Admission Information

Applicants face heavy competition for a place in our freshman class. To determine if you are admissible to USF, we will recalculate your high school GPA based only on grades earned in high school in core academic subject areas, as well as specified AP and IB fine and performing arts courses. USF will add the following quality points for approved AP, IB, AICE, honors and dual enrollment courses, provided you earned a "C" or better.

Taking weighted courses can have a positive impact on your recalculated GPA if you are reasonably successful in these advanced-level courses.

USF requires freshman applicants to submit official results for at least one college entrance exam (SAT, ACT or CLT). Currently, USF does not require or consider the optional essay section of the SAT or ACT during the admission or scholarship review processes. Similarly, SAT subject tests are not considered for admission or placement.

USF's code for SAT is 5828 and for ACT is 0761. Please select University of South Florida from the dropdown on CLT website.

In Fall 2024, mid-range test scores for admitted freshmen were: 

• SAT: 1250-1400
• ACT: 27-31
• CLT: 81-91

Superscoring

USF considers your highest submitted section scores across all SAT, ACT or CLT test dates. We make final admission decisions using only your highest cumulative scores. Each time you submit test scores to USF, we will update your record with any new high scores. We strongly encourage you to submit your scores each time you take the SAT, ACT or CLT. Sending your scores each time you take a test allows us to consider you for all available enrollment-related opportunities — a huge benefit to you.

Testing Recommendations

Since the SAT, ACT and CLT measure college readiness through different means and formats, we strongly encourage you to take each exam once during spring of your junior year in high school to gain experience. You are likely to prefer — and even perform better — on one test over the others, so you can focus on preparing for that test during the fall of your senior year. You should not take any test more than three times because significant performance improvements are unlikely at that point. Exceptions are rare.

Taking dual enrollment courses gives you a head start on meeting college graduation requirements. We require a minimum GPA of 2.50 (unweighted) in dual enrollment courses to be considered for (and maintain) an offer of admission to USF.

All high school students, including those earning an A.A. degree through Dual Enrollment, must submit a freshman (first-year) application to USF by the freshman deadline. Only students who have earned 12 or more credits post-high school graduation are considered transfer students.

If you have taken Dual Enrollment, USF will require an official transcript from each college or university you attended prior to starting at USF. We give additional consideration to applicants with a postsecondary GPA of 3.00 or higher because they have proven themselves capable of success in college-level coursework.

APPLYING WITH A.A. + HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA THROUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT

• Freshman Evaluation: Submit your test scores and Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR), including your intended A.A. degree, for evaluation as a freshman applicant. We will evaluate your application based on your GPA and test scores and you may qualify for admissions scholarships. If you intend to apply using your test scores and SSAR, please visit our How to Apply page for instructions.
• A.A. + High School Diploma Evaluation: Submit for evaluation your official partial college transcript from the institution you are attending for dual enrollment. Your application will be evaluated based on intended completion of the A.A. degree, and you cannot qualify for admissions scholarships. This option is approved through the Florida Board of Governors Regulation 6.005.

1. Submit an undergraduate application to USF.
2. Pay the $30 application fee.
3. Submit the Florida A.A. Intent Form to the Office of Admissions with the subject line “Freshman FL AA Intent Form”.
4. Submit the official Florida College System or State University System transcript from the institution you attended for dual enrollment.

Application Process:

1. Please submit an application via our VZ application or the Common App as a first-time-in-college student (FTIC). 
2. After you apply, submit the SSAR with an A.A. listed on your record to be automatically evaluated for both FTIC admission and Florida Board of Governor’s Regulation 6.005 admission. You DO NOT need to submit a separate application for Florida Board of Governor’s Regulation 6.005 consideration.
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3. Option 1: If you would like to be considered for traditional FTIC admission and potentially qualify for merit-based scholarships from the Admissions department, you will also need to submit SAT, ACT or CLT scores.
4. Option 2: If you would like to be considered for Florida Board of Governor’s Regulation 6.005 admission, you will also need to submit the Florida A.A. Intent Form and an official transcript from the post-secondary/dual enrollment institution with Fall 2024 grades prior to admissions evaluation.

To be automatically considered for both admission options, you must submit both your test scores and your post-secondary official transcript.

1. Pay the $200 admissions deposit.
2. Reserve and attend a freshman Orientation date.
3. Submit your final official college transcript that displays completion and award of an A.A. degree before you enroll in classes.
4. Finish all other next steps on the myBullsPath portal.

If you are admitted under the FL BOG 6.005 regulation and do not intend to receive your A.A. degree, you must notify the Office of Admissions immediately. If you do not receive your A.A. before enrollment at USF, we may rescind your admission.

