Gainesville, Florida · Public university
Tuition, acceptance rate, scholarships with conservative numbers and the admission process step by step — in dollars and Brazilian reais — updated 2026-09-08. 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 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.
Admission
University of Florida admits 24% of applicants, according to College Navigator, the US Department of Education's public database.
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1330 and 1490 on the SAT and between 29 and 33 on the ACT. The average high-school GPA of admitted students is 3.9; 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 Florida for international students is $34,620 a year. With housing, meals and health insurance the estimated total is $51,993 — about R$ 268,284 at R$ 5.16 to the dollar (2026-08-15), verified on 2026-09-08.
| Item | Annual estimate (USD) | Approx. in R$ |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (out of state) | $34,620 | R$ 178,639 |
| Housing and meals | $14,190 | R$ 73,220 |
| Health insurance | $3,183 | R$ 16,424 |
| Estimated total | $51,993 | R$ 268,284 |
Estimates for 2026–2027, verified on 2026-09-08. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-year merit scholarships (Presidential / Presidential Gold / Presidential Platinum) | $5,000 – $10,000 | Automatic consideration for all admitted freshmen who apply by November 1; about 10% of admitted freshmen receive a merit award. Based on grades, SAT/ACT, extracurriculars, leadership, service and essay. No stated exclusion of international students. | Yes | November 1, 2026 (priority deadline) |
| Partial out-of-state tuition waivers (Alumni / Sunshine / Gator Nation / UF Distinguished Scholar) | $4,000 – $20,000 | Merit-based; non-Florida residents only, reduces the out-of-state tuition portion. Admitted international freshmen are considered: 'The Office of Admissions will consider admitted international freshmen for one of our out-of-state tuition waivers'. Cancelled if the student gains Florida residency. | Yes | November 1, 2026 (priority deadline) |
| Admissions Honors Scholarship (University Research Scholars Program) | $2,000 | $500 per term (fall/spring) tuition waiver for four years for freshmen selected for the University Research Scholars Program; applies to Florida residents and non-residents alike. | Yes | Selected at admission |
Merit scholarships: students have received between 0% and 20% of tuition (conservative estimate, 2026–2027; verified on 2026-09-08). Typical conditions: Highly competitive merit; SAT 1400+ and GPA 3.8+ typical among recipients. 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: Alumni: up to $8,000/yr (admissions.ufl.edu) or up to $10,000/yr (sfa.ufl.edu); Sunshine: up to $16,000/yr; Gator Nation: $20,000/yr (4-year totals 32,000/40,000, 64,000, 80,000)
Requirements: Admitted first-year classified as non-Florida resident; merit judged on the same comprehensive admission criteria; no preset minimum; 'Generally, recipients are above the middle fifty percent of our admitted student profile.' About 10% of admitted freshmen get any merit award.
International: Yes
Renewal: Fall/Spring for 4 years; cancelled if residency changes to in-state. Renewal GPA not published.
Deadline: Apply by the 1 November priority deadline (Early Action); notified by mid-March
How to apply: Automatic — no separate application; cannot be stacked with another out-of-state waiver scholarship (e.g., School of Music); can combine with the Admissions Honors Scholarship.
Amount per year: up to $8,000, $6,000 or $4,000 per year (4-year totals $32,000, $24,000, $16,000)
Requirements: Same family of non-resident merit tuition scholarships listed by SFA; criteria unpublished beyond 'selected students'.
International: Not stated
Renewal: Fall/Spring for 4 years; cancelled if residency becomes in-state
Deadline: Not stated (presumably the same 1 Nov priority deadline)
How to apply: Automatic via the admission application
Amount per year: $5,000 / $8,000 / $10,000 per year ($20,000 / $32,000 / $40,000 over 4 years)
Requirements: High-achieving admitted freshmen; the Admissions page does not restrict by residency but the SFA page groups Presidential awards as in-state; stackable with Bright Futures and Benacquisto (Florida residents only).
