Tampa, Florida · Private university
Tuition, acceptance rate, scholarships with conservative numbers and the admission process step by step — in dollars and Brazilian reais — updated 2026-08-15. Este guia em português →
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Profile
The figures below come from the US Department of Education's public databases and from The University of Tampa's own Common Data Set. They let you gauge the size of the institution, the real level of competition and the odds of finishing on time.
Admission
The University of Tampa admits 40% of applicants, according to College Navigator, the US Department of Education's public database.
The published minimum for international applicants is 3.0.
In practice, for a Brazilian applicant: the converted transcript has to clear the published minimum; a stronger transcript and an SAT score mainly change the size of the merit aid, not admission itself.
Costs
Tuition at The University of Tampa for international students is $33,724 a year. With housing, meals and health insurance the estimated total is $50,124 — about R$ 258,640 at R$ 5.16 to the dollar (2026-08-15), verified on 2026-08-15.
| Item | Annual estimate (USD) | Approx. in R$ |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (out of state) | $33,724 | R$ 174,016 |
| Housing and meals | $13,500 | R$ 69,660 |
| Health insurance | $2,900 | R$ 14,964 |
| Estimated total | $50,124 | R$ 258,640 |
Estimates for 2026–2027, verified on 2026-08-15. Converted at R$ 5.16 to the dollar (2026-08-15). Books, transport and course fees vary.
Scholarships
| Scholarship | Amount per year | Criteria | Renewable | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Scholarship | $10,000 – $18,000 | First-year students; unweighted GPA, curriculum rigor and leadership or community service | Yes | Automatic with the application |
| Transfer Scholarship | $6,000 – $9,000 | Transfer students from another college | Yes | Automatic with the application |
| Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship | $2,000 | Transfer students who are PTK members | Yes | Automatic with the application |
| Departmental Scholarships | $500 – $2,500 | By program or talent (music, theatre, art), with audition or portfolio | Varies by department |
Merit scholarships: students have received between 20% and 45% of tuition (conservative estimate, 2026–2027; verified on 2026-08-15). Typical conditions: Merit with SAT 1150+ and GPA 3.3+; a dedicated award for the IB Diploma. The real amount depends on your profile — we never promise percentages.
Our rule is simple: we would rather you plan with conservative numbers and be surprised for the better — never the other way round. Studying in the United States is not free for anyone.
International aid
Only awards the university itself describes are listed, with the requirements it publishes. Where the official page does not say whether international students may apply, the table says "not stated" — ask before counting on the money.
Amount per year: $10,000 to $18,000 per year
Requirements: High school (first-year) applicants. 'Demonstrate leadership or community service'. Eligibility 'based upon unweighted GPA and course rigor for coursework completed at the time of admission'; the 2026-2027 catalog says 'holistic review of application materials with emphasis on unweighted GPA and course rigor (e.g. IB, AP, AICE)'. No minimum GPA or SAT/ACT is published. 'The decision to award merit scholarships and the amount of the award are made at the time of admission and may not be appealed.' 'NOTE: Scholarship funds are limited and amounts may change.'
International: Yes
Renewal: Renewable for up to 8 semesters (fall/spring) while meeting federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 cumulative GPA, 67% completion) and enrolling full-time; reviewed each spring. 'Students can expect to receive the same scholarship and award amount in each subsequent fall and spring semester for a maximum of eight (8) semesters or until normal degree completion would occur (whichever comes first) when they meet all renewal requirements.'
Deadline: No separate deadline; decided with admission. Application deadlines: Early Decision Nov. 1, Early Action Nov. 15, Regular Decision Jan. 15; rolling after that. Awarded 'on a funds-available basis'.
How to apply: Automatic with the application: 'U.S. citizens and non-citizens are automatically considered for the Presidential or Transfer scholarships at the time of admission.' 'The University of Tampa does not require a separate application for most merit-based scholarships.'
Amount per year: $6,000 to $9,000 per year
Requirements: 'College transfer applicants' (catalog: at least 17 college credits completed at time of application). Based on unweighted GPA and course rigor.
International: Yes
Renewal: Same rules as the Presidential: federal SAP + full-time, up to normal degree completion (124 credits for most programs).
Deadline: No separate deadline; transfer applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
How to apply: Automatic with the transfer application.
Amount per year: About $500 to $2,500 per academic year
Requirements: Talent, declared major, community-service commitment or other criteria; amounts 'range from about $500 to $2,500 per academic year. Eligibility and application requirements vary.' Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre and Dance require an audition. President's Leadership Fellows: $1,000/yr, 25-30 first-year students per year, separate application at www.ut.edu/leadership, deadline Feb. 15.
