Your ikigai is the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and where your work could take you. Hear from previous students whose experience at Explore@UNC helped them get closer to finding their ikigai!
Explore@UNC
Explore the breadth of academics across UNC’s campus.
Explore this Page
2027 Program Dates
- Week 1 June 14-June 18, 2027
- Week 2 June 21-June 25, 2027
- Week 3 June 28-July 2, 2027
- Week 4 July 12-July 16, 2027
About the Explore@UNC Program
Explore@UNC is Carolina’s one-week, on-campus pre-college program that lets high school students test-drive college life and academic paths. The program is built to encourage movement both toward and away from an initial interest so students can make more confident choices about college majors and careers. Students choose from majors like biology, anthropology, music, political science, sports administration, archaeology, public policy, classics, and more— diving into each as a focused two-day track led by Carolina faculty and near-peer mentors. The result is a genuine taste of college life and learning at a top public research university.
Tour labs and studios, meet faculty, engage in real classes, and hear from alumni and practitioners who map career pathways and college journeys. Whether students spend the week analyzing ancient art or reenacting the Cuban Missile Crisis, zooming out with aerial imaging or zooming in under a microscope, every student leaves with clearer interests and a firsthand look at what it means to study the major.
A week at Explore@UNC
The Explore@UNC program week is intentionally structured to show what studying a major really looks like. It is designed as a commuter program only. Students travel to campus each day and return home in the evening.
Explore 2026 TracksMonday
We kick off with a guided look at your strengths and skills, so you’ve got smart questions to ask and a game plan to make the most of your week.
Tuesday
Immerse in your first academic track! Explore coursework, engage with faculty, participate in discussions and hands-on activities.
Wednesday
Build on the foundation already set in Track 1. With more time in the classroom, students gain a stronger understanding of the subject matter and the discipline as a whole.
Thursday
Switch into a second discipline! This contrast helps students reflect more intentionally and notice what truly clicks.
Friday
Dive deeper into Track 2. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with clearer interests and a firsthand look at what it means to study two of your favorite majors.
Want to dive deeper into a subject?
Imagine spending an entire week immersed in your favorite subject, diving in with expert faculty, cutting-edge resources, and students who share your curiosity. That’s the Explore@UNC Intensive Program!
Unlike the Explore@UNC week which spreads your time across multiple majors, the Intensives are built around a singular focus. During the one week program, you’ll make connections and gain insights that only come from sustained, concentrated study. You’ll work on hands-on projects, collaborate with peers who share your interests, and experience what it’s like to think, learn, and work like a specialist in your field.
What makes the experience truly special? You’ll spend the entire week learning directly from UNC faculty and graduate students who are experts and innovators in their disciplines. These aren’t introductory overviews. They’re intensive, college-level explorations where you’ll engage with complex ideas, tackle real-world problems, and learn from professors who are passionate about sharing their knowledge.
Learn more about the Explore@UNC Intensives →
Explore@UNC: Makerspace Design & Engineering
This immersive intensive invites you to explore how design and engineering power real-world innovation—while bringing your own ideas to life.
Working with experienced peer mentors, students will be immersed in a multi-day process to ideate, design, and build a creative project using laser cutters, 3D printers, and other digital fabrication tools in the BeAM makerspaces.
Explore@UNC: Nutrition
Fuel your curiosity in the Nutrition Intensive, where you’ll discover how food, health, chemistry, and research blend into one delicious field of study.
Throughout the week, you’ll rotate between the lab and the kitchen, starting and ending each day with your group before heading off to cook up discoveries. In the lab, you’ll collect and analyze samples, extract DNA, and analyze specific microbes to uncover how nutritional choices shift our microscopic communities.
Explore@UNC 2026 Tracks
- Available
- Limited Availability
- Waitlist
| Track Name | Week 1 June 14-June 18, 2027 | Week 2 June 21-June 25, 2027 | Week 3 June 28-July 2, 2027 | Week 4 July 12-July 16, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Advertising & Public Relations
In this track, students will explore how these dynamic fields shape public perception, build brand identities, and create campaigns that influence consumer behavior.
|
||||
|
Archaeology
Dig into the ways that Archaeology helps us piece together humanity’s story, and how you can be part of the next big find!
|
||||
|
Art History
Art History offers a vibrant lens for understanding how humans across centuries have expressed their beliefs, identities, and imaginations.
|
||||
|
Biology
Dive into the topics and impact of Biology through hands-on experiments, lab tours, college lectures, and more.
|
||||
|
Biomedical Engineering
Explore how engineering, biology, and medicine intersect to create next-generation health technologies.
|
||||
|
Chemistry
This immersive program offers participants a first-hand look at college-level chemistry through engaging lectures, interactive laboratory tours, and hands-on demonstrations that bring chemical concepts to life.
|
||||
|
Classics
Explore ancient Greece and Rome and how they have shaped modern thought, law, governance, and the arts.
|
||||
|
Clinical Laboratory Science
Step into the role of a clinical laboratory scientist as you perform laboratory analyses, work through patient case studies, and explore how laboratory data connects to disease pathology and clinical decision-making.
|
||||
|
Environmental Science and Engineering
Step into the Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) track, where you’ll dig into the science behind clean air, safe water, sustainable cities, and the systems that keep our world running.
|
||||
|
Exercise and Sport Science
Experience what it’s like to be an EXSS student by attending a college course, meeting faculty, exploring degree paths, and diving into the high-impact experiences that help EXSS students prepare for exciting futures.
|
||||
|
Geography & Environment
Geography is where the physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities map onto each other to better understand how people and environments shape one another across space and time.
|
||||
|
Global Studies
Examine our global interdependence and the pressing challenges facing our world today.
