Quick Facts

Founded

Established by the N.C. General Assembly in 1963, the North Carolina School of the Arts opened in Winston-Salem in 1965 as America’s first public arts conservatory. The school became part of the University of North Carolina system in 1972.

Mission

To train students for professional careers in the arts.

Status

Public, coeducational, one of the 17 campuses of the University of North Carolina 

Campus

78 acres in Winston-Salem, N.C., near Old Salem Museums & Gardens—a national tourist attraction. Accessible by interstates 40, 85 and 77. Twenty minutes from Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. 

Accreditation

The high school academic program is accredited by AdvanceED (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).

University of North Carolina School of the Arts college programs are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the four-year arts certificate, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and the professional artists certificate. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of UNCSA. 

Calendar

Two terms (fall and spring), August to May. Also a Summer Session.

Schools

Five—Dance, Design & Production (includes a Visual Arts Program), Drama, Filmmaking and Music—plus a High School Academic Program and Division of Liberal Arts.

Enrollment (Fall 2020)

1,348 students—including 278 high school, 920 undergraduate, 150 graduate

UNCSA students typically come from two-thirds of North Carolina’s 100 counties; the other half comes from more than 45 other states, territories and the District of Columbia, and nearly two dozen foreign countries.

Faculty Profile (Fall 2020)

144 full-time, resident faculty plus 57 visiting/adjunct

Student/Faculty Ratio (Fall 2020)

7:1 (includes high school) 

Tuition and Fees (2020-21)

Fees vary by level and arts school. Housing and meal plan are separate.

Housing

Eight residence halls: six for college students, two for high school students. Also offering an off-campus student apartment complex adjacent to campus and another within walking distance. A new residence hall is under construction and will be ready for occupancy early 2022.

Facilities

Eleven performance and screening spaces comparable to the best in the industry. 

State-Authorized Appropriation (2020-21)

With a $33.56 million state appropriation, UNCSA represents less than 1 percent of the entire UNC system budget.

Endowment (June 30, 2020)

$82.5 million

Degrees, Diplomas Awarded