International: Not stated
Renewal: Minimum GPA and continued major: Music 3.0 (website) / 2.8 (2026-2027 catalog), Musical Theatre-Theatre-Dance 2.8, Art 2.8, English and Writing 2.8, Film 2.8; Bonner Leaders 3.0; President's Leadership Fellows 3.0. Music requires ensemble participation and studio lessons every semester.
Deadline: Varies by department; PLF Feb. 15.
How to apply: 'Most require a separate application and have specific requirements for renewal.'
Amount per year: not published
Requirements: The renewal page lists 'UTampa International Freshman Merit Scholarship' and 'UTampa International Transfer Merit Scholarship' among merit awards renewed under federal SAP, but no current UT page publishes an amount or criteria. The 2019-2020 catalog said 'Scholarships up to $11,000 per academic year are awarded to incoming freshmen and up to $7,000 for transfer students' for internationals — that page no longer exists from the 2023-2024 catalog onward. 'How to Apply' summarises: 'UTampa offers partial scholarships to academically exceptional undergraduate international students.'
International: Yes
Renewal: Federal SAP + full-time, up to 8 semesters (same list as the Presidential).
Deadline: not stated
How to apply: Presumably automatic with admission (UT says most merit awards need no separate application); not confirmed for this specific award.
Amount per year: not currently published (2019-2020 catalog: $1,000 per year)
Requirements: Name appears only on the renewal list. No current page publishes an amount or criteria. IB counts toward the Presidential Scholarship as 'course rigor (e.g. IB, AP, AICE)' and earns up to 30 credits for scores of 4+. The 2019-2020 catalog listed an 'International Baccalaureate (IB) Scholarship' of $1,000/yr — historical, do not present as current.
International: Not stated
Renewal: Federal SAP + full-time (renewal list).
Deadline: not stated
How to apply: not stated
Amount per year: No annual entry scholarship; application-based funds: Timothy M. Smith Inspiration Through Exploration Award ($2,500 for summer international travel), NCHC/FCHC conference costs covered, Honors education-abroad scholarships and an Oxford semester
Requirements: 'Incoming freshmen are automatically considered for the Honors Program when they are accepted for admissions to the University of Tampa.' Eligibility: '3.5 GPA (unweighted)'. Test-optional. Good standing requires a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
International: Not stated
Renewal: 3.5 cumulative GPA to stay; formal 'full enrollment' application in October of year one after HON 100 with a B or better.
Deadline: Automatic invitation at admission; full-enrollment application by Oct. 15 of the first semester.
How to apply: Automatic ('Admissions office invites students to the Honors Program'); travel/research awards need a separate application.
Amount per year: varies
Requirements: On UT's 'Outside Scholarships' list only two entries are tagged 'Domestic and International applicants accepted': Tellone Financial Services Scholarship and Tien VO MD Grant. The rest do not state international eligibility.
International: Yes
Renewal: set by the donor
Deadline: varies
How to apply: Directly with the donor; 'Students must notify the Financial Aid Office of any private or outside scholarships and awards.'
There is no need-based aid for non-U.S. citizens; UT says so in as many words. For Brazilian students, what exists is the automatic merit scholarship and the departmental awards.
Scores
| Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|
| SAT (average of admitted students) | 1180 |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| Minimum TOEFL (1–6 band scale, in force since 21 January 2026) | 4 · tests taken before 21 January 2026: 79 |
| Minimum IELTS | 6.5 |
| Minimum Duolingo | 110 |
| SAT/ACT policy | Test-optional |
The ENEM plays no part in the review. The university converts your secondary-school grades onto the American 0 to 4 scale, and that number is what appears as your GPA. Averages between 7 and 8 usually land near 3.0; above 9, near 4.0. The conversion is done either by the university itself or by a credential evaluation service, and the transcript has to be translated by a sworn translator.
The University of Tampa's merit scholarship is not a single figure. It is a range, $10,000 to $18,000 per year. Where you land inside it depends on your transcript, the rigour of the courses you took and your SAT or ACT score when you choose to submit one.
The distance between floor and ceiling is $8,000 per year. Over a four-year degree, $32,000, or about R$ 165,120. That is the size of the difference a better score can make, and it is why the test is worth sitting even when it is optional.