International: Not stated
Renewal: Fall/Spring for 4 years; criteria unpublished
Deadline: Apply by 1 November; notified by mid-March
How to apply: Automatic, no separate form
Amount per year: $2,000 residential tuition waiver ($500 waived each fall and spring term)
Requirements: Offered to students invited to the University Research Scholars Program
International: Yes
Renewal: $500 per fall and spring term (4 terms)
Deadline: No separate application
How to apply: Automatic; stacks with Presidential and Out-of-State Tuition Waivers
Amount per year: Four-year scholarship plus four fully funded summer enrichment experiences (dollar value not published)
Requirements: Admitted to the Honors Program through Early Decision or Early Action; exceptional curiosity, creativity, civic responsibility, leadership
International: Not stated
Renewal: 4 years; criteria unpublished
Deadline: Apply ED (15 Oct) or EA (1 Nov) to Honors; invited afterwards
How to apply: By invitation after Honors admission; separate application
Amount per year: Four-year scholarship with summer experiences; SFA page cites a $6,000 annual stipend and four funded summer trips
Requirements: Admitted to the Honors Program through Early Decision or Early Action
International: Not stated
Renewal: 4 years
Deadline: ED 15 Oct or EA 1 Nov
How to apply: By invitation; separate application
Amount per year: Was in-state classification for tuition (up to 25 FTE per country). ENDED: HB 905 (Foreign Interference Restriction Act), signed 8 May 2026, shut the Linkage Institutes down.
Requirements: No longer applies. Brazil had the Florida-Brazil Linkage Institute (FBLI) at UF; the UFIC page still describes the program as active while the FBLI waiver pages now 404.
International: No
Renewal: n/a
Deadline: n/a
How to apply: n/a — program ended
There is no UF need-based aid for students on F-1 or J-1 visas; Student Financial Affairs says so in as many words. The international office warns that funding for international students is scarce and concentrated at graduate level. For first-years, what exists is the small set of out-of-state tuition waivers, given to roughly one in ten admits.
Scores
| Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|
| SAT (25th–75th percentile) | 1330 – 1490 |
| ACT (25th–75th percentile) | 29 – 33 |
| Average GPA of admitted students | 3.9 |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| SAT/ACT policy | SAT or ACT required |
UF requires the TOEFL or IELTS from non-native English speakers, but the Gainesville campus publishes no minimum score: the 80 and 6.0 figures found online belong to UF Online, a separate program. Duolingo, PTE, TOEFL Essentials, Cambridge and iTEP do not appear on the admissions pages. Confirm the expected score with first-year admissions before booking a test. Verified on 2026-09-08.
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.
University of Florida's merit scholarship is not a single figure. It is a range, $5,000 to $20,000 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 $15,000 per year. Over a four-year degree, $60,000, or about R$ 309,600. 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.
The university superscores: it takes your best score in each section across every test date you submit. Retaking the test, in practice, can only help.
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) | 1320 – 1500 |
| ACT (25th–75th percentile) | 30 – 34 |
| Average high-school GPA | 3.9 |
| Acceptance rate | 24% |
Source: U.S. News & World Report
| Test | Minimum score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | required; no minimum published for the campus | UF requires the TOEFL or IELTS from non-native speakers without publishing a score. The 80 and 6.0 figures belong to UF Online. |
| IELTS Academic | required; no minimum published for the campus | UF requires the TOEFL or IELTS from non-native speakers without publishing a score. The 80 and 6.0 figures belong to UF Online. |
| TOEFL Essentials | not listed | Not mentioned on admissions.ufl.edu/apply/freshman/international, the Catalog, or UF Online. |
| Duolingo English Test | not listed | Not mentioned on any UF first-year admissions page checked. |
| PTE Academic | not listed | Not mentioned on any page checked. |
| Cambridge English (B2 First / C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency) | not listed | No Cambridge exam or Cambridge English Scale score appears on the pages checked. |
| iTEP | not listed | Not mentioned on the pages checked. |
| ELS | not listed | Not mentioned on the pages checked. |
| Waiver via SAT/ACT (English section) | not published for the campus | UF Online sentence: 'The TOEFL or IELTS testing requirement may be waived for eligible applicants who provide official SAT or ACT scores taken within 5 years of their first intended term of enrollment with UF Online.' No section minimum is published. The campus page only requires SAT/ACT/CLT for everyone and says nothing about an English waiver. |
| Waiver for English-medium schooling / exempt country | not published for the campus | UF Online: 'Completed one full time academic year in a high school program or a degree-seeking program at a college/university where English is the language of instruction.' Brazil is not on the exempt-country list (it begins Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados). The campus page publishes no waiver rule. |
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, under the state system rule; UF accepts self-reported scores on the application and superscores each section. There is no published floor, but the admitted profile is high: GPA 4.5 to 4.7 and SAT 1420 to 1520 in the latest class, per UF itself. Merit scholarships weigh the score and use the November 1 Early Action date as priority. Verified on 2026-09-08.
Majors
There are 125 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 42 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.
125 majors
No major matches that name. Try a broader word, or the degree code.
