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Carolina Computing Initiative (CCI) – Student FAQ

General CCI Questions

Minimum laptop requirements for each class of Carolina undergraduates are set each spring. You can find the specifications for each class on the minimum laptop requirements page.
80 to 85 percent of undergraduate students purchase one of the CCI model laptops each year.
These devices currently do not meet the specifications for the minimum laptop requirement. They are currently not capable of running some of the software students may be required to use during their time at UNC-Chapel Hill. A students primary computing device must be capable of running Microsoft Windows and meet a specific hardware level. Please check our Minimum Laptop Requirement page for a detailed breakdown of minimum specifications.
No. The warranty and insurance coverage and other CCI benefits such as software, support, and the loaner program are built into the cost of each CCI model. You would not get this advantage by purchasing a non-CCI computer.
You can buy equivalent warranty and insurance coverages through your laptop’s manufacturer and insurance companies. However, the CCI Protection Plan cannot be purchased separately through the CCI or applied to any laptop other than CCI model laptops.
Customers have 5 business days to contact the ITS Service Desk or Tech Shop about their desire to return CCI computers purchased through the Tech Shop. The computer must then be received promptly. All returns must be in original condition in original packaging (i.e. box and all packing materials) along with all materials that came with it (brochures, disks, power supply, battery, etc.).
CCI model laptops cannot be upgraded at the time of purchase. However after you have received your laptop you can upgrade the RAM and hard disk relatively easily. Please check the upgrade options for your model as every model is different.
Yes. Your CCI computer is yours to do with as you please.Keep in mind that if you purchased your CCI computer using a CCI laptop grant and subsequently leave UNC Chapel Hill before graduating then you will be required to return the laptop or pay a prorated amount of your original laptop grant. If you choose to return the laptop you will not be reimbursed for any licensed software that you have installed.
Students can visit the ITS Service Desk for assistance in upgrading the software that came preloaded on their CCI laptops. The ITS Service Desk hours and locations can be found at https://help.unc.edu/2083.
Getting connected to the UNC-Chapel Hill network involves registering your network card(s) and configuring your device for the network. Please visit https://help.unc.edu/4932
CCI Printing allows students, faculty and staff to print to ITS printers from anywhere on campus using their personal computers and a network connection. You can find more information at our CCI Printing page.
Replacement batteries and AC adapters can be purchased from the Tech Shop in the UNC Chapel Hill Student Stores.Web: http://www.store.unc.edu/ram
Currently the CCI does not offer a trade-in program nor do we plan to offer one in the near future. We have offered trade-in programs in the past but they have not been very popular amongst CCI laptop owners.

CCI Laptop Grant

To be eligible for consideration of a CCI laptop grant you must complete the financial aid application at http://www.collegeboard.org/profile/index.html (called the CSS profile), be a full time undergraduate student with no prior degree and enrolling at Carolina for the first time. Students who are enrolled for online classes are not eligible.
Yes, all CCI Laptop Grants expire on October 15 of the year that they are awarded.  Any undergraduate student that has been awarded a CCI Laptop Grant and wishes to redeem it must have ordered the CCI Laptop Package from the UNC Student Stores on or before October 15 of the year the grant was awarded.
No.  All CCI Laptop Grants expire on October 15 of the year that they are awarded.  Should a student choose not to redeem the CCI Laptop Grant by this date then they will no longer be eligible to redeem it toward the purchase of a CCI Laptop Package.  Additionally, CCI Laptop Grants are only awarded to undergraduate students with no prior degree who are enrolling at Carolina for the first-time, who are eligible for federal student aid, and who have applied for financial aid by the deadline.
The laptop grant covers the base CCI laptop model. However, if you qualify for the grant you can choose from any of the CCI models available but you will be responsible for covering the cost difference from the base model to the model you choose. Please note that should you leave UNC prior to graduating you will be required to payback the grant and keep the laptop, or return the laptop and lose your additional investment.
If you redeem a CCI laptop grant and leave UNC Chapel Hill before graduating you will be required to either return the computer you received or repay a prorated amount of the grant you received.You can return your laptop to the ITS Response Center to fulfill your requirement. Hours and location can be found here. Or you can mail your computer along with all the parts and accessories to:
UNC – CCI Program
111 Airport Dr., Computer Repair Center
Campus Box 1120
Chapel Hill NC 27599-1120
We highly recommend you insure and track your computer shipment.To request your prorated laptop grant repayment amount or to setup a repayment plan please create a help ticket to CCI with your request.
We will be happy to do our best to provide a laptop to laptop grant recipients who re-enroll at UNC Chapel Hill. Please create a help ticket to CCI with your request.

Repair, Warranty & Insurance Coverage

Your CCI computer comes with a special four-year warranty that covers such things as faulty parts and workmanship.Note: The laptop battery is the only exception to the four-year warranty. It comes with a one-year warranty.
A broken laptop screen, spill damage and any other damage considered to be a result of misuse, rather than the result of faulty parts or workmanship are not covered by your warranty. In addition, the warranty does not cover forgotten hard drive passwords and power-on passwords. These passwords, set at your discretion, cannot be recovered if forgotten.
Your laptop comes with a 4-year insurance policy through Safeware Insurance Agency(coverage in the US and Canada only). This policy covers theft, vandalism, power surge, flood, fire, lightning, earthquake, and other natural disasters.In addition, CCI model ThinkPads come with a 4-year ThinkPad Protection policy which covers accidental damage. Together, this truly comprehensive protection plans exceeds the coverage available under standard homeowners insurance and your Lenovo warranty.For CCI model MacBooks, your Safeware insurance policy also covers Accidental Damage.
We are here to help, please contact https://help.unc.edu/sp
If your computer will not work, for whatever reason, you can call 919-962-HELP. Our service desk will assist you to diagnose the issue and determine if it needs to be sent in for repairs.
If it is determined that your computer needs a hardware repair then you have two choices.

1. Contact the manufacturer to find an authorized service provider in your area.

  • Lenovo can be contacted at their hardware support number (1-800-426-7378) or through their website. Service provider locations can be found using their locator page.
  • Support for Apple products can be found through their online support.

2. You can mail or ship your computer to (for issues with-in the continental U.S.):
UNC Computer Repair Center(CRC)
111 Airport Dr.
CB 1120
Chapel Hill, NC 27599

If we are going to ship the computer back to you, a personal check made out to ITS must be included. Please leave the note section blank so we can add your ticket number to the check.
Shipping fees:

Within NC – $25
Outside of NC – $30

Please include your name and PID in the package. Also include a description of the issues you are having. It would be a good idea to backup your data in case a hard drive replacement or reimage needs to be done.

We highly recommend that you insure your laptop during shipping. Your insurance and accidental damage coverage do not cover the laptop while during shipping.