|
||||
|
Material Science and Engineering
See how materials are engineered for everything from clean energy to electronics.
|
||||
|
Medical Anthropology
Discover how social forces influence who gets sick and who gets care.
|
||||
|
Music
This major orchestrates a unique blend of performance, theory, cultural history, and entrepreneurship, allowing students to compose their own academic and creative journey.
|
||||
|
Peace, War, and Defense
Examine the forces behind war, peace, and diplomacy in today’s world.
|
||||
|
Political Science
Study the most significant questions and challenges in political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations.
|
||||
|
Pre-Health
Learn what it takes to thrive as a pre-health student and the tools to begin your journey toward a career in healthcare.
|
||||
|
Pre-Med
Explore pre-med requirements, clinical exposure, and competencies students need for medical school.
|
||||
|
Pre-Nursing
Discover what it takes to pursue one of healthcare’s most vital and versatile professions.
|
||||
|
Psychology & Neuroscience
See how psychology and neuroscience explain how we think, feel, and learn.
|
||||
|
Public Health
Dive into how public health uses data, wellness, and intervention to strengthen communities.
|
||||
|
Public Policy
See how policy is made and how you can help solve today’s biggest problems.
|
||||
|
Sports Administration
Discover the business behind sports and the many careers that power the industry.
|
||||
|
Sports Communication
Explore exciting career opportunities in media, public relations, and integrated marketing that engage millions of fans worldwide.
|
Interested In Explore@UNC?
Complete the interest form to get started.
Explore@UNC FAQs
Have a question that isn’t listed? Email Pre-College Programming at explore@unc.edu.
Registration for Explore@UNC 2027 programs will open in February 2027.
If you are UNC Staff or Faculty, you will need to provide your PID to receive the employee discount.
Following your track registration, you will be directed to the UNC payment portal where payment will be required to secure all seats in the program.
For Explore@UNC, students who will be entering 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in the fall of 2027 at their high school or in a homeschool capacity are welcome to attend. We welcome students from all backgrounds and academic interests, as well as students from states outside North Carolina and international countries. Students who will be in 8th grade or lower, or those who will have already graduated from high school are not eligible.
For the Explore@UNC Intensives (Nutrition and BEAM Makerspace), students must be rising 10th, 11th, or 12th graders at their high school or in a homeschool capacity to attend. Students from outside North Carolina and international countries are welcome. Rising 9th grade students are not eligible.
For each week of Explore@UNC, the program runs Monday through Friday from 9:00am-4:30pm. Students are welcome to arrive to campus as early as 8:30am. Post-program supervision is available until 5pm each day.
All Explore@UNC programs are commuter (day-only). Since our programs do not yet have overnight residential components, students are not permitted to stay on-campus overnight for liability purposes and must arrange for their own accommodations. Last summer, families from further distances chose to stay with friends or family, rent an Airbnb or stay in a nearby hotel for the week. We will arrange for room block rates at nearby hotels in the coming months. Since these are commuter programs, all students will need to have a local trusted contact available in case of emergency.
For Explore@UNC, the cost of attendance is $625 per student per week.
The cost of attendance for dependents of UNC-Chapel Hill Staff and Faculty will be $525.
Need-based financial aid is available while resources last for Explore@UNC students. Discounts and Financial Aid are not available for Explore@UNC Intensives.
Central to UNC’s Pre-College Programs mission is to be a service to the state. As such, we are excited to provide need-based support to qualifying families to attend our programs while resources are available.
Students who are permanent NC residents, rising seniors, and are in a family income bracket that qualifies for free/reduced lunch are eligible for financial aid to attend one week of Explore@UNC while resources last. Details regarding financial aid qualifications will be available soon.
Not at all! Explore@UNC is designed to help you explore academic interests and get a taste of college life, regardless of where you plan to apply. Many participants discover new fields they never knew existed.
Demand for programs can vary from year to year but it is advised that if you have a particular track in mind, we advise that you pre-register once the window opens in December 2026.
Our slate of programs is dependent on our partnerships with the academic departments and the availability and bandwidth of our faculty to offer programs during the summer. As college faculty, many use that time for personal or professional travel, conduct research, or to simply recharge. Each week of Explore@UNC was designed with departments whose faculty and facilities were available to offer the courses. For this reason, once a track fills for a specific week, additional sections or weeks cannot be added.
If a track does meet capacity, we will maintain a waitlist to move students into their preferred track should space become available.
For Explore@UNC, if families need to cancel their participation, they may do so up through early April 2027 and receive a refund of all monies paid except the non-refundable fee. After April, you are not eligible for any refunds.
For either the Nutrition or BEAM Makerspace Intensives, families may cancel their participation up through April 3rd, and receive a refund of all monies paid except the non-refundable fee. After April 3rd, you are not eligible for any refunds.
If a student wishes to switch weeks of attendance after registration, they may be allowed to do so provided space is available and will need to select from the remaining tracks that have seats. Any changes to a week of attendance will involve a $50 Program Change Fee.
Get closer to your Ikigai
“I have never been to a summer camp like this or any pre-college program.”
“This was definitely the experience of a lifetime. Explore@UNC is a camp everyone should attend once because it’s such an amazing environment and uplifting experience overall.”
“My biggest takeaway has been the amount of resources.”
“It’s been almost overwhelming having so many different people to go to for help. In the past couple days, I’ve had conversations with academic advisors, career counselors, and professors that are all enthusiastic about helping me achieve my goals.”
“Really dive into the majors.”
“Take the time to ask questions, talk with other students and faculty, and learn about everything the classes and department has to offer because you never know what may spark interest or what information may be universal to other institutions.”