Graduate
There are 180 programs open to international students, 65 of them STEM-designated.
| Program | STEM | GRE or GMAT required | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Agricultural and Life Sciences22 | |||
| Agricultural and Biological Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Agricultural and Biological Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Agricultural Education and Communication, M.S. | — | — | |
| Agronomy, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Animal Sciences, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Entomology and Nematology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Family, Youth and Community Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, M.F.A.S. | — | — | |
| Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| Food and Resource Economics, M.AB. | — | — | |
| Food and Resource Economics, M.S. | — | — | |
| Food Science and Human Nutrition, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Forest Resources and Conservation, M.F.R.C. | STEM | — | — |
| Forest Resources and Conservation, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Genetics and Genomics, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Horticultural Sciences, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Interdisciplinary Ecology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Microbiology and Cell Science, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Plant Pathology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Soil and Water Sciences, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| College of Dentistry1 | |||
| Dental Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| College of Design, Construction and Planning10 | |||
| Architecture, M.Arch. | — | — | |
| Architecture, M.S.A.S. | — | — | |
| Construction Management, M.C.M | — | — | |
| Construction Management, M.S.C.M | — | — | |
| Historic Preservation, M.H.P. | — | — | |
| Integrated Sustainable Development, M.I.S.D. | — | — | |
| Interior Design, M.I.D. | — | — | |
| Landscape Architecture, M.L.A. | STEM | — | — |
| Urban Analytics, M.S. | — | — | |
| Urban and Regional Planning, M.U.R.P | — | — | |
| College of Education32 | |||
| Curriculum and Instruction, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Curriculum and Instruction, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Early Childhood Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Early Childhood Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Educational Leadership, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Educational Leadership, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Elementary Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Elementary Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| English Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| English Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Marriage and Family Counseling, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Marriage and Family Counseling, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Mathematics Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Mental Health Counseling, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Mental Health Counseling, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Program Evaluation in Educational Environments, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Reading Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Reading Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Research and Evaluation Methodology, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Research and Evaluation Methodology, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| School Counseling and Guidance, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| School Counseling and Guidance, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| School Psychology, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| School Psychology, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Science Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Science Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Social Studies Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Social Studies Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Special Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Special Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| Student Personnel in Higher Education, M.A.E. | — | — | |
| Student Personnel in Higher Education, M.Ed. | — | — | |
| College of Health and Human Performance3 | |||
| Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Sport Management, M.S. | — | — | |
| Tourism and Recreation Management, M.S. | — | — | |
| College of Journalism and Communications1 | |||
| Mass Communication, M.A.M.C. | — | — | |
| College of Liberal Arts and Sciences44 | |||
| Anthropology, M.A. | — | — | |
| Anthropology, M.A.T. | — | — | |
| Archaeology, M.S. | — | — | |
| Astronomy, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Astronomy, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| Botany, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Botany, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| Chemistry, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Chemistry, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| Creative Writing, M.F.A. | — | — | |
| Criminology, Law, and Society, M.A. | — | — | |
| Economics, M.A. | — | — | |
| English, M.A. | — | — | |
| French and Francophone Studies, M.A. | — | — | |
| French and Francophone Studies, M.A.T. | — | — | |
| Geography, M.A. | — | — | |
| Geography, M.S. | — | — | |
| Geology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Geology, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| German, M.A. | — | — | |
| History, M.A. | — | — | |
| Latin American Studies, M.A. | — | — | |
| Latin, M.A. | — | — | |
| Latin, M.L. | — | — | |
| Linguistics, M.A. | — | — | |
| Mathematics, M.A.T. | STEM | — | — |
| Mathematics, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Mathematics, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| Philosophy, M.A. | — | — | |
| Physics, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Physics, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| Political Science - International Relations, M.A. | — | — | |
| Political Science, M.A. | — | — | |
| Psychology, M.A. | — | — | |
| Psychology, M.S. | — | — | |
| Sociology, M.A. | — | — | |
| Spanish, M.A. | — | — | |
| Spanish, M.A.T. | — | — | |
| Statistics, M.S.Stat. | STEM | — | — |
| Statistics, M.Stat. | STEM | — | — |
