Counselors

For Counselors

Thank you for supporting future Gators.

We cannot say it loudly enough— we sincerely appreciate all you do as the support system for our future students! From the time you spend investing in students' academic success to walking them through the college application process, you play a critical role in your students' journey.

Resources just for you

Counselor Guide

Bookmark this guide as a handy tool when navigating UF Admissions.

Cover of UF Counselor Guide

Common App Guide

Share this handy guide to the Common App with your students for a step-by-step process on how to fill out the application.

Cover of UF Common App Guide

Contact Us

General inquires: counselors@admissions.ufl.edu or 352-392-1365
Event inquires: requestUF@admissions.ufl.edu
Questions from students: freshman@ufl.edu
OneStop questions (Financial Aid): onestop.ufl.edu

Are you a high school counselor wanting to come to campus for an independent (non-student group tour) visit? Let us know your plans ahead of time by reaching out to welcomecenter@admissions.ufl.edu!

Exam Credit Guidelines

UF accepts credits from the following exams: AICE, AP, CLEP, DLPT, DSST, IB, UEXCEL and CAPE. Credit is awarded only once for the same course, regardless of whether it is earned through credit by examination. A maximum of 45 credits may be granted.

Exam Credit

About the Application

Application Options

The University of Florida provides three application options for students to choose: Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA) or Regular Decision (RD). Each of these paths provide different decision notifications, as listed above.

Introducing UF Early Decision

UF will add Early Decision as an admissions option for freshman applicants beginning with the 2026-27 application cycle. By offering an Early Decision option, we are responding to the growing interest from future Gators who want the opportunity to receive an admissions decision from their first-choice institution as early as December of their senior year. This binding admissions option will be available to all freshmen applicants and represents a significant and welcomed enhancement to UF's admissions portfolio.

Early Decision FAQs

UF uses the Common App. Encourage your students to start their application early.

How to Apply Dates and Deadlines Common App

Speak with your student as they begin the application process to ensure they have all the requirements needed for applying. Please note that UF requires test scores to be considered for admission.

Requirements

The Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS)

The STARS (formerly called the SSAR) lists the classes and associated grades that have been attempted, or will be attempted, for high school and/or college credit. It serves as the student’s academic record used by the Office of Admissions during the initial review process. Since accuracy is critical, students are advised to have a copy of their high school transcript available to use as a reference when completing the STARS.

STARS

Honors Program

Students interested in applying for the Honors Program should indicate this on the application and complete the additional essay question in the Common App.

Honors Program

Innovation Academy (IA)

The Innovation Academy is a program centered around entrepreneurship, ethics and leadership that embeds an innovation minor into 25+ majors. This program begins in the spring semester and follows a spring/summer only schedule, giving students the opportunity to pursue internships, research, study abroad or other interests during their fall semester. To apply for IA, students need to indicate interest, write an additional essay, and select a major within IA—all in their Common App.

Innovation Academy

Pathway to Campus Enrollment (PaCE)

PaCE is our hybrid program where students start their UF degree with UF Online. Students cannot apply to PaCE; all eligible applicants are considered with the UF admissions process. PaCE will be offered as an admissions pathway during the regular admissions process. After completing a total of 60 credit hours and all major requirements, students are eligible to transition to campus to complete their degree.

PaCE
Deferred or Waitlisted Our Decision Process

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do my students go to submit required materials after completing the Common App?

Students will receive an email 24-48 hours after submitting their Common App with instructions on creating their Gator Portal. Students should login to their Gator Portal to submit their materials, check their application status, and stay engaged during the process.

Does UF offer scholarships?

Yes! UF offers both need- and merit-based scholarships. Last year, more than 8,000 incoming freshmen were offered $49 million in merit-based scholarships. No separate application is needed beyond the application for admission and there is no automatic awarding of UF scholarships based on test scores or GPA. UF also offers other need-based opportunities such as scholarships, grants, waivers and student employment.

What if my students have questions about fee waivers or affordability?

Our Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships through the OneStop can help answer any questions students may have about Pell eligibility, fee and tuition waivers, and other affordability concerns.

OneStop

Is it easier to get into the summer term?

No, and there is no difference in admissions criteria for either term.

When students apply, they are asked to designate the term in which they would like to start—summer or fall. While we try to accommodate these requests, there is limited space available in each term, so some students will be offered admission to the term outside of their choice or to one of our pathway programs.

What are the minimum test scores and GPA needed to be admitted to UF?

The academic profile above reflects the middle 50% of students admitted to UF in 2026. These are not minimum criteria, nor does falling within these ranges guarantee that a student will be admitted. UF considers all aspects of a student’s application, background and qualifications when making admissions decisions.

Does UF prefer AP, IB, AICE, or Dual Enrollment?

We have no preference between these courses; however, it is important to note that once a student begins dual-enrollment courses, this constitutes the beginning of the student’s college GPA. A student’s GPA must be at least a 2.0 to attend any state university in Florida.

How does major selection work?

Freshmen applicants are admitted as members of the freshman class and not to a specific major or program. Admitted students may declare or change their major, within their admitted pathway, during their freshman orientation.

How do students get on-campus housing?

Right after completing their application for UF admission, students can apply for on-campus housing with a $25 non-refundable fee. This serves as a place holder for applicants who wish to live on campus and students will move forward after admissions decisions have been made. The University of Florida does not require students to live on campus, and it is to a student’s benefit to apply early as housing is not guaranteed.

UF Housing App

How does a student obtain Florida Residency?

Initial residency classification is determined by the Office of Admissions when they apply to the university. Failure to provide all relevant information and required documentation in the residency section of the application could result in a non-Florida or out-of-state resident classification for tuition purposes.

Residency

Who qualifies for the Grandparent Waiver?

Eligible out-of-state students with grandparents that have been legal, permanent Florida residents for the required amount of time may qualify for a tuition and fee waiver for out-of-state costs up to 110% of total degree hours.

Fee Waiver

What resources do you have for international applicants?

International applicants follow the same freshman application process as all other students. If they attended a secondary school located outside the U.S. for more than one semester or studied a curriculum that did not follow the standard U.S. system, they should submit an unofficial transcript and not complete the STARS. Please encourage your international students to review the requirements before applying.

International

How do HSAA students apply?

Under the Florida Board of Governors Admission Regulation 6.005 if you are obtaining a high school diploma and an associate of arts (A.A.) degree through dual enrollment from an institution within the Florida College System or State University System, you have two options for admission consideration as a first-time-in-college (FTIC) student.

The recommended path for consideration is completing a freshman application and then going through the freshman process (completing the STARS and submitting your SAT/ACT/CLT scores) and receiving a freshman decision. If we cannot offer you admission through that process, then we will ask if you would like to be considered as a transfer student and create a transfer application on your behalf so you would have both avenues available for admission consideration.

The other path is being considered only as a transfer student. This path does not consider test scores in the admissions review but the colleges will be looking at the prerequisites needed for your intended major and your college GPA to evaluate competitiveness. The opportunity for transfer students to change their major after admission is extremely limited so you need to consider your choice of major carefully. Transfer admissions are reviewed on a different timeline so your decision may not be available before May 1st.

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 UF, we may rescind your admission.

How do I set up a campus tour?

We would love to host you on campus through any of our tour options. Schedule a school group visit or an individual visit to campus on our Visit and Events page. You can also visit us virtually by downloading our self-guided tour through the GatorWay app.

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