UNC Asheville AVL Scholars 2027: Full Tuition Free for Buncombe County

● OFFICIAL • UNCA.EDU • OCT 8, 2026NEW 2027

AVL Scholars: UNC Asheville Will Pay Your Full Tuition & Fees for Buncombe County Students

Announced Oct 8, 2026 — New merit scholarship covering full tuition + mandatory fees ($7,628+/yr) for public high school students residing in Buncombe County. Fall 2027 first-year.

Official Summary: AVL Scholars is for Asheville City Schools + Buncombe County Schools students, GPA 3.3 weighted+, resides in Buncombe County. Requires FAFSA + NC RDS. Source: unca.edu official

$7,628+

PER YEAR

3.3 GPA

WEIGHTED

Fall 2027

STARTS

What is AVL Scholars?

UNC Asheville announced today that it has established AVL Scholars, a new merit-based scholarship for public high school students who reside in Buncombe County. As Asheville's Hometown University, the scholarship illustrates commitment to city and county residents.

"There's an assumption around here that top students from Buncombe County have to prove themselves by leaving Western North Carolina. These mountains are home, and UNC Asheville is Asheville's Hometown University." — Meghan Harte Weyant, Vice Chancellor

Who is Eligible?

Criteria	Requirement
Residency	Buncombe County, NC
High School	Asheville City Schools or Buncombe County Schools (public)
GPA	3.3 weighted or higher
Entry	Fall 2027 incoming first-year
Documents	FAFSA + NC Residency Determination (RDS)
Value	Full tuition + mandatory fees = $7,628 min/year

How Much Will You Save?

Official tuition data: In-state $7,501 (MyFuture.com), catalog $7,380, press release confirms minimum $7,628 saving per year. 4-year total = $30,512+. Covers tuition + mandatory fees only. Room & board (~$10,556), books ($1,200) separate. Use Net Price Calculator for remaining costs. Additional aid like Federal Work-Study available.

How to Apply in 5 Steps

1. Apply to UNC Asheville for Fall 2027 via Common App – watch free application week in October
2. Submit transcript with 3.3+ weighted GPA
3. Complete RDS at ncresidency.org
4. File FAFSA at fafsa.gov (mandatory)
5. Automatic award – no separate scholarship application per current official announcement

🏔️ Stay in the Mountains. Go Far.

Part of Asheville 2030 plan – Top 10 Public School (US News 2026), 60+ majors, avg class 14, Engineering dual-degree with NC State.

View Official unca.edu →

FAQ

Q: Official link?
https://www.unca.edu/in-the-news/unc-asheville-announces-new-tuition-and-fees-merit-scholarship-for-public-high-school-students-in-buncombe-county/

Q: Does it cover room & board?
No, tuition + mandatory fees only.

Q: Difference vs Access Asheville?
Access Asheville = need-based, AGI $100k or less. AVL Scholars = merit-based, 3.3 GPA, Buncombe County public schools only.

Sources: unca.edu Oct 8 2026 official, MyFuture.com, US News 2026. Images embedded – copyright-free,