| Sustainable Development Practice, M.D.P. | — | — | |
| Women's Studies, M.A. | — | — | |
| Zoology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Zoology, M.S.T. | STEM | — | — |
| College of Medicine4 | |||
| Anatomical Sciences Education, M.S. | — | — | |
| Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical and Health Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Medical Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| College of Pharmacy1 | |||
| Pharmaceutical Sciences, M.S.P. | STEM | — | — |
| College of Public Health and Health Professions6 | |||
| Biostatistics, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.A. | — | — | |
| Environmental and Global Health, M.H.S. | — | — | |
| Epidemiology, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Health Administration, M.H.A. | — | — | |
| Public Health, M.P.H. | — | — | |
| College of Veterinary Medicine3 | |||
| Comparative Biomedical Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| Preventive Veterinary Medicine, M.P.V.M. | — | — | |
| Veterinary Medical Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| College of the Arts12 | |||
| Art Education, M.A. | — | — | |
| Art History, M.A. | — | — | |
| Art, M.A. | — | — | |
| Art, M.F.A. | — | — | |
| Arts in Medicine, M.A. | — | — | |
| Design and Visual Communications, M.F.A. | — | — | |
| Digital Arts and Sciences, M.A. | — | — | |
| Digital Arts and Sciences, M.S. | — | — | |
| Museology, M.A. | — | — | |
| Music Education, M.M. | — | — | |
| Music, M.M. | — | — | |
| Theatre, M.F.A. | — | — | |
| Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education2 | |||
| History of Ideas, M.A. | — | — | |
| War, Statecraft and Strategy, M.A. | — | — | |
| Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering27 | |||
| Aerospace Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Applied Data Science, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Artificial Intelligence Systems, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Biomedical Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Biomedical Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Civil Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Civil Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Computer Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Computer Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Computer Science, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Engineering Education, M.S. | — | — | |
| Engineering Management, M.S. | — | — | |
| Environmental Engineering Sciences, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Environmental Engineering Sciences, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Industrial and Systems Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Industrial and Systems Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Materials Science and Engineering, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Materials Science and Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering Sciences, M.E. | STEM | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering Sciences, M.S. | STEM | — | — |
| Warrington College of Business12 | |||
| Accounting, M.Acc. | — | — | |
| Business Administration, M.A. | — | — | |
| Business Administration, M.B.A. | — | — | |
| Business Administration, M.S. | — | — | |
| Business Analytics, M.S.B.A. | STEM | — | — |
| Entrepreneurship, M.S.E | — | — | |
| Finance and Technology, M.S. | — | — | |
| Finance, M.S. | — | — | |
| Information Systems and Operations Management, M.S.I.S.O.M | — | — | |
| International Business, M.I.B | — | — | |
| Management, M.S. | — | — | |
| Real Estate, M.S. | — | — | |
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 (1–6 band scale, in force since 21 January 2026) | 4.5 · tests taken before 21 January 2026: 80 |
| Minimum IELTS | 6.5 |
| Application fee | $30 |
| Minimum full-time load | 9 credit hours per semester |
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 | varies by program; the department must request the I-20 by May 15 |
| Spring intake | varies by program; I-20 request by October 1 |
Deadlines
| Intake | Application deadline | Scholarship deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall intake | January 15, 2027 (Regular Decision); Early Decision by October 15 and Early Action by November 1, 2026 | November 1, 2026 (Early Action; priority date for merit scholarships) |
| Spring intake | no first-year admission in spring |
Documents
The order below is the order in which University of Florida asks for each item. Start with the first two: they depend on third parties and they are what stalls the process.
Campus
The UF campus covers a lot of ground, but the core where you spend your day is walkable. Red brick buildings, covered walkways, deep oak shade. Century Tower plays its carillon between classes and works as a landmark while you are still getting lost. Turlington Plaza is where everyone passes through. Marston Science Library and Library West fill up during exams and turn into second homes.
Lake Alice, inside campus, has real alligators and bat houses that empty out at dusk. The Reitz Union pulls together food, study space and club meetings. In the fall, football Saturdays at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium stop the city: orange and blue everywhere, people settled in from early morning. What surprises most international students in the first week is dinner at six, the freezing air conditioning and how much of the campus moves by bicycle.
First-year students are not required to live on campus, but rooms run out. You submit the housing application right after your admission letter, choose a room type and, in most cases, share with one person. Pack light. Bedding, a towel, and the rest you buy locally in the first weekend.
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
Gainesville is a college town in the literal sense. Without UF it would be something else entirely. That keeps everything close and everything student-shaped. Midtown sits right against campus, north of University Avenue, and is where the apartment buildings full of first-years are. Downtown, minutes away, has bars, Bo Diddley Plaza with open-air music, and Depot Park with a bike trail that cuts across the city.
Life without a car works here. The RTS bus is free with the Gator 1 student card, and nearly every rental complex sits on a route. The city is flat and full of bike lanes, so a bicycle covers the rest. At night there is SNAP, the university's free ride service for students leaving the library late. A car only matters for weekend trips.
