Orlando, Florida · Public 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 University of Central Florida'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.
Federal data (NCES) covers UCF as a whole, including Rosen College, Lake Nona and the downtown Orlando campus. No official main-campus-only breakdown exists.
Admission
University of Central Florida admits 40% of applicants, according to College Navigator, the US Department of Education's public database.
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1220 and 1350 on the SAT and between 25 and 30 on the ACT. The average high-school GPA of admitted students is 4.18; the published minimum for international applicants is 3.0.
In practice, for a Brazilian applicant: a converted transcript near the average GPA and an SAT inside the range put you in the typical admitted group. Below that, admission is still possible, but merit aid gets harder.
Costs
Tuition at University of Central Florida for international students is $22,467 a year. With housing, meals and health insurance the estimated total is $36,067 — about R$ 186,106 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) | $22,467 | R$ 115,930 |
| Housing and meals | $11,000 | R$ 56,760 |
| Health insurance | $2,600 | R$ 13,416 |
| Estimated total | $36,067 | R$ 186,106 |
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
Merit scholarships: students have received between 5% and 30% of tuition (conservative estimate, 2026–2027; verified on 2026-08-15). Typical conditions: Merit scholarships with SAT 1250+ and GPA 3.5+. 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: UCF does not publish per-tier amounts. The Tuition & Aid page says merit scholarships for incoming FTIC students are distributed over four years and range from $6,000 to $30,000 for Florida residents and up to $50,400 for non-Florida residents. Non-residents receive the award as a waiver of the out-of-state tuition portion; it does not pay resident tuition or other fees.
Requirements: First-year (high school) applicant admitted for summer or fall; 'awarded to exceptional high school students who are accepted for a summer or fall semester by Undergraduate Admissions'. Competitive: fewer than 20 percent of students receive an offer. Complete application (fee, SPARK Form, SAT/ACT/CLT scores) by the Early Action deadlines.
International: Not stated
Renewal: Minimum 12 UCF credit hours each fall and spring, 24 completed hours per year, 3.0 UCF cumulative GPA at the end of each spring; maximum 8 semesters; FAFSA not required.
Deadline: Early Action: application by Oct. 15 and materials by Nov. 15 (summer/fall entry). 'Scholarship funding for FTIC students is usually exhausted by mid-January'.
How to apply: Automatic: 'There is no separate application for this scholarship program. Students who apply for admission to UCF for summer or fall terms are automatically considered.' Stacking: any combination of UCF-sponsored non-resident waiver awards covers up to the waiver amount or the non-resident fee amount, whichever is less.
Amount per year: Waiver of the out-of-state tuition portion, 'up to the full amount offered by Undergraduate Admissions as long as it does not exceed the non-resident fee amount'. The per-semester maximum is stated in the award letter.
Requirements: 'These scholarships are awarded to entering out of state high school graduates by Undergraduate Admissions to recognize outstanding academic performance.'
International: Not stated
Renewal: 12 UCF credit hours per term, 24 hours per year, 3.0 UCF GPA at the end of each spring, maximum 8 semesters.
Deadline: Same Early Action deadlines (Oct. 15 and Nov. 15).
How to apply: Automatic with the admission application.
Amount per year: Amount not published.
Requirements: Florida residents only, with outstanding academic credentials; fewer than 10 percent of the entering class. Includes priority consideration for The Burnett Honors College.
International: No
Renewal: 12 hours per term, 24 per year, 3.0 UCF GPA, maximum 8 semesters.
Deadline: Early Action (Oct. 15 and Nov. 15).
How to apply: Automatic with the application.
Amount per year: Amount not published on the page; cannot exceed Cost of Attendance when combined with other resources.
Requirements: Designation as a National Merit Scholar (PSAT/NMSQT-based program administered through U.S. high schools). Florida residents receive it through the Benacquisto Scholarship Program.
International: Not stated
Renewal: 12 hours per term, 24 per year, 3.0 UCF GPA, maximum 8 semesters.
Deadline: Not stated; contact scholarsprogram@ucf.edu.
How to apply: Automatic via Undergraduate Admissions; designated students should contact The Scholars Program.
Amount per year: Waiver of the out-of-state tuition portion (in-state rate). ENDED: Florida HB 905 (2026, Chapter 2026-66) repealed the in-state residency exemption effective July 1, 2026.
Requirements: Certification by the country's Linkage Institute (UCF's Student Account Services waivers page still lists the 'Florida-Brazil Institute' among the 11 institutes).
International: No
Renewal: Not applicable — program ended.
Deadline: Not applicable.
How to apply: Not applicable. UCF's page still describes the old procedure (send the institute's letter to saswaivers@ucf.edu), but the statutory benefit no longer exists.
