As the UNC System’s westernmost campus, we are located just 50 miles west of Asheville in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Our 600-acre mountain campus is surrounded by one of the most biodiverse regions in the state, providing our students with unparalleled research and discovery access for a wide variety of programs. Our proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains supplies our students with endless outdoor learning and extracurricular opportunities, and led to our title of the No. 1 Outdoor Adventure School in the Southeast. We are consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 public regional Institutions in the South, and our mission focuses on quality education while shaping students to be responsible citizens in an ever-changing world.

12,000+

students

17 to 1

student-to-faculty ratio

83%

of students receive financial aid


The five-year Strategic Plan calls on the UNC System to achieve ambitious goals. Progress toward these goals and metrics will be achieved through the hard work and commitment of institutional leaders, faculty, and staff.

WCU has identified five metrics in the “Prioritize” category: increasing low-income enrollments; increasing rural enrollments; improving low-income completions; increasing rural completions; and increasing critical workforce credentials.


NC Promise

The NC Promise Tuition Plan means students pay tuition expenses of just $500 per semester for in-state students and $2,500 per semester for out-of-state students. This applies to all undergraduate students, online, transfer, freshmen, and currently enrolled students. Student fees, along with room and board costs will not be impacted. NC Promise dramatically reduces the expense of a college education, saving students at least $10,000 over their four years of enrollment.


TOUR WCU!

Take a 360-degree tour of each of our 16 universities, either on your desktop, laptop, phone, VR headset, or through the GEAR UP NC VR app. The GEAR UP NC VR app is the first of its kind, and the largest VR project for social good to date. This marks the first time a university system has used the technology across all of its institutions.

Download the GEAR UP VR app from the iTunes store or from the Google Play store.


Highlights

Meet Students Like You

Your defining choice is one that you make every day. It's the choice to work harder than the person next to you, to fight for an ambition that seems impossible, and to chase after a goal with persistent determination. The community you’ll find at Western Carolina University will challenge you to meet and exceed your goals during your time as a student and after graduation. Discover how WCU students are succeeding in and out of the classroom.
Explore WCU Student Life

An Innovative Approach to Affordability

Western Carolina University has always been committed to providing high-quality, affordable education for anyone who wishes to pursue a degree. Thanks to the groundbreaking NC Promise program, tuition for undergraduate students at WCU has been further reduced to $500 per fall and spring semesters for in-state students and $2,500 for out-of-state students.
Learn About Admissions

Welcome to Catamount Country

Words and pictures don’t do the WCU campus or people justice. Want to see what it’s really like in Catamount Country? Take a day or a weekend to visit the campus nestled in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. You’ll meet the people and experience the community that make WCU unique. You can also join an open house or explore campus with a current student as your guide on one of the daily campus tours.
Visit Us