Summer ACE

Admission to the ACE program does not require a separate or special application from the general University of South Florida first time in college application.  Please use the general University of South Florida (Tampa Campus) application.

Summer B and Summer ACE are two different terms.

Summer B runs for six weeks (6/26-8/4) with both in person and online classes, whereas Summer ACE runs for four weeks (7/10-8/4) in person only.

Students admitted to the Summer ACE program may request to change to the six week Summer B term instead of the 4 week Summer ACE program.  If you prefer to take online classes during the six week Summer B term, you are no longer part of the ACE program and will work directly with your academic advisor to register for classes. The availability of online classes in the Summer term can be limited, so if you would like to complete your summer online, it is important that you communicate with your academic advisor that you prefer to enroll in online-only classes.

Whichever Summer semester you choose, those credits will apply to your USF degree!

For more information, including how to opt out of the ACE Program and into Summer B, visit the Alternate Start Terms page.

First, congratulations on being accepted to USF!

USF utilizes rolling admissions, meaning the exact entry requirements for a term vary depending on the application date, application file completion date, and the space available in the semester for which the student applied. The fall semester is the most competitive semester, and space is not always available for every student who selected that term. Admissions may move students who have competitive applications to another start term.

Additionally, your application indicates you are coming from out-of-state. The Summer ACE program was specifcally designed to provide support and community for out-of-state students transitioning to Florida. By being placed in the Summer ACE program, you will receive transitionary support from our team of office staff, faculty, and student mentors that include community-building opportunities.

Once you complete the program, you will transition directly into the fall semester.  All course credits earned in ACE are degree applicable. Please call the USF Office of Admissions for any further explanation about the admissions process at 813-974-3350 or email at admissions@usf.edu.

If a student is admitted to the traditional summer term, but not the ACE program, they are expected to attend the entire summer B term, which begins late June. In an attempt to consider out-of-State high school graduation dates, the ACE program operates on an alternative calendar starting early/mid-July with move in. Please see our Calendar page for exact dates.

• Enhanced assistance in the onboarding process
• Our renowned #ACEfam faculty who are all excited to offer their courses in-person
• Mentorship throughout the summer and fall 
• Summer programming model and enhanced programming in the fall/spring
• Consistent support from our office from now through graduation and beyond
• Remember: Enrolling in summer sessions is a great way to get ahead, lessen your academic load for the fall and spring, or take a prerequisite or pre-professional course.
• ACE students fulfill six (6) out of the nine (9) summer semester credit requirements

  that are required by ALL first-year students.

• Students in the ACE 2023 program are guaranteed a spot for the Thursday, July 6th  #MyOrientation date.
• Our office coordinates with the Office of Orientation to reserve seats for this orientation. This date is included in ACE programming to make your transition convenient. Students should receive updates from the Office of Orientation with details about how to register.
• Registration for Orientation typically opens in March.

Orientation is an event which all new USF students must attend. During the MyOrientation experiences, students will be introduced to USF culture and meet with their academic advisors to discuss their degree sequences and to schedule their fall classes. All ACE students are required to attend Orientation. There will be students, who are not in ACE, also attending this Orientation session.

Parents/family are not required to attend Orientation, but a parent/family option exists.  Parent and family registrations do traditionally cost an additional fee. Here is a link for the Families and Guests Orientation information.

No, all incoming USF students only need to attend one Orientation. The July 6th Orientation is the official USF new student orientation, and you will be scheduling your Fall 2023 courses during this session.

Suite-style halls offer a balance between independence and convenience. With bathrooms shared only by suitemates, suites provide more privacy than traditional rooms. Each suite consists of two double bedrooms and one bathroom. The hall is single-sex by suite and coed by floor.

ACE students will have the option to continue to live with their ACE peers during the Fall/Spring semesters in Poplar Hall - they may select a room in Poplar during Fall/Spring room selection

Please check out a detailed overview about Cypress Hall, including amenities, room dimensions, pictures, floor plans, etc.

Please check out a detailed overview about Poplar Hall, including amenities, room dimensions, pictures, floor plans, etc.

ACE students have the opportunity to fill out two USF Housing applications if they choose to reside on campus for consecutive terms: Summer to Fall/Spring. The Summer ACE Housing Application is separate from the 2023-24 Housing Application for Fall-Spring. Students will complete the application(s) for the term(s) they choose to reside on campus.

In 2023, Summer ACE will first use the Fall/Spring Housing to assign roommates and then a request process.