Amount per year: Amount not published; applied toward the out-of-state portion of tuition; 'it is not possible to receive full tuition coverage'. Generally received only once.
Requirements: Enrolled undergraduate international student with documented unexpected, temporary financial hardship. Not an entry award.
International: Yes
Renewal: Generally one time only; exceptions for extenuating circumstances.
Deadline: Notified by Knights email about one month before fall and spring semesters.
How to apply: UCF Global application form after notification; committee reviews case by case.
Amount per year: 'Potential 1-year scholarship'; amount not published.
Requirements: Latin American and Caribbean students who complete the UCF Global Pathway program and continue into degree-seeking undergraduate studies.
International: Yes
Renewal: One year; no further details.
Deadline: Not stated.
How to apply: Not stated; through UCF Global Pathway Programs.
Amount per year: Varies; 'over 200 scholarships' / 'hundreds of scholarships offered by the university'.
Requirements: One-time general application in A2O; each award has its own criteria. OSFA says it 'does not award scholarships for non-U.S. citizens. However, the office lists various scholarship opportunities for non-US citizens on the Scholarship page.'
International: Not stated
Renewal: Depends on the award.
Deadline: 'The peak time to apply for scholarships is January through May for the upcoming school year.'
How to apply: Form: A2O general application.
There is no federal or institutional need-based aid for international first-year students: UCF states it does not award scholarships to non-U.S. citizens, and federal aid requires citizenship or residency. What exists is merit at admission, departmental awards and, at graduate level, assistantships.
Scores
| Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|
| SAT (25th–75th percentile) | 1220 – 1350 |
| ACT (25th–75th percentile) | 25 – 30 |
| Average GPA of admitted students | 4.18 |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| Minimum TOEFL (1–6 band scale, in force since 21 January 2026) | 4 · tests taken before 21 January 2026: 80 |
| Minimum IELTS | 6.5 |
| Minimum Duolingo | 120 |
| SAT/ACT policy | SAT or ACT required |
UCF accepts TOEFL iBT 80 on the legacy scale, or 4 on the 1–6 scale in use since January 2026, IELTS 6.5 and Duolingo 120. It does not accept PTE, TOEFL Essentials, Cambridge or iTEP. The test is waived with SAT Reading and Writing 520, ACT English 20 or CLT 42. Verified on 2026-09-07.
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.
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) | 1200 – 1350 |
| ACT (25th–75th percentile) | 25 – 29 |
| Average high-school GPA | 3.9 |
| Acceptance rate | 45% |
Source: U.S. News & World Report
| Test | Minimum score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (new 1–6 scale, tests from January 2026) | 4 | Minimum for international first-year applicants whose native language is not English; page says 'a minimum qualifying score of 4 (iBT January 2026 and later)'. |
| TOEFL iBT (legacy 0–120 scale, tests before January 2026) | 80 | '80 (iBT prior to January 2026)'. TOEFL institution code 5233. |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | Overall band 6.5; no sub-score minimums published. |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 | 'a minimum qualifying score of 120 on the Duolingo English Test'. |
| SAT – Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section | 520 | Satisfies English proficiency: '520 on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section -or- 480 on the Critical Reading section of the SAT' (480 applies to the old SAT). Since SAT/ACT/CLT is already required of every freshman, this is the simplest route. |
| ACT – English section | 20 | 'a minimum qualifying score of 20 on the English section of the ACT'. |
| CLT – Verbal Reasoning + Grammar/Writing | 42 | 'a minimum qualifying score of 42 on the Verbal Reasoning + Grammar/Writing section of the CLT'. CLT accepted only if taken July 1, 2023 or later. |
| TOEFL Essentials | not accepted | Not on the list. Page states: 'Any tests not included above are not endorsed by UCF.' |
| PTE Academic | not accepted | Not listed among accepted tests for first-year applicants (checked 2026-09-07). |
| Cambridge English (B2 First / C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency) | not accepted | No Cambridge English exam appears on the proficiency list. UCF mentions Cambridge AS/A level and AICE only as academic credentials, not as English proof. |
| iTEP | not accepted | Not listed (checked 2026-09-07). |
| ELS | not accepted | Not listed. The in-house alternative is completing UCF Global's IEP/OEP level 8 or higher with a grade of B or better. |
| Waiver: country where English is the only official language | waived | 'proving they are from a country where English is the only official language'. Does not apply to Brazilians. |
| Waiver: 4 years of English at a U.S. or U.S.-accredited high school | waived | 'establishing that four years of English were or will be completed by the time of enrollment at a high school in the United States or U.S. territory or at a high school accredited by an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education'. US-accredited American schools in Brazil may qualify; confirm with uainternational@ucf.edu. |
| Waiver: ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 (or equivalent) with a B or higher at an accredited U.S. college | waived | Also: UCF Global IEP/OEP level 8 with a B; GAA 10210 (EAS 2) with a C; EAP 2851 with a C or placement into ENC 1101; or an onsite assessment by UCF Global faculty. |
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.