You must complete a minimum of 18 approved units of high school work in the five core subject areas, as well as two approved academic electives. If you graduated from high school in 2011 or thereafter, you must have completed four units of math — including one course above and beyond Algebra I.

Although you may take one fewer academic elective unit, the most competitive applicants for admission to USF typically complete a minimum of 20 academic units, which is an average of five per year in grades nine through twelve.

To be considered for admission, students must have completed two academic units of the same foreign language in high school or two semesters of the same foreign language or American Sign Language (ASL) in college. If you have already fulfilled this requirement, submit official transcripts showing the completed foreign language or ASL courses. Refer to the following bullets, which describe the methods to meet the requirement, as well as possible exemptions.

• Two academic units (years) of the same foreign language or American Sign Language in high school (9th-12th grades), or one academic unit (year) at level 2.
• Two passing semesters of the same foreign language (e.g., SPN 1120 and SPN 1121) or sign language in college, earning no less than eight credit hours.
• Successfully passing the USF Language Placement Test by placing into the third course or higher.
• Passing the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Foreign Language subject test level 2.
• One year of an Advanced Placement (AP) foreign language course in high school.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Credit for two semesters (AP score = 4 or higher).
• Passing the Brigham Young University (BYU) Foreign Language Achievement Testing Services (FLATS) test.

Foreign Language Waiver

To be considered for admission to USF, students are required to have completed two units (years) of instruction in a foreign language. However, you may document proficiency in a second language to meet this requirement.

In Florida, the course number that is designated to indicate a foreign language waiver is 0791920 with the course title "Bright Futures Foreign Language Proficiency Waiver." For a list of ways to document proficiency in a second language in order to qualify for a foreign language waiver, refer to the Florida Counseling for Future Education Handbook.

If you meet the waiver requirements, we encourage you to work with your guidance counselor to document the waiver on your transcript or via a letter to the Office of Admissions.

The following majors have specific High School GPA and/or SAT/ACT/CLT requirements:

• Biomedical Engineering 
• Nursing

In addition to GPA, test scores and course requirements, we consider several other factors when evaluating your application for admission.

STRENGTH OF CURRICULUM

Your high school coursework serves to prepare you for the rigors of college courses, particularly at a research institution like USF. We strongly encourage you to challenge yourself by taking coursework at the highest levels in which you can be successful, including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), AICE and dual enrollment courses.

We also expect you to complete additional academic coursework beyond minimum state requirements, particularly in the areas of math, science and foreign language.

GRADE TREND

Your grade trend is one of the most important areas in the admissions process that tends to get overlooked, particularly in your junior and senior years. Grade trend shows how your grades have progressed throughout high school — whether they have gone up, gone down or stayed the same.

Generally, higher grades are better. We prefer to see more As and Bs than Cs, but we may accept a few Cs, particularly in the most challenging courses. Ds and Fs are cause for concern.

NO ESSAY REQUIREMENT

We do not request an essay or personal statement to be evaluated for admission to USF. Any essay or personal statement that you submit will not be opened or reviewed.

Many of USF's top students have completed home education programs. As a home-schooled student, you must meet the same admission criteria as your peers who are graduating from traditional high schools, including:

• A Self-Reported Student Academic Record.
• An official SAT, ACT or CLT score.
• A portfolio or additional documentation, which we may request if we deem it necessary to complete an appropriate evaluation for admission.
• Additional factors are also considered for home schooled students, such as strength of curriculum, grade trend, or dual enrollment GPA. To meet unit requirements, dual enrollment courses must be approved by the State University System.

• Applicants submitting a GED diploma must have a minimum passing score on each section of the test.
• Admission to the university is selective. Therefore, having a passing score does not guarantee admission.
• An official SAT, ACT or CLT score.
• We may request a high school transcript showing secondary coursework completed before earning the GED.
• Other admission factors may also be considered, if applicable.

 NOTE: Simply meeting minimum GED requirements does not guarantee admission. Many GED recipients are encouraged to earn an Associate in Arts degree at a public Florida community college prior to transferring to USF.

Applicants with disabilities apply for admission under the same guidelines as all applicants.

If an applicant is denied admission, but would like to request reconsideration based on a documented disability that they believe may have had an impact on grades, course choice, or standardized test scores, they may appeal the admission decision under the following conditions.

• Submit an appeal letter to the Office of Admissions. This letter must contain the necessary official documentation to demonstrate that the failure to meet standard admission requirements is directly related to a disability.
• In that appeal process, you may request a substitution of university guidelines.
• USF can only accept documentation regarding a disability on appeal of an initial denial decision or during the review for accommodation after admission. Before that time, any disability documentation you submit will be returned.

USF offers a full range of excellent services to qualified students with disabilities. Admitted students may contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services to initiate the process of applying for academic accommodations.