Community

​Many CDG students call Chapel Hill and Carrboro home.  Carrboro especially is a wonderful option for graduate student living. The CDG students who live in Carrboro appreciate its proximity to UNC, value for the arts, and progressive vibe.

Eat and Drink

Chapel Hill and Carrboro offer a variety of options for food and drink. Filled with restaurants, bars, and cafes, Franklin Street is Chapel Hill's favorite thoroughfare. Because it is adjacent to the UNC campus, Franklin Street is an ideal place for students to take coffee breaks, meet up for drinks after class, or enjoy a meal. Franklin Street is not only a prominent feature of Chapel Hill, but also of Carrboro since it connects the two communities. Although Carrboro adjoins Chapel Hill, its food culture is distinct: If you're looking for unique restaurants that use fresh, locally-grown ingredients, quaint coffee shops, or vegan options, Carrboro is for you!

Health and Wellness

Medical Insurance for Students​

All eligible students enrolled in the UNC System Colleges and Universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill, are required to have health insurance coverage.

This does not mean a student must enroll in the UNC System Student Health Insurance Plan; it means a student must provide proof of active creditable health insurance, and enrolling in the UNC System Student Health Insurance Plan is one means to meet that requirement. A student is encouraged to compare the UNC System Plan against other options, e.g., being a dependent on a parent’s health insurance plan, having an employer’s health insurance plan, having individual plan coverage through another source.

The UNC System endorses a cost-effective Student Health Insurance Plan that covers most health care expenses not included in the Campus Health Fee. This plan is administered by Blue Cross / Blue Shield of North Carolina called Student Blue.

Eligible graduate students are enrolled in the RA/TA Student Blue Health Insurance Plan by individual academic departments. Most Campus Health Services (CHS) charges not covered by the Campus Health Fee are covered by the RA/TA Health Insurance Plan and claims are billed directly to BCBS by Campus Health Services.

For specific information about the RA/TA Student Blue Health Insurance Plan benefits go to the BCBS website for UNC-Chapel Hill RA/TA .

Campus Health Services

All students and Postdoctoral Fellows who pay the Campus Health Fee can use Campus Health Services. Spouses of full-time students and postdoctoral fellows can receive care at CHS. Spouses who pay the Campus Health Fee for the term can use CHS once they show proof of insurance along with proof of their marriage or a notarized affidavit of domestic partnership.

Medical Care Related Links

Living​

UNC graduate students generally look for housing off campus in an apartment or home. Looking for a place to live in a new city can feel daunting. Whether you are planning to rent an apartment, buy a house, or find a roommate, these links will help you get started:

Safety and Security

On Campus

The UNC Department of Public Safety is committed to ensuring that the university environment is safe for all. They offer a wide array of services ranging from bicycle registration to community programs on safety and self-defense. 

The town of Chapel Hill also provides a Safe Ride Program to help students get home safely after hours. 

Off Campus

For additional security and safety concerns contact the Chapel Hill police and fire departments.

Emergency 911

Chapel Hill Police

(919) 968-2760

Chapel Hill Fire Department

(919) 968-2781

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Transportation and Getting Around

Getting around Chapel Hill

Transportation at UNC provides ways for students to get around campus by bus, shuttle, or foot.

GoTriangle is where to go to find all the information you need about travel options in the Triangle that are safe, convenient, inexpensive, and more sustainable. All centrally located in one online resource. Check out the Trip Planner and Information for Students.

Its free to ride buses by Chapel Hill Transit and Triangle Transit. No ID or pass is needed to ride Chapel Hill Transit. You must get a bus pass from UNC's Department of Public Safety (DPS) to ride the Triangle Transit Authority buses. NextBus posts real-time bus arrival times. You can find bus routes near your apartment with the apartment finder map from Redefine Travel.

If you need to use a car, Zipcars are available on-campus.

Zimride is a private ride-sharing network for Chapel Hill.

UNC's Commuter Alternative Program (CAP) is designed to reward commuting students who do NOT drive alone to campus. 

Biking is popular among UNC students. Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, and Raleigh are award-winning bike-friendly communities. Maps for biking around the area can be found at Bike Carrboro. The organization Cycliclious Movement has area resources for biking in Chapel Hill.

Parking at UNC

Many lots on campus offer unrestricted parking on weekends and after 5:00 pm on weekdays. Information about parking hours is posted on signs at the entrance to each lot. For parking during the day, students can register for a parking permit. About 700 parking permits for GS available on-campus through lottery (register in April/May).There are a variety of Park-n-Ride lots available within Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas. For some of the Park-n-Ride lots, a CAP permit must be applied for online from DPS.

UNC Safe Ride Services

UNC Safe Rides are available to all students, faculty and staff and provide secure rides along several routes during late night hours, generally from around 11pm to 3am. 

In addition there is a late night bus service that runs on campus.

Getting to and from UNC and Chapel Hill

UNC is located about 20 minutes from the RDU international airport. In general, you will need to grab a cab or find a ride to and from RDU, but an airport shuttle is provided by OSSA for major university holidays. There are also Greyhound and Amtrak stations located in Durham. 

Working Spaces

Libraries

• UNC Library System
• Chapel Hill Public Library 

​Graduate Student Recommended Cafes

• Driade
• ​The Root Cellar
• Open Eye
• Looking Glass