The SAT, ACT or CLT is required of every first-year applicant, international included; UCF publishes no admission minimum. The university superscores both the SAT and the ACT. To compete for merit scholarships, the complete application with official scores must arrive by the Early Action deadline. Verified on 2026-09-07.
Is your score below 4 (1–6 scale) on the TOEFL or 120 on the Duolingo test? That does not end the plan — our live prep courses with a teacher exist to close exactly that gap.
Majors
UCF is known for three areas that lean on the region's economy. Engineering and computer science lead, anchored by CREOL, the optics and photonics center, and by a long tradition in modeling and simulation tied to Orlando's defense and training cluster. Hospitality and tourism sit at Rosen College, on its own campus beside the hotel and theme-park district. Digital media and games have FIEA, a graduate program in downtown Orlando built for students heading into studios. Beyond that, the list of majors is long: nursing, psychology, business, education, health sciences. The medical school is in Lake Nona, on yet another campus.
There are 117 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 26 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.
117 majors
No major matches that name. Try a broader word, or the degree code.
Graduate
Master's study here usually follows one of two routes. One is applying after graduation, with a separate application, test scores and letters. The other is an accelerated format, where an undergraduate starts taking graduate coursework in the final year and finishes both degrees in less time. Not every major offers this and the rules vary by department. If a master's is already part of the plan, choose the major with that in mind and confirm directly with the department before applying.
Close to 11.6% of University of Central Florida'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 101 programs open to international students.
| Program | STEM | GRE or GMAT required | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barry S. Miller College of Business8 | |||
| Accounting MSA | No | FSpSu | |
| Business Administration MBA | No | FSpSu | |
| Business Analytics MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Economics MS | — | — | |
| FinTech MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Management MSM | — | FSpSu | |
| Real Estate MSRE | No | — | |
| Sport Business Management MSBM | No | FSpSu | |
| College of Arts and Humanities11 | |||
| Creative Writing MFA | No | FSpSu | |
| Emerging Media MFA | No | FSpSu | |
| English MA | No | FSpSu | |
| English, Rhetoric and Composition MA | No | FSpSu | |
| History MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Music MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Spanish MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Theatre MA | — | FSpSu | |
| Theatre MFA | No | FSpSu | |
| Themed Experience MS | No | FSpSu | |
| College of Community Innovation and Education24 | |||
| Applied Learning and Instruction MA | — | — | |
| Career and Workforce Education MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Counselor Education MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Counselor Education MEd | No | FSpSu | |
| Criminal Justice MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Early Childhood Development and Education MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Educational Leadership MA | — | FSpSu | |
| Educational Leadership MEd | No | FSpSu | |
| Elementary Education MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Elementary Education MEd | No | FSpSu | |
| Emergency and Crisis Management MECM | No | FSpSu | |
| Exceptional Student Education K-12 MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Exceptional Student Education MEd | No | FSpSu | |
| Instructional Design and Technology MA | No | FSpSu | |
| K-8 Mathematics and Science Education MEd | No | FSpSu | |
| Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Nonprofit Management MNM | — | FSpSu | |
| Public Administration MPA | — | FSpSu | |
| Public Policy MPP | No | FSpSu | |
| Reading Education MEd | No | FSpSu | |
| Research Administration MRA | No | FSpSu | |
| Secondary Education MEd | — | FSpSu | |
| Teacher Education MAT | — | FSpSu | |
| Urban and Regional Planning MS | No | FSpSu | |
| College of Engineering and Computer Science23 | |||
| Aerospace Engineering MSAE | No | FSpSu | |
| Biomedical Engineering MSBME | No | FSpSu | |
| Civil Engineering MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Civil Engineering MSCE | No | FSpSu | |
| Computer Engineering MSCpE | No | FSpSu | |
| Computer Science MS | — | FSpSu | |
| Computer Vision MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Cyber Security and Privacy MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Data Analytics MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Digital Forensics MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Electrical Engineering MSEE | No | FSpSu | |
| Engineering Management MSEM | — | FSpSu | |
| Environmental Engineering MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Environmental Engineering MSEnvE | No | FSpSu | |
| Environmental Engineering MSEnvE, Accelerated BS to MSEnvE | No | FSpSu | |
| Industrial Engineering MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Industrial Engineering MSIE | No | FSpSu | |
| Materials Science and Engineering MSMSE | No | FSpSu | |
