OVERVIEW PROGRAMS AND TUITIONADMISSIONSFINANCIAL AID

How to Get Into University of South Florida (USF): 2026 Admissions Guide

About University of South Florida (USF)

University of South Florida (USF) is a public institution with a total enrollment of approximately 42,861 students. With an acceptance rate of 47.00%, University of South Florida (USF) is moderately selective, offering a competitive but accessible admissions process. The student-to-faculty ratio is 22:1, reflecting the university's commitment to providing meaningful interaction between students and instructors.

Academically, University

43%

Acceptance Rate

1170 - 1330

SAT Range

25 - 30

ACT Range

College Search

University of South Florida (USF) Admissions

The university usually has an acceptance rate of around 48%. This implies that out of 100 candidates, 48 are conceded. Further, the SAT scores of the admitted students lie in the range of 1170-1330. For the perusal of the applicants, here are some interesting figures; the ACT scores of the admitted students lie in the range of 25-30, whereas, the average GPA scores hover around 3.80. The last day to apply to University of South Florida-Main Campus is March 1, 2020. The application and admission process at University of South Florida-Main Campus is quite simple and it includes a total of 4 steps that are as follows: Step 1: Submitting the application The first step which a candidate is required to make for admission at University of South Florida-Main Campus is applying to the university. Interested candidates can apply to the university by either calling the university at (813) 974-2011 or through online mode. Alternatively, they can also directly visit the university's admissions office at 4202 East Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida 33620-9951. They can contact the University of South Florida-Main Campus admissions office by phone as well. Step 2: Acceptance by USFMC After submission of the form and deposition of the enrollment fee, an applicant has to submit certain documents, to receive an admission decision. In the case of University of South Florida-Main Campus, an applicant has to submit the following documents: Essay: This is also known as the personal statement, it offers applicants to list their achievements and personality. Applicants are advised to include personal experiences and anecdotes as well. Transcripts: As a part of the evaluation process, candidates have to submit necessary high-school and university transcripts. An applicant can submit the transcripts through Parchment (or similar platforms). Official Test Scores: By submitting the official scores, students can make a stronger claim for a seat at University of South Florida-Main Campus. However, it is not a mandatory requirement and not all students submit their scores. The university may request additional documents or information from the applicants once the reviewing process is over. In Step 3, the candidate needs to confirm their attendance The third step includes confirming their attendance to USFMC by the candidates. They will also be required to select their housing as well as complete their Financial Check-In process. This step essentially involves reviewing and verifying the summary of Accounts and Financial Aid (scholarships, fees, and tuition costs), choosing a lodging option, selecting a payment plan, and making the first payment, too. Apart from that, candidates are also required to complete the Math and English assessments, before proceeding to register for classes. Step 4 includes registration for classes Registration for courses will be the next step once all the processes mentioned above are completed.

SAT Scores you need to get in

SAT Range The composite score range which the Institution consistently takes, below which admission should be considered a reach.

1170 - 1330

Applicants Submitting SAT Percentage of Students submitting SAT Scores.

69%

SAT Reading 25th

590

SAT Math 25th

580

SAT Composite 25th

1170

SAT Reading 75th

660

SAT Math 75th

670

SAT Composite 75th

1330

Average SAT Score

1250

The SAT scores of the applicants are also considered by University of South Florida-Main Campus for their admission. Apart from other things, the candidates need to know that SAT scores are compulsory to be considered for admission to the university. The average SAT score of the candidates who get accepted to USFMC is 1250. But, in some cases, those who have a SAT score of 1170 or below may also be given admission to USFMC. As many as 74% of the applicants to the university submit their SAT scores for admission consideration.

ACT Scores you need to get in

ACT Range The composite score range which the Institution consistently takes, below which admission should be considered a reach.

25 - 30

Applicants Submitting ACT Percentage of Students submitting ACT Scores.

31%

ACT Math 25th

ACT English 25th

ACT Composite 25th

ACT Math 75th

ACT English 75th

ACT Composite 75th

Average ACT Score

As for the ACT scores, an average score of 27 is needed to get accepted to University of South Florida-Main Campus. It's worth noting that the composite ACT scores of the accepted applicants often fall in the range of 25-30. The minimum ACT composite score that is required in order to be considered for admission by USFMC currently stands at 25. And, ACT scores are also compulsory for admission consideration. As many as 26% of the applicants submit their ACT scores for admission to the university, as per the latest information.

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Having a good GPA can improve a candidate's chances to secure admission into any college of their choice as well as help them stand out from the crowd. Notably, University of South Florida-Main Campus considers a high GPA as an important factor for admission. As for the Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement for admission, applicants must understand that University of South Florida-Main Campus is quite competitive and requires outstanding academic/GPA scores. The candidates must also have above-average high school grades with a GPA score of at least 3.50. Interestingly, the average high school GPA of the students at USFMC is 3.80. Having a solid idea of the requirements for admission to University of South Florida-Main Campus, including the necessary documents to be submitted, can be very helpful for the applicants. They should also know what information the university considers for making admission decisions. The candidates are also required to submit a number of important documents to the university along with their application. They include the Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, and Admission test scores (SAT/ACT).

