Colleges & Universities in Florida
Florida's public State University System spans 12 universities, anchored by several nationally ranked flagships, and pairs unusually low in-state tuition with Bright Futures, one of the country's largest merit-based state scholarship programs. Together they make Florida one of the more affordable states in the country to earn a four-year degree, provided a student can meet Bright Futures' real, published academic bar.
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Learn moreThe public university system
Florida's State University System includes the University of Florida (UF, Gainesville), Florida State University (FSU, Tallahassee), University of South Florida (USF, Tampa), University of Central Florida (UCF, Orlando), Florida International University (FIU, Miami), Florida A&M University (FAMU, Tallahassee), Florida Atlantic University (FAU, Boca Raton), University of West Florida (UWF, Pensacola), University of North Florida (UNF, Jacksonville), Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU, Fort Myers), New College of Florida (Sarasota), and Florida Polytechnic University (Lakeland) -- twelve institutions covering nearly every region of the state, per the Florida Board of Governors, the system's governing body.
In-state tuition is genuinely low relative to peer states
Per the Florida Board of Governors’ 2026-2027 tuition and fees report, in-state undergraduate tuition and fees run about $6,440/year at UF, $5,654/year at FSU, $5,954/year at UCF, and $6,566/year at FIU -- all in the range of a few thousand dollars per semester, well below many other states’ flagship public university costs. (USF’s comparable figure was not cleanly isolated in this research pass from the same Board of Governors report; confirm directly with USF’s financial aid office before budgeting.) Out-of-state tuition at all of these schools runs several times higher, so the in-state rate specifically depends on establishing Florida residency, which has its own documentation requirements independent of a family’s general relocation timeline.
Bright Futures: a real, sizable scholarship -- with a real academic bar
Florida's Bright Futures program offers two main tiers for graduating high schoolers who meet Florida residency and academic requirements. The Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award generally covers 100% of tuition and applicable fees at an eligible Florida public institution plus a $300-per-semester stipend, and requires (for the classes of 2026 and 2027) a minimum 1330 SAT or 29 composite ACT, plus a minimum of 100 hours of community service, volunteer work, or paid work (or a combination). The Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) award covers about 75% of tuition and fees and requires a lower bar -- a minimum 1190 SAT or 24 composite ACT. Both require submitting Florida's Financial Aid Application (FFAA) during the student's final year of high school. This is a meaningful scholarship in dollar terms, but it is not automatic or need-based -- families should model tuition costs assuming a student may fall short of either threshold.
Notable private universities round out the picture
Florida also hosts several well-regarded private universities and colleges outside the public system: the University of Miami (Coral Gables), Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale-area), Rollins College (Winter Park), and Stetson University (DeLand, Florida's oldest private university) are among the most established. These schools set their own tuition independent of the Board of Governors' public-system rates and don't carry the same in-state discount, but several offer their own substantial merit and need-based aid separate from Bright Futures.
Key takeaways
- Florida's public State University System includes 12 universities, led by UF, FSU, USF, UCF, and FIU, spanning nearly every region of the state.
- In-state tuition and fees run roughly $5,600-$6,600/year at UF, FSU, UCF, and FIU for 2026-2027 -- genuinely low by national comparison; USF’s exact figure wasn’t cleanly sourced this pass and should be confirmed directly with the university.
- Bright Futures' top tier (Florida Academic Scholars) covers roughly 100% of tuition/fees plus a stipend for students meeting a 1330 SAT/29 ACT threshold and 100 service hours; the second tier (Florida Medallion Scholars) covers about 75% at a 1190 SAT/24 ACT threshold.
- Out-of-state tuition runs several times the in-state rate at every public university, so establishing Florida residency matters for the cost math, separate from the general relocation timeline.
- Notable private options (University of Miami, Nova Southeastern, Rollins, Stetson) set independent tuition and aid, outside both the Board of Governors’ rates and Bright Futures.
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