| Mechanical Engineering MSME | No | FSpSu | |
| Modeling and Simulation MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Robotics and Autonomous Systems MSRAS | No | FSpSu | |
| Systems Engineering, MSSE | No | FSpSu | |
| Travel Technology and Analytics MS | Yes | FSpSu | |
| College of Graduate Studies3 | |||
| Interdisciplinary Studies MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Interdisciplinary Studies MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Nanotechnology MS | No | FSpSu | |
| College of Health Professions and Sciences8 | |||
| Athletic Training MAT | No | FSpSu | |
| Communication Sciences and Disorders MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Health Administration MHA | No | FSpSu | |
| Health Care Informatics MS, Professional Science Master's | No | FSpSu | |
| Health Promotion and Behavioral Science MS | — | — | |
| Kinesiology MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Public Health MPH | No | FSpSu | |
| Social Work MSW | — | FSpSu | |
| College of Medicine2 | |||
| Biomedical Sciences MS | — | FSpSu | |
| Biotechnology MS | No | FSpSu | |
| College of Nursing1 | |||
| Nursing MSN | — | FSpSu | |
| College of Optics and Photonics1 | |||
| Optics and Photonics MS | — | FSpSu | |
| College of Sciences18 | |||
| Anthropology MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Biology MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Chemistry MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Clinical Psychology MA | Yes | FSpSu | |
| Clinical Psychology MS, Master Along the Way Track | — | — | |
| Communication MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Digital Media MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Feature Film Production MFA | No | FSpSu | |
| Forensic Science MS | — | — | |
| Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology MA, Master Along the Way Track | — | — | |
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology MS | Yes | FSpSu | |
| Interactive Entertainment MS | — | FSpSu | |
| Mathematical Science MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Physics MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Planetary and Space Sciences MS, Master's Along the Way Track | — | — | |
| Political Science MA | No | FSpSu | |
| Sociology, Applied MA | — | FSpSu | |
| Statistics and Data Science MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Rosen College of Hospitality Management2 | |||
| Event Leadership MS | No | FSpSu | |
| Hospitality and Tourism Management MS | — | FSpSu | |
No program matches those filters. Clear one of them.
| Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 80 |
| Minimum IELTS | 6.5 |
| Minimum Duolingo | 120 |
| Application fee | $30 |
| Minimum full-time load | 9 credit hours per semester |
75 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 | January 15 (international; also the fellowship priority date) |
| Spring intake | July 1 (international) |
Deadlines
| Intake | Application deadline | Scholarship deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall intake | March 1, 2027 (recommended; UCF's international first-year table says April 1 — use the earlier date) | October 15, 2026 (Early Action; materials by November 15) |
| Spring intake | September 1, 2026 (Spring 2027; the table says October 1) |
Documents
The order below is the order in which University of Central Florida asks for each item. Start with the first two: they depend on third parties and they are what stalls the process.
Campus
The main campus sits east of Orlando, far from downtown, and it is big in a way you feel in your legs. You can cross it on foot, but it takes time and you will do it in full sun. The layout helps: academic buildings are arranged in rings around the Reflecting Pond, with the library at the center. For the first few weeks you navigate by the pond, and then you stop thinking about it. The football stadium is on campus, and in the fall home Saturdays change the mood of the whole place. The first surprise for most international students is the loneliness of the schedule: there is no fixed class group, everyone builds their own timetable, and friends come from clubs, the gym and the residence halls rather than the classroom.
First-year housing works through an online application, and the freshman communities sit on the north side of campus, close to classes. You pick a room type and a building from whatever is still available, so applying early changes the outcome. In practice, almost everyone shares a room in year one, with a bathroom shared between two rooms or down the hall. Pack light: mattresses are twin XL, the air conditioning runs cold year round, and everything else can be bought nearby. A meal plan comes attached to some communities; confirm which rule applies to the building you choose.
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
Student Orlando is not theme-park Orlando. The campus is ringed by apartment complexes, grocery stores and restaurants that exist because of the university. Most off-campus students live along Alafaya Trail and University Boulevard, a short bus or bike ride from class. Those who want quiet move to Waterford Lakes or Oviedo. Those who want an actual city move to Winter Park or downtown, and at that point they need a car. Life without a car is possible, using the university shuttles and LYNX bus routes, but you live by timetables and by rides from friends. Understand that before you sign a lease.
