High School Volunteers
Each summer the High School Volunteer Program runs for a period of eight weeks. We offer volunteer positions for high school students in Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care Hillsborough Campus sites. Student volunteers will be impacted through meaningful experiences and gain valuable job skills right here in our community.
Chapel Hill offers exposure to a large academic hospital environment; the Hillsborough Campus maintains a community feel while having the same quality of providers and care. Both programs offer an excellent opportunity for students to discover new interests, meet new people and learn to be a leader while volunteering!
Some examples of volunteer areas include:

- Gift Shop
- Central Distribution
- Nursing Units
- Outpatient Clinics
- Surgical Waiting Rooms
- Imaging
Please read the requirements and information carefully as some details may differ according to the program location.
This program is open to students who are at least 14 years of age and have completed their freshman year of high school. Due to the intensive nature of our training process, applicants are accepted for the entire summer program; we are unable to offer short-term volunteering.
2021 Summer Junior Program Application and Information
- At this time, we are unsure if we will be able to host a 2021 Summer Program. Please keep checking this site for details.
2020-2021 Academic Year Program- Hillsborough Hospital
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently not onboarding any new volunteers for the Academic Year Program. Any changes will be posted on this site.
Requirements
- Must be 14 years old and have completed Freshman year of high school by program start date.
- Applicants must be available one full day a week (Monday-Friday) from 9am-4pm. Both campuses have limited half day weekend availability.
- Summer volunteers must be able to commit to volunteering on their scheduled day for at least seven out of eight weeks during the summer session. No make-up days.
- Applicants will need to comply with the dress code which includes a purchase a volunteer polo shirt for $10 to wear with khaki pants.
- Applicants will need to attend a mandatory orientation session.
- Applicants must submit all required paperwork, including immunization records and TB skin test results at orientation.
Application Process and Required Forms
Applicants need to complete all of the following steps in order to volunteer at Chapel Hill or our Hillsborough Campus. Please note that the steps needed to become a volunteer are listed in the order that they must be completed.
- Complete the online application. The application includes several short answer essays. One sentence per question is not sufficient. If all questions are not answered, your application will not be considered.
- Summer applicants are required to have two recommendation forms completed in order to be considered for the program. One recommendation must come from a teacher at your high school and one recommendation must come from a NON-FAMILY Community Member (Coach, Religious Leader, Club Adviser, Employer, etc.). A link to the recommendation forms is sent to you by email after you complete your application.
- After your application is received, you may be contacted for a personal interview. Unfortunately due to the volume of applicants we are unable to interview all candidates.
- If you are selected for an interview, please come prepared with what day(s) of the week you are available to volunteer for the summer. Chapel Hill interviews are held at Volunteer Services, ground floor, N.C. Memorial Hospital, 101 Manning Drive. Hillsborough Campus interviews are held at Hillsborough Hospital, 430 Waterstone Drive, in the Volunteer Services Office on the first floor.
If you are selected to volunteer:
- Complete the Immunization and Tuberculosis Review Form, which is to be turned in at the volunteer orientation.
- Obtain two TB Skin Tests. They can be done at your local health department or family doctor. It takes 48 hours to read each result, and they must be place at least a week apart, so plan ahead. This must be completed prior to orientation and will require four visits to your provider. Alternatively, you could get the IGRA test which will be one visit.
- Complete the parent/guardian permission form to turn in at orientation.
- Complete our online compliance test (will be emailed after interview) and turn in confirmation results at orientation.
- Attend orientation and begin volunteering!
General Questions
Registration Questions
- How long is the registration process?
For the summer session: applications for new Chapel Hill volunteers are accepted from early January to February or until we receive our applicant capacity, with rolling interviews from March-May, and orientation the beginning of June. Be sure to check the main page for High School Volunteers for deadline updates. In Chapel Hill, only returning summer volunteers are able to volunteer during the academic year.
- Can I mail in my application?
No. Your application must be completed online.
- What is this TB test that I need?
The TB test is required of all volunteers before they may begin volunteering. Once you are accepted into the program, you will need to get the test done and read (it will take 48 hours) and bring the results with you at orientation. You can also get the IGRA or TB Blood Test. The TB test needs to be less than a year old as of the day you start.
- I have the BCG Vaccine; do I still need the TB test?
Yes, proof of BCG Vaccine is not sufficient. Applicants must have a TB test result less than a year old or a chest X-ray within the past few years.
Requirements and Process Questions
- I can’t make orientation, what I can do?
Every volunteer must attend an orientation before they are able to volunteer. It is a mandatory requirement of the Joint Commission of Healthcare Organizations.
- Does it cost anything to be a volunteer?
We ask that volunteers pay $10 to purchase the required uniform polo shirt to help defray the costs to the Medical Center.
- Is there a required uniform?
Yes. There is a required uniform polo shirt which you purchase in our office for $10. Additionally, Junior Volunteers must wear khaki pants or skirts longer than knee length and closed-toed shoes.
- What about training?
Before you begin your assignment, you'll receive training at orientation for general hospital protocols, safety, and infection control. Each area has a job description that outlines the duties and expectations. Once in your area you will be given further details about your job duties; some have a separate training and others are on-the-job.
- What are the interviews about? Does everyone get one? Why are they done?
This is a popular program, and there are limited spaces available. The interview gives us an opportunity to meet each other and for you to see the medical center environment. It might help you decide if this is the right place for you to volunteer, and we can be assured that we are accepting students who will be well-suited and committed to the program. Unfortunately, not everyone will be contacted for an interview due to the amount of applications we receive. Additionally, not every applicant who interviews will be accepted into the program. If you don’t receive an interview or position, we encourage you to reapply the next summer.
- What if I don’t know my family vacation dates when I submit my summer application?
You need to make sure you are available for at least seven weeks during the summer session. If you are planning a family vacation, trip to the beach, sports camp, etc... that will not allow you to meet your obligation, please apply to volunteer another summer when you are able to make this commitment.
Questions about Opportunities
In case you forget to log in your hours at the Volunteer Services kiosk or if you volunteer off-site, you may submit your hours online.