About USF

Overview

Welcome to the University of South Florida. Though a relatively young university, founded in 1956, we have rich traditions – traditions of access and opportunity for students, of academic excellence, of groundbreaking research, of serving our communities.

USF is situated in the vibrant and diverse Tampa Bay region, with campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee. Together, our campuses serve more than 50,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist and professional degrees. Across our 13 colleges, undergraduates choose from more than 200 majors, minors and concentrations, from business and engineering to the arts and USF Health.

USF is the fastest-rising university in America, according to U.S. News and World Report’s (U.S. News) 2023 Best Colleges rankings. Over the past 10 years, USF has jumped a remarkable 52 spots among public universities, from No. 94 to No. 42, and 73 spots among all universities, from No. 170 to No. 97.

In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), a prestigious group of the leading universities in the United States and Canada. 

High-impact global research is central to USF’s mission as one of only three Preeminent Research Universities, as designated by the Florida Board of Governors. The Preeminence program rewards high-achieving universities based on 12 metrics, including graduation rates, student retention rates, research expenditures and the number of patents awarded.

With 123 new U.S. utility patents granted in 2020, USF is eighth among American public research universities and 15th among all universities worldwide in generating new patents. The ranking places USF as a leader among the more than 1,000 academic institutions generating new, novel and useful inventions granted intellectual property protection from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

USF’s innovation and economic development efforts produce tangible benefits across Florida. The university had a total economic impact of $6.02 billion in fiscal 2019-20 and supports 68,704 jobs in the state. Many of the jobs supported by USF are in high-skill, high-wage, knowledge-based industries, such as life sciences, information technology and financial services.

Our scholars and researchers focus on developing transformative solutions to complex issues facing society. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, USF Health has been at the forefront of the Tampa Bay region’s response. Efforts have included working on the frontlines, producing 3D-printed nasal swabs, creating face shields for health care workers, conducting clinical trials and assisting the Florida Department of Health with contact tracing. The university also has awarded funding through a COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants program under the auspices of the USF Pandemic Response Research Network™ — a transdisciplinary initiative organized by university leadership and faculty researchers to quickly respond to current and future pandemics.

Like all great universities, USF is guided by the traditional ideals of higher education. But our mission, as an urban-grant university, is so much more than that of the traditional establishments of higher education.

At USF, we believe every student will succeed if given the opportunity. All USF students, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances, succeed at the same rate. We invite you to explore more about our university – in person and online – and discover how you can prosper at the country’s fastest-rising university. At USF, excellence and opportunity converge.

Full list of USF facts.