The weather becomes routine fast. From May through October it rains most afternoons, short and heavy, and the humidity never fully lifts. Hurricanes are a calendar item rather than a drama: the university announces, closes, everyone stocks water, and life resumes. Weekends split between the coast, close enough for a day trip, the parks, which many locals end up buying an annual pass for, and downtown. Orlando has a large Brazilian and Latin American community, concentrated more toward Kissimmee and Davenport, with churches, markets and restaurants. The international airport is on the far side of the city and offers direct long-haul flights, which matters when you go home for the holidays.
| Item | Reference |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom rent off campus | $1,434 / month |
| Public transport | LYNX (Orange, Osceola and Seminole county buses): $2.00 per ride, $4.50 day pass, $50 monthly; UCF students ride the routes serving campus free with their UCF ID (Route 434 was cut in January 2026). UCF runs free ID-access shuttles: 10 routes to 23 off-campus student apartment complexes and Central Florida Research Park (Mon-Thu 6:30am-10pm, Fri to 8pm) plus the on-campus Pegasus Express. No rail or metro at campus; SunRail serves downtown only. A car is still the norm. |
| Nearest airport | Orlando International Airport (MCO): 57.7 million passengers in 2025, Florida's busiest and 7th in the US (25th worldwide); 8.45 million international passengers in 2025; 170+ nonstop destinations including Brazil (Azul and LATAM); 37 km / ~36 min by car from the UCF campus, with no direct public transit. |
| Distance to Miami | 371 km |
| Climate | Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa): mild winters (January mean 15.9 °C / 60.6 °F, frost on ~1.6 nights a year), hot humid summers with highs of 32-34 °C (low 90s °F) and near-daily showers June-September (1,307 mm / 51 in a year); Orlando sits 68 km inland from the Atlantic, so hurricane risk is lower than on the coast (season June-November). |
F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours/week in fall and spring and more than 20 during summer and winter break; at UCF no extra UCF Global authorization is needed for on-campus work (J-1 students need it), but a Social Security Number is required, obtained with the job offer and an active SEVIS record.
Careers
The median salary of graduates from this university is $58,308 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.
STEM-designated programs allow a request for a 24-month extension of OPT — up to 36 months of authorised work in total 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
UCF suits students who want the American college experience at full scale: crowds, clubs, a packed stadium, and the freedom to disappear into the mass when they want to. If you would rather be known by name by your professors and handle everything within one walk, The University of Tampa or New College of Florida will feel more like home. If you want Miami and daily Latin American life, FIU makes more sense. Here you gain size and breadth of majors, and you pay for it in bureaucracy and distance.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Florida (this page) | $36,067 | 1260 | 4 (1–6 scale) |
| Florida International University | $33,863 | 1190 | |
| University of North Florida | $38,394 | 1150 | 79 |
| Atlantis University | $30,020 | 70 |
FAQ
The estimated total — tuition, housing and health insurance — is $36,067 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 120 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 1260. 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 March 1, 2027 (recommended; UCF's international first-year table says April 1 — use the earlier date), and spring entry is September 1, 2026 (Spring 2027; the table says October 1). 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.
University of Central Florida 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.
$22,467 a year at the out-of-state rate, which is what a Brazilian pays. With housing, meals and health insurance the estimated total is $36,067 — about R$ 186,106 in Brazilian reais at R$ 5.16 to the dollar. Merit scholarships reduce tuition, not the other items.
On estimated total cost per year, University of Central Florida comes to $36,067 and Florida International University to $33,863. The gap between the two is usually larger than any merit scholarship, so compare total cost before comparing scholarships.
Hospitality is taught at Rosen College, on its own campus near the hotel and theme-park district, not on the main campus. That means studying next door to the industry you will intern in, but also a daily commute if you live on the other side of town. Many students in the program end up living near Rosen. If hospitality is your focus, visit both campuses before choosing housing.
In first-year introductory courses, yes, sections are large and lectures happen in auditoriums. From the second year on, once major coursework begins, classes shrink considerably. What changes the experience is showing up at office hours and joining a club or study group early. Students who wait to be sought out tend to spend their first semester invisible.
You do not need one, but it changes everything. University shuttles serve the student complexes around campus, and LYNX covers the rest of Orlando less frequently. For class, groceries and the gym you will manage. For internships, the beach or the airport, you will depend on rides or rideshare apps. Many international students buy a used car in their second year; check Florida driver's license rules for F-1 students first.
Sources
Every block on this page carries its own verification date. Costs and admission requirements come from the Common Data Set and the official international admissions page. Enrollment, acceptance and graduation figures come from College Navigator, the US Department of Education's public database.
Converted to Brazilian reais at R$ 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 · Common Data Set · College Navigator · Official university site
Next steps
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