1. Roommates will first be pulled from Fall and Spring assignments. To start this process, please find an ACE student you would like to room with and follow USF Housing and Residential Education's guide to select your roommate. Once you have selected another ACE student as your Fall/Spring roommate, the ACE Program will automatically place you and your roommate together for summer.

2. If you or your roommate are NOT living on campus in Fall/Spring, but would still like to room together during Summer 2023, both students must send an email to SummerAce@usf.edu to alert the team of their request. Students should include:

• • • • • First & Last Name
        • Date of Birth
        • University Identification Number
        • Their roommate's  First & Last Name
        • Their roommate's Date of Birth
        • Their roommate's University Identification Number. 

The Summer ACE team considers roommate requests on a space available basis and will make every effort to honor requests.  There is no guarantee that all requests will be granted.  

Additional information related to housing applications and room assignments:

• Summer ACE housing will be in (information coming soon!) for summer 2023.
• Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 ACE community housing will be in Poplar Hall. 
• Room selection for fall/spring is available starting early March through the beginning of June to students, who have completed the Housing application steps.

Room assignments for Summer ACE are distributed mid-June. 

Students may bring a vehicle to campus but are responsible to acquire the appropriate permit through USF Parking and Transportation Services and park in the related lot to their permit type.

The decision on whether or not to bring a car is up to the students and their parents/guardians. Throughout their enrollment at USF, students have access to the USF Bull Runner and Tampa Bay transit system with their USF ID card. There are also other alternative transportation options available to all USF students.

Depending on what permit a student purchases, there are certain parking lots for certain permits. The parking lot in front of Juniper-Poplar Hall is for resident parking and the parking garage next to Juniper-Poplar Hall requires a garage specific permit. Please visit the USF Parking and Transportation Services website for an overview of how different parking permits work at USF. Here is a map with the different parking lots on campus.

The Summer ACE Team will place ACE students in their summer classes only. Class placement is dependent on incoming credits - such as AP/IB/Dual Enrollment - intended major, and student's own preferences. Students will have a chance to indicate their course preferences via our next steps process through Canvas.

Summer ACE 2023 offers students a variety of academic courses.  As part of the program, students will enroll in two linked classes (six credits) of General Education course requirements.  All students will enroll in IDS 2378 and a linked student-interest course in which the faculty have been partnering this spring to deliver a fully integrated academic experience. Visit our Coursework Page

Yes, ACE coursework will satisfy select major and graduation requirements:

• Graduation requirement: All students entering USF with fewer than 60 semester hours of credit are required to earn at least nine (9) semester hours of credit prior to graduation by attendance during one or more summer semesters in courses offered by USF or any one of the Florida State University System institutions.
• During ACE, students will be required to take six (6) credits worth of General Education coursework, which will apply towards their degree at USF.

ACE students will be enrolled full-time for the summer term, which means that they will be taking six credits during the program. These courses will be accelerated and tailored for the length of the in-person program.

ACE students are required to take two-3 credit courses during summer ACE for a total of six (6) credits. All ACE students need to successfully complete both summer courses to successfully complete the ACE program.

Fall courses will be selected during Orientation with the help of an academic advisor. Academic advisors take into consideration all attempted post-secondary credit which the student attempted in high school. It is important that the students submit their official test scores and post-secondary transcripts to the Office of Admissions to ensure their attempted credits are available for the academic advisor to see.

During the ACE program, students will have two ACE specific mentors whose roles are to ensure and promote the students' safety, summer success, and campus involvement. The mentors will be available to help students with personal as well as academic concerns, as they serve as a guide for the ACE summer experience. All ACE mentors are students who have completed the Summer ACE Program prior or are a part of other leadership organizations on campus.

Here is the break down and estimate of the program.
ACE students can be considered for financial aid by submitting the 2022-2023 FAFSA (for Summer 2023 funding) in addition to the 2023-2024 FAFSA (for Fall/Spring/Summer 2023- 2024).

The cost of ACE is a standard program fee regardless of residency status.

For students interested in applying Florida PrePaid to Summer ACE, see this chart to determine the estimated amount covered for the six (6) required Summer ACE credits.

No, ACE 2023 is an in person only program.

This is because we want our students to become familiar with USF campus, resources, and their cohort...and the best way to do this is in-person! Additionally, classes will be taking community engaged learning trips around the Tampa Bay as a unique benefit only for ACE students so they can learn about their new home away from home!

Students can download the MyUSF app on the App Store in order to check their USF Bull Bucks balance, assess campus maps, view dining information, track the Bull Runner and more.
The Canvas Student app is also available on the App Store is also helpful by allowing students to view their courses, assess their grades and assignments, and contact professors.