Undergraduate
International Freshman Academic Requirements
Admissions at USF is more competitive than ever, but we've kept the process of applying simple. We consider each applicant individually, taking into account grades, rigor of curriculum and standardized test scores.
APPLY AS A FRESHMAN IF YOU ARE A:
- High school senior
- High school student or graduate who has earned dual enrollment credit or an A.A. degree but has not completed more than 11 semester hours of college coursework after high school graduation
- High school graduate who has never enrolled in college
If you have completed 12 or more credits of college coursework since high school graduation, you will be considered for transfer admission.
Here’s the profile of our most recently admitted class:
USF Freshman Profile
| Term | Average GPA | Average SAT Score | Average ACT Score | Average CLT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | 4.13-4.58 | 1290-1420 | 28-32 | 92-100 |
| Summer 2026 | 3.71-4.29 | 1140-1230 | 23-26 | 72-84 |
Fall is the most competitive term for USF admission. If you apply for fall, we will evaluate you for all three terms (Fall, Summer, Spring) to determine the best start date for your success at USF.
Requirements for Admission Consideration
If you think you have what it takes to become a Bull, read on to discover the requirements for admission consideration.
GPA Requirements
You will 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:
| Course Type | Quality Point |
|---|---|
| Advanced Placement (AP) | 1.0 |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | 1.0 |
| Dual Enrollment | 1.0 |
| AICE | 1.0 |
| Honors | 0.5 |
Taking weighted courses can have a positive impact on your recalculated GPA if you are reasonably successful in these advanced-level courses.
Test Requirements
If you completed secondary education in any country outside the U.S., you must submit the appropriate documents to confirm that you've completed that country's equivalent of graduation from high school in the U.S. Please include academic transcripts and exam results for all secondary work.
Equivalence: Generally, completion of secondary education will consist of 12-13 years of study. An diploma or graduation certificate is awarded at completion.
SAT/ACT/CLT Requirements
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.
In Fall 2026, mid-range test scores for admitted freshmen were:
- SAT: 1290-1420
- ACT: 28-32
- CLT: 92-100
Sending Scores: USF's code for SAT is 5828 and for ACT is 0761. Please select University of South Florida from the dropdown on CLT website.
Minimum Test Subsection Scores
To qualify for freshman admission, you must meet the following minimum subsection scores of the exam you choose to submit:
- SAT
- 490 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (RW)
- 480 Math (M)
- ACT
- 19 Reading (R)
- 17 English (E)
- 19 Math (M)
- CLT
- 38 Verbal Reasoning + Grammar/Writing (V+W)
- 16 Quantitative Reasoning (Q)
Language Requirements
International students from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate English language proficiency by achieving the following minimum scores on one of the standardized tests listed below:
- SAT: Reading and Writing ≥ 490
- ACT: English ≥ 17, Reading ≥ 19
- CLT: Verbal Reasoning and Writing ≥ 38
Please note: We do not accept English proficiency tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or others as substitutes for these minimum test score requirements.
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 in different ways, 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 one test over the others, and may even perform better on
one than the others. Focus on preparing for that test during the fall of your senior year.
- You should not take any test more than three times because you are unlikely to see significant performance improvements at that point. Exceptions are rare.
Foreign Language Entrance Requirements (FLENT)
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 before attending USF: Submit official transcripts showing your completed foreign language or ASL courses.
- If you haven't completed the requirement before attending USF: You may still be admissible, but must meet FLENT before you can graduate from USF.
Here are the methods to meet FLENT, 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 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)
- Passing the Brigham Young University (BYU) Foreign Language Achievement Testing Services (FLATS) test
Selective Major Requirements
The following majors have specific high school GPA and/or SAT/ACT/CLT requirements:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nursing
Additional Requirements
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.