Admission Requirements

What Really Matters When Applying

High School GPA

Required

High School Rank

Recommended

High School Transcript

Required

College Prep Courses

Required

SAT/ACT

Required

Recommendations

Neither required nor recommended

Admission Deadlines

Application Deadline Deadline for application submissions. Please contact the school for more details.

15th Mar

Application Fee Application fees may vary by program and may be waived for certain students. Please check with the school.

$30

Early Decision Deadline

None

Early Action Deadline

None

Offer Action Deadline

Offers Early Decision

Application Website

https://secure.vzcollegeapp.com/usf/

Accepts Common App

None

Accepts Coalition App

The applicants will also be required to deposit an application fee of $30 along with submitting the required documents and information. The application deadline of the university depends on several factors. Fall applications, the most popular among students, usually start from September and might go on till April. A September deadline usually pertains to early decision, while the final deadline is in April. Notably, to be eligible for scholarships, students might have to apply before the early deadline. This is why it is always recommended to apply early.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics

	Women	Men	Total
Applied	20,993	14,050	35,043
Accepted	9,082	5,858	14,940
Acceptance Rate	43%	42%	43%
Enrolled	2598	1837	4435
Percentage of admitted who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	29%	31%	30%

The University of South Florida (USF) is a fairly selective school, with an average admission rate of 48%.

In 2020, a total of 35,043 students applied, of which USF accepted 14,940, and 4,435 enrolled, giving an admission yield of 30%.

More women than men apply to USF, but the acceptance rate is slightly higher for men than women, possibly to compensate for the deficit in male applicants.

20,993 women applied to USF in 2020, of which the school accepted 9,082. Compare this to 14,050 male applicants, of which 5,858 received acceptance offers.

This works out at an acceptance rate of 29% for women and 31% for men.

How does the USF acceptance rate compare to other South Florida schools?

According to the USF website, admission is more competitive than ever. But how does it compare to other schools in the Tampa Bay area? Let’s take a look.

Only one school in the area, the University of Tampa, has a lower acceptance rate, at 45%.

South Eastern University comes in equally as selective, with a 48% acceptance rate.

Three schools in the area have a higher acceptance rate than USF:

Florida Southern College — 52%
Eckerd College — 67%
Saint Leo University — 72%

How to improve your chances of getting into USF

Consider retaking your SAT or ACT to improve your scores. A score of 1330 SAT or 29 ACT will almost guarantee admission to USF.

Admission Statistics

Applied

Women

20,993

Men

14,050

Total

35,043

Accepted

Women

9,082

Men

5,858

Total

14,940

Acceptance Rate

Women

43%

Men

42%

Total

43%

Enrolled

Women

2598

Men

1837

Total

4435

Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)

Women

29%

Men

31%

Total

30%

Credits Accepted

AP Credit

Yes

Dual Credit

Yes

Credit for Life Experiences

The majority of the universities in the US incentivize students by helping them score university credit through certain courses offered in high school. There are many such programs that are at disposal for the students. Some of the famous ones include AP Credit, CLEP (Credit for Life Experiences), and Dual Enrollment (also known as Dual Credit). However, there is no common policy and instead, colleges follow their own, separate policy regarding these credits. There are multiple perks for the usage of these courses such as higher GPA, shorter time to finish a degree, and increased chances of completing a degree. To pursue AP and CLEP credits, students are instructed to visit collegeboard.org and request to submit the scores to the university of their choice.

Other Colleges In Florida

Full Sail University

Full Sail University, which is located in Winter Park, FL is a private university. Full Sail University was founded in the year 1979. In addition to over 16,908 undergraduate students, FSU also boasts of over 1697 students in its postgraduate courses, taking the total enrollment to over 18,605. The

Winter Park, Florida 4 years Private For-Profit

Rollins College

Located in Winter Park, FL, Rollins College is a private university. The university covers an area of 80 acres. It was in 1885 when the Rollins College was founded. Keeping the pursuit of research, innovation, and excellence at the center, Rollins College has been imparting quality education to its

Winter Park, Florida 4 years Private Not-For-Profit

University of Miami

Coral Gables, Florida 4 years Private Not-For-Profit

View All Colleges in Florida

Other Colleges In Tampa

Hillsborough Community College

Tampa, Florida 2 years Public

Aparicio-Levy Technical College

Tampa, Florida -2 years Public

Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa

Tampa, Florida -2 years Private For-Profit

View All Colleges in Florida

Other Public Colleges

Florida State University (FSU)

Florida State University was founded in 1851 and is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida.

The FSU acceptance rate is 37%.
The total student population of the university is 41,005 students, while t

Tallahassee, Florida 4 years Public

Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC)

Online Education at GPTC

The goal of distance education and online studies at Georgia Piedmont Technical College is to provide our students with the opportunity to access quality instruction anytime, anywhere. Such access facilitates a barrier-free delivery of ins

Clarkston, Georgia 2 years Public

Metropolitan Community College (MCCKC)