Tests
U.S. News publishes the range covering the middle half of admitted students, not an average. Use the range as a gauge of competitiveness (2026 data).
| Item | Reference |
|---|---|
| SAT (25th–75th percentile) | 1140 – 1300 |
| ACT (25th–75th percentile) | 23 – 28 |
| Average high-school GPA | 3.6 |
| Acceptance rate | 40% |
Source: U.S. News & World Report
| Test | Minimum score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 79 (4.0 on the new 1-6 scale) | Official text: 'TOEFL: 4.0 (iBt) or 8.5 (Essentials Test). If you took the iBt exam prior to January 21, 2026, we require a minimum score of 79.' So 79 applies only to tests taken before 21 Jan 2026; later tests are read on the 1-6 scale, minimum 4.0. The 2026-2027 catalog still says 'minimum score of 79-80'; the admissions page is the current one. |
| TOEFL Essentials | 8.5 | Listed with the iBT: 'TOEFL: 4.0 (iBt) or 8.5 (Essentials Test)'. Catalog confirms: 'TOEFL Essentials with a score of 8.5 or higher'. |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 (overall) | 'IELTS: Overall band score 6.5'. No per-band minimum is published. |
| Duolingo English Test | 110 | 'Duolingo: 110'. Confirmed in the 2026-2027 catalog: 'UTampa also accepts the Duolingo English Test with a score of 110 or higher.' |
| SAT (Reading and Writing) | 530 on Reading/Writing | Counts as English proof, not an admission requirement: 'Official SAT/ACT test scores can be reviewed for consideration if submitted with application (530 on Reading/Writing for SAT, 40 on English section for ACT)'. |
| ACT (English) | published as "40" (the section tops out at 36) | The figure on UT's site looks like a typo. Confirm with admissions before relying on the ACT as proof of English. |
| IB Diploma / IB English A HL | Full IB Diploma or IB English A at Higher Level | Waives the test: 'Completion of the IB Diploma Program or taking IB English A as a higher-level subject'. |
| ELS Level 112 / Tampa Language Center Level 6 | Completion of ELS 112 or Tampa Language Center Level 6 | Waives the test: 'Completion of ELS 112 or Tampa Language Center Level 6 program'. The catalog adds, for the ELS 112 certificate, 'a minimum score of 79 on the Michigan Test of English (MELAB)'. |
| I/GCSE English | Grade B or higher | Waives the test: 'A minimum grade of B or higher in I/GCSE English'. |
| U.S. high school (4 years) | 4 years at a U.S. high school with B or higher in English | Waives the test: 'Attendance at a high school within the United States for a minimum of four years. Students must maintain grades of B or higher in English courses'. There is no general waiver for English-medium/American-curriculum schools outside the U.S.; Brazil is not on the country waiver list. |
| PTE Academic | not accepted (not listed) | PTE Academic is not listed on the international admissions page or in the 2026-2027 catalog. Confirm with admissions@ut.edu before booking. |
| Cambridge English (B2 First / C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency) | not accepted (not listed) | Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency appear neither on the international admissions page nor in the 2026–2027 catalog. |
| iTEP | not accepted (not listed) | iTEP does not appear on any UT admissions page checked. |
Cambridge English (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency) appears in the table when the university accepts it. If it is absent, the official page does not list it — do not send a Cambridge certificate in place of the TOEFL without confirming with admissions.
UT is test-optional for every first-year applicant, international included: the SAT and ACT are not required, and the university recommends an SAT above 1200 or ACT above 25 for those who choose to submit. Merit scholarships are based on unweighted GPA and curriculum rigor, not on the SAT. UT does not state whether it superscores. Verified on 2026-09-05.
Is your score below 4 (1–6 scale) on the TOEFL or 110 on the Duolingo test? That does not end the plan — our live prep courses with a teacher exist to close exactly that gap.
Majors
There are 66 majors, grouped by the school that offers them, each with the degree code the application form uses. Search by name, or filter by school or STEM.
The 14 majors marked STEM qualify for an extra 24 months of work authorisation on top of OPT — up to 36 months working in the United States after graduation. If you plan to stay, that designation matters more than the name of the degree.
66 majors
No major matches that name. Try a broader word, or the degree code.
Graduate
Close to 30% of The University of Tampa's graduate students come from outside the United States. It is a far more international room than the undergraduate one, and that changes the experience: almost everyone beside you also arrived recently.
