University of Florida Acceptance Rate 2026
Updated: 2nd November, 2026
TL;DR
UF's acceptance rate is 19.8% for the Class of 2030: 19,012 of 95,986 applicants got an offer. UF doesn't publish separate in-state and out-of-state rates. Middle 50% of admitted students have a 4.5 to 4.7 GPA and a 1420 to 1520 SAT or 32 to 35 ACT. You need test scores to apply. To stand out, add research to your application. Look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1:1 with a PhD mentor for an online research project.
What is the University of Florida acceptance rate?
The University of Florida's acceptance rate is about 19.8% for the Class of 2030. UF admitted 19,012 of 95,986 applicants. That's about 1 in 5, and UF calls it its largest applicant pool to date, according to its freshman profile. Of the students admitted, 14,497 came through Early Action and 4,515 through Regular Decision.
Here's how the last two admitted classes compare, using UF's published numbers:
Class | Total applicants | Total admitted | Acceptance rate |
Class of 2030 | 95,986 | 19,012 | About 19.8% |
Class of 2029 | 91,896 | 18,169 | About 19.8% |
The rate stayed flat, but UF got about 4,000 more applications. That means more students competed for a bigger class of offers. An acceptance rate shows how competitive a school is. It doesn't predict your own odds. Your courses, test scores, activities, and essay all shape the decision.
What is UF's acceptance rate for in-state and out-of-state students?
UF doesn't publish separate acceptance rates for Florida residents and out-of-state students. You'll see guesses online, but none come from UF, so treat them with care.
What you can count on is the rule behind them. Florida's Board of Governors caps non-resident undergraduates at 10 percent of the state university system's fall enrollment. The cap applies to the whole system, not to each school, so UF's own share can differ.
UF's class does draw from all 50 U.S. states, 58 Florida counties, and 74 countries. If you live outside Florida, apply with a strong profile and plan for the higher price. UF estimates 2026-27 tuition and fees at $6,440 for Florida residents and $34,620 for out-of-state students.
What GPA and test scores do admitted students have?
Most admitted students for the Class of 2030 had a 4.5 to 4.7 GPA and a 1420 to 1520 SAT. Those are the middle 50% ranges, so a quarter of admitted students scored above them and a quarter below.
Class of 2030 (middle 50%) | GPA | SAT | ACT |
All admitted students | 4.5 to 4.7 | 1420 to 1520 | 32 to 35 |
Admitted Honors students | 4.6 to 4.8 | 1520 to 1560 | 35 to 36 |
These numbers are not UF's minimums. UF's official bar is a cumulative C average in the academic core, across every school you've attended. UF says most admitted students go well beyond it.
Your GPA is also weighted. UF adds 1.0 for AP, IB, AICE, and academic dual enrollment courses, so an A counts as a 5.0. Honors and pre-AP, pre-IB, or pre-AICE classes add 0.5, so an A counts as a 4.5.
What does UF look for in applicants?
UF looks for students who show potential and a desire to succeed in a rigorous academic setting. Its admissions page says no single factor decides the outcome. Here's what UF reviews:
Your core GPA: UF recalculates a weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale from your academic courses.
Curriculum strength: UF compares your courses with what your school offered, and checks how you progressed over time.
Test scores: You submit SAT, ACT, or Classic Learning Test (CLT) scores.
Extracurricular activities: UF wants steady involvement and contributions to your school, community, or family.
Your essay: UF looks at the quality of your thinking in the admission essay.
Background and experiences: UF reviews your context, including your high school and the courses it offers. In the Class of 2030, 1,990 admitted students were first-generation.
When are UF's application deadlines?
UF's freshman deadlines for the 2026-27 cycle are October 15 for Early Decision, November 1 for Early Action, and January 15 for Regular Decision. Early Decision is binding. Early Action and Regular Decision are not. As of today, the Early Decision and Early Action application deadlines have passed, so Regular Decision is your next date.
