Study in Wilmington, The United States

About Wilmington

Wilmington is a coastal city in the south-east of the state of North Carolina, on the Atlantic side of the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates its population at 125,284 in 2024, up from 115,459 in 2020. It is a mid-sized city with its own airport and a public university.

For an international student the main draw is the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a public university in a coastal setting with its own Center for Marine Science. Families who move to the city will also find private schools that teach from preschool to the end of high school. Teaching is in English.

Studying in Wilmington

Our directory lists one university and two private schools in Wilmington.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) began in 1947 as Wilmington College and is one of 17 institutions in the UNC System. It describes itself as a large public doctoral university with nearly 19,000 students. College Navigator, the U.S. Department of Education's college database, counts 18,848 students, 15,254 of them undergraduates, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1. UNCW awards bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees on a 650-acre campus at 601 South College Road.

UNCW admits international undergraduates for the fall and spring terms, with application deadlines of 1 April and 1 October and an application fee of $80. Applicants send a TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test or Pearson Test of English score unless English is their native language or was the language of their schooling. Students who need more English first can apply to the university's English Language Center, and UNCW also offers two summer sessions with intensive four-week classes.

The two schools cover the years before university:

• Cape Fear Academy, at 3900 South College Road, teaches from PreK (age 3) to 12th grade, with an average class size of 15
• Wilmington Christian Academy, at 1401 North College Road, is an educational ministry of Grace Baptist Church and teaches from preschool (ages 2 to 4) to 12th grade; its high school offers Advanced Placement and college-credit courses

Degree students from other countries usually need an F student visa. Once an SEVP-certified school has accepted you, its international student office sends the Form I-20 that you present when you apply for the visa, according to EducationUSA. International students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Cost of living for students

College Navigator gives UNCW's out-of-state tuition and fees, the rate for students from outside North Carolina, as $24,152 for the 2024-25 academic year, compared with $7,277 for state residents. Food and housing on campus is estimated at $14,268 for that year. Check the university's current figures before you budget, because prices change every year. UNCW has a residence requirement for first- and second-year students, so most new students live on campus.

Local buses are run by Wave Transit. A single ride costs $2, a 24-hour pass $5, a 7-day pass $20 and a 31-day pass $80 in 2026. UNCW students ride all Wave Transit buses and the Seahawk Shuttle without paying a fare when they show their student card, because the cost is covered by a fee paid to the university.

Getting around and daily life

The Seahawk Shuttle routes run on and around the UNCW campus and are open to the public as well as to students. The city has its own airport, Wilmington International Airport (ILM), whose route map shows 25 destinations across the United States, so students from abroad arrive on a connecting flight.

The climate is mild in winter and hot in summer. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for the airport give an average temperature of 46.8 °F (about 8 °C) in January and 81.5 °F (about 27.5 °C) in July. At UNCW, classes for the fall 2026 semester began on 19 August and the spring 2027 semester starts on 11 January.

Frequently asked questions

Which Wilmington is this page about?

Wilmington in the state of North Carolina, on the Atlantic coast. Cities called Wilmington in other U.S. states have their own pages.

Which universities are in Wilmington?

Our directory lists the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), a public university with about 18,800 students that awards bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

How much does UNCW cost for an international student?

College Navigator gives out-of-state tuition and fees of $24,152 for 2024-25, plus about $14,268 for food and housing on campus. Check the university's current figures before you apply.

When do international students apply to UNCW?

By 1 April for the fall term and by 1 October for the spring term. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis once they are complete.

Can I improve my English before starting a degree at UNCW?

Yes. UNCW has an English Language Center with its own admission and application requirements.