There are 14 programs open to international students, 7 of them STEM-designated.
| Program | STEM | GRE or GMAT required | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Doctor of Business Administration (EDBA) | No | FSpSu | |
| M.A. in Professional Communication | No | FSpSu | |
| M.A. in Social and Emerging Media | STEM | No | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Accounting | Yes | FSpSu | |
| M.S. in Business Analytics | STEM | Yes | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice | No | FSpSu | |
| M.S. in Cybersecurity | STEM | Yes | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Entrepreneurship | No | FSpSu | |
| M.S. in Exercise and Nutrition Science | STEM | No | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Finance | STEM | Yes | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Information and Technology Management | STEM | Yes | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology | STEM | No | FSpSu |
| M.S. in Marketing | Yes | FSpSu | |
| Master of Business Administration (MBA) | Yes | FSpSu |
No program matches those filters. Clear one of them.
The STEM designation matters more at master's level than at undergraduate. It allows a request for 24 extra months of OPT on top of the initial 12, which means up to three years working in the United States off a one- or two-year degree.
| Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 90 |
| Minimum IELTS | 6.5 |
| Minimum Duolingo | 120 |
| Application fee | $40 |
| Deposit after admission | $300 |
| Minimum full-time load | 8 credit hours per semester |
7 of the programs above waive the GRE and GMAT. The rest require the test, and a waiver is only considered for applicants holding a business degree from an AACSB-accredited institution. Work experience does not count towards a waiver.
Beyond a transcript from every institution you attended, with certified translation, the application asks for a personal statement in English, a professional resume and two reference forms from people who can speak to your academic and professional background. A course-by-course credential evaluation is strongly recommended.
| Intake | Application complete by |
|---|---|
| Fall intake | end of May (recommended; rolling admission, no hard deadline) |
| Spring intake | October (recommended; rolling admission, no hard deadline) |
Deadlines
| Intake | Application deadline | Scholarship deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall intake | January 15 (Regular Decision); rolling afterwards | automatic with the application |
| Spring intake | rolling |
Documents
The order below is the order in which The University of Tampa asks for each item. Start with the first two: they depend on third parties and they are what stalls the process.
Campus
Plant Hall is the first thing you see. The silver minarets above the Hillsborough River were a hotel before they were a university, and they now hold classrooms. The campus is compact and you can cross all of it on foot. Plant Park, the strip of green along the river, is where people sit between classes. The student newspaper is called The Minaret, after the building. The teams are the Spartans, and games happen right there.
There are twelve residence halls. First-year students usually land in the traditional buildings, with shared bathrooms, and share a room with one or two other people. You can request one or two specific roommates until May 1, though the request is not always met. Your roommate's name and contact reach you before you travel. If housing fills up, the university places students at the Barrymore Hotel, four blocks away. There is an official room-change window in the third week of classes.
What surprises you in the first week tends to be small. The air conditioning is freezing in every indoor space. The meal plan works per entry, not per dish. And nobody expects an answer when they ask how you are. Buy bedding once you are in Tampa, because dorm mattresses are not the size you are used to.
There is no requirement to live on campus in the first year, which opens up sharing an apartment off campus — usually cheaper, with transport left to solve.
City
The campus sits at the edge of downtown Tampa, across the river. You can walk to the Riverwalk, the promenade along the bank that leads to restaurants and to Channelside. Ybor City, the historic cigar district, is minutes away and is where the city goes at night. The beaches are on the other side of the bay and depend on someone giving you a ride.
The university itself warns international students that public transport in Tampa is limited. Buses exist, but they stop running early, which is a problem if you have evening classes. Taxis are expensive and few apartments sit within walking distance of campus. In practice, living on campus in the first year solves this. After that, the normal arrangement is sharing an apartment with other students and relying on whoever in the group has a car. The university does not run an off-campus roommate matching service, so that arrangement is yours to build.
The heat is constant and so is the humidity. In summer it rains most afternoons, hard and briefly. Hurricane season is part of the calendar and the university has its own protocol for it. It is routine, not a permanent emergency. The airport is TPA, inside the city, connecting to Brazil through the US hubs. You will hear Spanish constantly, and Portuguese almost never.
| Item | Reference |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom rent off campus | $1,376 / month |
| Public transport | HART buses (US$ 2 per ride, US$ 65 monthly pass) and the TECO Line streetcar linking downtown to Ybor City in 11 stops |
| Nearest airport | Tampa International (TPA), about 10 km from downtown, with connections to Brazil via Miami, Atlanta or New York |
| Distance to Orlando | 136 km |
| Distance to Miami | 452 km |
| Climate | Humid subtropical: hot summers with near-daily afternoon rain, mild winters, hurricane season June to November |
On an F-1 visa you can work up to 20 hours a week on campus during the term. Off campus only with CPT or OPT authorized by the university.