Heat is humid and constant from March to October, with heavy late-afternoon rain in summer that passes in half an hour. Hurricane season is routine: the university announces, closes for a day or two, reopens. Gainesville sits inland, away from the coast, which helps. On weekends students drive out to the clear freshwater springs around the city or to Paynes Prairie, where bison and wild horses roam. The international community is small and revolves around the university, mostly graduate programs and the Latin American studies center.
| Item | Reference |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom rent off campus | $1,099 / month |
| Public transport | RTS (Gainesville city bus): UF students ride every regular route free with the Gator 1 ID card or app - 'pre-paid unlimited access to all RTS fixed-route services. No fee required'. Standard fare $1.50 per ride, $3.00 24-hour pass, $35 monthly. Many routes run through campus and to student apartment complexes; no rail or metro. Bikes and scooters are common; unlike Florida's big cities, a car is optional in Gainesville. |
| Nearest airport | Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), about 5 km (3 miles) northeast of downtown: daily American flights to Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami and Delta to Atlanta; a record 578,000 passengers in 2024, domestic only. From Brazil the usual route is to fly into Orlando (MCO, ~197 km / 2h25 drive from UF) or Jacksonville (JAX, ~134 km / 1h55) and continue by car or bus. |
| Distance to Orlando | 181 km |
| Distance to Miami | 541 km |
| Climate | Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa): January mean 12.7 °C, July mean 27.4 °C; hot, wet summers (most of the 1,230 mm of rain falls June-September) and mild winters that are cooler than South Florida - about 15 nights a year at or below freezing and a hard freeze every few years. Bring a jacket for December-February. |
F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session (all on-campus jobs combined, no extra authorization) and more than 20 hours during official breaks (Thanksgiving, winter, spring break, summer). Off-campus work only through CPT/OPT authorized by the UF International Center.
Careers
The median salary of graduates from this university is $71,588 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 2026-09-08. Confirm with the university's international student office before making any decision based on this page.
Compare
UF is a research university with demanding admissions, and that shows up in the pace of classes and the profile of the cohort. Choose it if you want the classic American campus experience, with football, fraternity life and a whole city organized around the university. If you want the beach nearby, a big city and an international airport at the door, Miami or Boca Raton make more sense. If you want a large campus and the same energy without the same competition at the gate, look at UCF.
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 Florida (this page) | $51,993 | 1400 | |
| New College of Florida | $47,005 | 1200 | 4 (1–6 scale) |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | $44,141 | 1120 | 79 |
| The University of Tampa | $50,124 | 1180 | 4 (1–6 scale) |
FAQ
The estimated total — tuition, housing and health insurance — is $51,993 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.
Not always for admission, but almost always for merit scholarships. The admitted average is around 1400. 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, 2027 (Regular Decision); Early Decision by October 15 and Early Action by November 1, 2026, and spring entry is no first-year admission in spring. 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 Florida admits 24% 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.
$34,620 a year at the out-of-state rate, which is what a Brazilian pays. With housing, meals and health insurance the estimated total is $51,993 — about R$ 268,284 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 Florida comes to $51,993 and New College of Florida to $47,005. The gap between the two is usually larger than any merit scholarship, so compare total cost before comparing scholarships.
No. The Florida-Brazil Linkage Institute was housed at UF's Latin American studies center, but Florida law HB 905 ended every Linkage Institute exemption on July 1, 2026, for new applicants and current recipients alike, and UF itself posted the notice on the program page. What exists today for Brazilian students at UF are the partial out-of-state tuition waivers and the merit scholarships described on this page, awarded to a minority of admits.
There is no requirement, but on-campus rooms are limited and applications are handled in order of arrival. Students who apply right after admission get a real choice of hall and room type. Those who wait usually end up in a Midtown apartment, which works well, but means a lease and almost always a guarantor or a larger deposit. Confirm deadlines with the housing office.
It sits inland, but it is not remote. Orlando and Jacksonville are under two hours by car, Tampa a little further. Miami is a flight or a full day of driving. The local airport is small, and international flights connect through Atlanta, Charlotte or Miami. Many families prefer to land in Orlando and drive up to campus.
Sources
Every block on this page carries its own verification date. Costs and admission requirements come from the Common Data Set and the official international admissions page. Enrollment, acceptance and graduation figures come from College Navigator, the US Department of Education's public database.
Converted to Brazilian reais at R$ 5.16 to the dollar on 2026-08-15. Exchange rates move; the dollar figures are the reference.
Data verified on 2026-09-08.
Sources: College Scorecard · Common Data Set · College Navigator · Official university site
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