Peer Tutoring – Students can receive tutoring from peers across a variety of subjects. Students in need of math tutoring should visit the Math Lab.
- Student Accounts – The Office of Student Accounts issues tuition bills, processes payments, and issues refunds.
- Study Abroad – Students interested in studying abroad should start by scheduling an appointment with the Study Abroad Office.
- Writing Center – The Writing Center supports writers through one-on-one consultations with student writing consultants for any writing project at any stage.
Contact the Academic Success Center at asc@unca.edu, and visit the departmental websites above for specific contact info.
Class Registration
- Finding classes
- How to register for classes
- Instructions for incoming first-year students
- Instructions for transfer students
- Working with an academic advisor
- GradPlan, our graduation planning tool (located in OnePort, the campus community portal)
- Getting on a waitlist when a class is full
- Adding/dropping classes
- Withdrawing from a class
- How and when to drop or add a class
- Resolving financial holds on a student’s account (holds prevent class registration)
Find other helpful how-tos on the Registrar’s website.
Financial Aid
The financial aid website provides information on different types of aid and what’s available at UNC Asheville, how to apply for aid, how to accept a financial aid award, and more. Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions:
- FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – Receiving federal financial aid begins with completing the FAFSA. Students seeking federal aid must complete it each year. UNC Asheville’s FAFSA code is 002907.
- Net Price Calculator – This tool provides students with estimated net price information (defined as estimated cost of attendance — including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board (meals), and other related expenses — minus estimated grant and scholarship aid) based on what similar students paid in a previous year.
- Schedule an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor
Contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@unca.edu or call 828.251.6535.
Commencement
UNC Asheville holds Winter Commencement in December and Spring Commencement in May each academic year. All Commencement information is posted at unca.edu/commencement as soon as it becomes available.
All students must apply for graduation. See the Registrar’s website for application details and other important deadlines regarding graduation.
Campus Life
It’s vital that students regularly check their UNC Asheville email account. This is the primary way the university communicates official information to students. UNC Asheville uses Gmail, and all members of the campus community have access to the applications in the Google Suite.
If students are unable to log in to their email, they should contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@unca.edu or 828-251-6445.
OneCard
All students, faculty and staff are issued a OneCard when they become part of UNC Asheville’s campus community. Your OneCard serves as a campus ID and debit card that can be used for on-campus purchases and payments as well as building access. You can also use your OneCard to get discounts at participating businesses in Asheville. If you lose your OneCard or need a replacement, contact onecard@unca.edu or call 828-251-6767.
OnePort
OnePort is our campus portal. Most secure processes take place in OnePort, including class registration, accepting financial aid awards, submitting timesheets for on-campus employment, and more. Students are issued a OnePort log-in when they are admitted. We advise students to use the same password for OnePort and their email. You can find OnePort at oneport.unca.edu.
If students are unable to log in or access OnePort, they should contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@unca.edu or 828-251-6445.
Orientation
EmBark Orientation is required for all first-year and transfer students, and is conducted by our Office of Transition & Parent Programs. Students will receive emails regarding orientation registration and programming. They can also find information on the .
Students may also be interested in pre-orientation, an optional program of activities and outdoor excursions that takes place before orientation to help first-year students get to know Asheville and each other.
Dining & Housing
UNC Asheville contracts with Chartwells for all dining on campus. We have several locations with a variety of options that offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free fare.
- Dining
- Meal plans
- Dining locations and food options
- How declining balance works
- For food allergies or dietary restrictions, contact Chartwells’ registered dietician.
- For other dining questions, contact Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Nancy Yeager at nyeager@unca.edu.
- Housing
- About the residence halls and virtual tours
- Applying for on-campus housing (see the Apply for Housing menu for current and incoming student applications)
- How move-in works
- Living Learning Communities
- The Honors Program Learning Community
- Residential Learning Community
- Requesting maintenance – email resmaint@unca.edu
- Housekeeping – Routine housekeeping of common areas in the residence halls is provided by UNC Asheville; however, students are expected to clean their own rooms and community kitchens after use.
- What students can and can’t have in their rooms
- How to find a roommate
- What to do about roommate issues – Students should consult with their Resident Assistant (RA). They will meet their RA at move-in and receive their contact info.
- Student Mail Center
- Can students stay on campus during breaks?
- Emergency Contact Info
- Housing Office Contact Info (regular hours): reslife@unca.edu, 828.251.6600.
Student Union
Highsmith Student Union is UNC Asheville’s student center and includes:
- Student Mail Center
- Bookstore
- Food Court
- Game Room
- Bike Shop
- ATM
- Student organization offices:
- Student Government Association
- Student Environmental Center
Other offices that provide programs and services for students include:
- Key Center for Community Engaged Learning
- Office of Multicultural Affairs
- Office of Transition and Parent Programs
Find hours of operation for Highsmith here.
Student Events & News
Highsmith Union also manages UNCA Now, the student events and organizations app. Students should check this app regularly to find engagement opportunities on campus.
Students also receive a weekly e-newsletter, Around the Quad, every Wednesday.
Health & Fitness
- – All students are entitled to use Health & Counseling Center’s services are available to all students free of charge.
- Immunizations requirements and how to submit proof
- Health Insurance
- Using the student portal (set this up before going to Health & Counseling)
- Campus Recreation
- Outdoor Programs
- Fitness Facilities
- Athletics
Safety
- Campus Police – UNC Asheville’s Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency whose primary responsibility is the protection of life and property on the University campus. Contact University Police 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 828-251-6710, or dial 6710 from any on-campus phone.
- Title IX – UNC Asheville’s Title IX Coordinator ensures that reports of sexual assault or misconduct are addressed through University procedures and policies, and that incidents are resolved in a timely, fair and impartial manner.
- How to report sexual misconduct
- UNC Asheville Alcohol Policy
- UNC Asheville Illegal Drugs Policy
- Student Code of Conduct
Transportation & Parking
- Find shuttle routes
- How to get a parking permit
- Where students can park on campus
- Parking Citations
Emergency Information & Notifications
In the event of adverse weather or a campus emergency, official communications will be posted at bulldogalert.unca.edu. Students, faculty and staff also receive email and text updates. Students are automatically enrolled in the text alert system. Families can enroll here.
Updates are also shared on the University’s website as a stripe notification at the top of every webpage and on official social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Always refer to bulldogalert.unca.edu for official University updates.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Information Technology Services (ITS) provides computing, networking, and technical support services to the UNC Asheville community.
- Recommended hardware for students
- ITS Help Desk for technical support
COVID-19
All campus plans, community expectations, case counts and official university communications regarding COVID-19 are available at coronavirus.unca.edu.