Careers
The median salary of graduates from this university is $59,436 a year, according to the College Scorecard, a US government public database.
On an F-1 visa you can work up to 20 hours a week on campus during term, and full time during breaks.
CPT allows an off-campus internship when it forms part of your program's curriculum, with university authorisation.
OPT gives 12 months of work authorisation in your field after graduation.
Immigration rules change — verified on 2026-08-15. Confirm with the university's international student office before making any decision based on this page.
Compare
The University of Tampa makes sense if you want small classes and a city within walking distance. The campus is short, downtown is across the river, and you depend on nobody to get anywhere. If what you picture is an enormous campus, full stands and college life as the films show it, the large public universities like UF or UCF will fit you better. Both experiences are good. They are different.
The universities below are the closest to this one in total cost. Compare before deciding: the tuition gap between two of them is usually larger than any merit scholarship.
| University | Total cost per year | Average SAT | Minimum TOEFL |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Tampa (this page) | $50,124 | 1180 | 4 (1–6 scale) |
| Florida Institute of Technology | $65,819 | 1250 | 4 (1–6 scale) |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | $66,926 | 1270 | 4 (1–6 scale) |
| University of Florida | $51,993 | 1400 |
FAQ
The estimated total — tuition, housing and health insurance — is $50,124 per year before any scholarship. Books, transport and course fees are not included. We prefer that you plan with this number and be surprised for the better.
TOEFL 4 (1–6 scale) or higher, or Duolingo 110 or higher. Duolingo policies change often, so we confirm the current rule before you apply. If your score is below the minimum, prep closes that gap before the deadline.
Not always for admission, but almost always for merit scholarships. The admitted average is around 1180. Without an SAT score you can be admitted and pay full price; with a competitive score, the same university can cost much less.
The ENEM plays no part. The university converts the transcript grades to the American 0–4 GPA scale from a sworn translation. Averages between 7 and 8 usually land near 3.0; above 9, near 4.0. The minimum required is 3.0.
The fall entry deadline is January 15 (Regular Decision); rolling afterwards, and spring entry is rolling. Start 10 to 12 months ahead: transcript translation, English score and proof of funds are the steps that delay applications most.
On an F-1 visa you can work up to 20 hours a week on campus during the term and full time during breaks. After graduation, OPT gives 12 months of work authorization in your field, and STEM majors can request 24 more.
The University of Tampa admits 40% of applicants. The published minimum GPA for international applicants is 3.0 on the American 0–4 scale — a Brazilian transcript is converted to that scale from a sworn translation. The SAT range and average GPA of admitted students, where the university publishes them, are in the Admission section of this page. Below those marks admission is still possible; what gets harder is merit aid.
$33,724 a year at the out-of-state rate, which is what a Brazilian pays. With housing, meals and health insurance the estimated total is $50,124 — about R$ 258,640 in Brazilian reais at R$ 5.16 to the dollar. Merit scholarships reduce tuition, not the other items.
On estimated total cost per year, The University of Tampa comes to $50,124 and Florida Institute of Technology to $65,819. The gap between the two is usually larger than any merit scholarship, so compare total cost before comparing scholarships.
It can happen. The university states that a large share of first-year students are placed in triple rooms, including those who requested a specific roommate. You can name one or two people until May 1, and the request is not always met. Your roommate's contact arrives before the trip, which helps you agree on who brings what. An official room-change window opens in the third week of classes, and the floor's resident assistant mediates conflicts.
Most residence halls have card-access entry and security cameras. Sitting beside downtown means constant movement, which helps more than it hurts. The usual big-city rules apply: pay attention at night, walk with someone, do not leave a bicycle unlocked. It is worth reading the university's campus safety page before you travel and saving the campus security number on your child's phone.
They are two different universities in the same city, and the confusion is common. The University of Tampa is private and sits at the edge of downtown, with a compact campus. The University of South Florida is public, sits north of the city, and has a far larger campus and community. Cost, scholarships and admission criteria follow different logics at each. The comparison table on this page puts the numbers side by side.
Sources
Every block on this page carries its own verification date. Costs and admission requirements come from the university's official international admissions page. Enrollment, acceptance and graduation figures come from College Navigator, the US Department of Education's public database.
Converted to Brazilian reais at R$ 5.16 to the dollar on 2026-08-15. Exchange rates move; the dollar figures are the reference.
Data verified on 2026-08-15.
Sources: College Scorecard · College Navigator · Official university site
Next steps
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