Deadline | Early Decision (ED) | Early Action (EA) | Regular Decision (RD) |
Application | October 15 | November 1 | January 15 |
Materials | October 22 | November 8 | January 22 |
Decision notification | December 11 | January 22 | March 19 |
Possible outcomes | Admit, deny, or defer | Admit, deny, or defer | Admit, deny, waitlist, or Pathways |
Confirm your offer | January 8 (otherwise your decision is canceled) | May 1 | May 1 |
Official test scores | May 1 | May 1 | May 1 |
Official transcript | July 1 | July 1 | July 1 |
To confirm enrollment, you pay a non-refundable $200 tuition deposit. Check the UF freshman deadlines page before you apply, since dates can change.
How can you improve your chances of getting into UF?
Start with strong courses and test scores, then add an essay and activities that sound like you. These steps help most:
Meet every requirement. Read UF's freshman requirements early. A missing item can stall your application.
Report your courses and grades accurately. UF uses what you enter in its self-reported transcript system, STARS, so double-check each entry.
Prep for the SAT, ACT, or CLT. All applicants must submit scores, and the ACT Science section no longer counts toward UF's superscore.
Take a challenging schedule. AP, IB, AICE, and dual enrollment courses earn extra GPA weight.
Write an essay only you could write. Share something UF can't learn from the rest of your application.
Have someone proofread it. A teacher or counselor can catch errors and tighten your wording.
Show steady involvement. A few activities you stick with beat a long list of clubs. Service hours count too.
Apply early and show you want to attend. Try these tips on showing demonstrated interest.
Build a balanced college list. If UF is a reach, add schools such as the Little Ivies to your list.
What are the pros and cons of applying to UF?
Pros -
In-state tuition and fees are estimated at $6,440 for 2026-27, far below the $34,620 out-of-state price.
You can submit SAT, ACT, or CLT scores, so you can pick the test that suits you.
Early Action is non-binding, so you can apply by November 1 without committing.
UF admits about 1 in 5 applicants, so a strong profile has a real shot.
Cons -
Test scores are required, and admitted students' middle 50% SAT is 1420 to 1520.
The applicant pool hit a record 95,986 for the Class of 2030, so competition is rising.
Out-of-state students pay $34,620 in tuition and fees and compete under a 10% systemwide cap.
Early Decision is binding, and you must confirm by January 8 or UF cancels the decision.
Frequently asked questions: University of Florida admissions
Is the University of Florida a good school?
Yes, UF is a strong choice for many students. It's a large public research university in Gainesville, and its Class of 2030 applicants came from 3,988 high schools. The in-state price of about $6,440 a year in tuition and fees also makes it a good value for Florida residents. Check rankings from sources like U.S. News and Forbes to see how it compares for your major.
Is UF hard to get into?
Yes, UF is selective. About 19.8% of applicants were admitted for the Class of 2030, and the middle 50% of admitted students had a 4.5 to 4.7 GPA. It's still easier to get into than the most selective private schools. For example, NYU's fall 2025 acceptance rate was 9.1%. Strong grades, test scores, and a thoughtful essay give you the best odds.
Does UF require test scores?
Yes, UF requires test scores. All applicants must submit scores from the SAT, ACT, or CLT. If you take the ACT more than once, UF combines your highest section scores, and it leaves out Science. Your official scores are due May 1 for every application plan.
Where is the University of Florida?
UF's main campus is in Gainesville, Florida. UF also has a graduate campus in downtown Jacksonville. As a first-year student, you'd apply to the Gainesville campus.
How much does UF cost?
For 2026-27, UF estimates tuition and fees at $6,440 for Florida residents and $34,620 for out-of-state students. Those figures are for new freshmen taking 30 credit hours across fall and spring. Books, housing, and transportation cost extra, so check UF's cost of attendance page for the full picture.
Worried that a 19.8% acceptance rate means you need something extra, or that your school doesn't offer real research options? Look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you with a PhD mentor from Harvard, Oxford, or another top university for a 1-on-1 research project, done entirely online, with no geographic or attendance restrictions. Apply here. If cost is the main barrier, also look at the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.