Gainesville, FL
The University of Florida traces its roots to the Gainesville Academy, founded in 1858, and the Florida Agricultural College, established in Lake City in 1884 as the state's first land-grant college; the two merged in 1905, and the consolidated institution was renamed the University of Florida in 1909. UF comprises 16 academic colleges, including six health-science colleges on a single campus, and joined the Association of American Universities in 1985.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from University of Florida's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 78% submitted SAT scores, 39% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision: Oct 15, 2026 (passed)
- Early Action: Nov 1, 2026
- Regular Decision: Jan 15, 2027
Confirm on University of Florida's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
Out-of-state students pay $28,180 more per year in tuition and fees (5.4x the in-state rate).
Florida publishes one combined per-credit rate; this assumes 30 credits a year.
Tuition & fees are University of Florida's own published 2026-27 rates (source); other figures are from the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Paying less as an out-of-state student
University of Florida takes part in this regional program, which can cut the out-of-state rate for students from nearby states.
Academic Common Market
Residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia can pay in-state tuition for a specific major that no public college in their home state offers. You need admission to that major and approval from your home state's coordinator.
Where do you stand against University of Florida's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow University of Florida weighs your application
From University of Florida's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
42 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 26 admitted, 16 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
How this compares across big public universities: Big Public University Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not University of Florida's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of Florida weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does University of Florida look for in applicants?
Per University of Florida's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates extracurricular activities, talent/ability, rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is University of Florida's acceptance rate?
University of Florida in Gainesville, FL admits approximately 24% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for University of Florida?
Per University of Florida's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1330–1490 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for University of Florida?
Per University of Florida's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 29–33 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does University of Florida cost?
University of Florida's total cost of attendance is reported at $22,523 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
Does University of Florida offer reduced tuition for out-of-state students?
Yes -- University of Florida takes part in the Academic Common Market, a regional program that lets qualifying out-of-state students pay less than the full out-of-state rate. Eligibility depends on your home state, and the school sets its own requirements.
What is out-of-state tuition at University of Florida?
For 2026-27, University of Florida's tuition and required fees are $34,616 for out-of-state students and $6,436 for in-state students -- $28,180 more per year for out-of-state students. That's before financial aid, and room and board are extra.
When is the application deadline for University of Florida?
University of Florida's deadlines are Early Decision Oct 15, 2026; Early Action Nov 1, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 15, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does University of Florida require students to live on campus?
No -- University of Florida doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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