Florida Atlantic University

Public · Moderately Selective · FL

Photo: KnightLago (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationFL · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads23,757

Student:faculty24:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate49.6%

6-yr grad rate62.6%

Drop-out rate15.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$5k

Out-of-state tuition$17k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity57.5%

Gender diversity57.2%

International3%

Identity—

Overview

Florida Atlantic University is a fast-growing public research university headquartered in Boca Raton, on Florida's southeast coast between Miami and Palm Beach, with additional campuses stretching from Dania Beach to Jupiter. It serves a highly diverse, largely commuter-heavy student population and has been investing steadily in its research profile, honors offerings, and specialized institutes rather than resting on its size alone. The university's identity has shifted noticeably in recent years from a regional commuter school toward a more research-focused, nationally visible institution.

Academics

Neuroscience and ocean engineering are the clearest areas of investment. The Jupiter campus sits near Scripps Research's Florida operations and the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and FAU has built real partnerships around that proximity for neuroscience research and graduate training. Ocean engineering, an unusually rare undergraduate specialty nationally, benefits from FAU's SeaTech institute and its coastal location. The Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter offers a smaller, seminar-based liberal arts experience within the larger university for students who want that scale instead of the main Boca Raton campus's size.

Campus & student life

The Boca Raton campus sits close to beaches and South Florida's job market, and much of the student body commutes or lives off-campus, giving the school a less traditional residential feel than a typical flagship. Basketball's surprise Final Four run in 2023, under a young coaching staff, gave the athletics program a national moment and a real, lasting boost in school spirit that a commuter-heavy campus doesn't always get from sports.

Getting in

Admissions is accessible relative to many Florida public universities, with more weight on academic record than on elaborate essay requirements. The Wilkes Honors College is a distinct, more selective track worth applying to separately for students seeking a smaller-cohort, seminar-based experience within the larger university. Applicants aiming for competitive majors in health sciences or engineering should expect more scrutiny of coursework rigor than the general admission process implies.

After graduation

Graduates tend to stay in South Florida, feeding into the region's healthcare, engineering, and business sectors, with strong ties to local employers given the university's applied research focus. Neuroscience-track students benefit from the Jupiter research corridor's connections when pursuing graduate study or research careers.

Worth knowing

The commuter character means students who want a traditional, dorm-centered college experience should look elsewhere in the Florida public system, and the Wilkes Honors College is genuinely a different environment from the main Boca Raton campus, in scale and structure, despite conferring the same FAU degree.

fau.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate66.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1040–1200 · ACT 21–26

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionOct 15

Regular decisionMar 12

AdmissionRolling

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Own application.

Priority / scholarshipJan 15

FAU's Early Action is non-binding, and applications after that point are reviewed on a rolling basis through the March deadline, with automatic merit-scholarship consideration for anyone who applies by mid-January.

Interviews: No interview is required for admission consideration.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