University of Central Florida

Public · Selective · FL

Photo: Kelly Daacon from Orlando, FL (CC BY-SA 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationFL · South

SettingSuburban

Undergrads59,146

Student:faculty28:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate54.8%

6-yr grad rate78%

Drop-out rate7.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$6k

Out-of-state tuition$22k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity57.3%

Gender diversity53.4%

International2.9%

Identity—

Overview

The University of Central Florida is one of the largest universities in the country, based in Orlando with deep institutional ties to the region's space, simulation, and hospitality industries. Founded to support the workforce needs of nearby Kennedy Space Center, UCF has grown from a small technical institute into a comprehensive research university with a big, energetic campus culture to match its scale. The Knights name and the university's aerospace-adjacent founding are constant reference points in how UCF talks about its own identity, even decades after the space-industry mission that created it.

Academics

Engineering, computer science, and digital media are longstanding strengths tracing back to the university's aerospace-adjacent founding mission, and the modeling-and-simulation field in particular has a strong regional and national reputation centered around UCF and the nearby Central Florida Research Park, one of the largest research parks in the country. The Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, UCF's graduate game-design program, has an unusually strong industry reputation for a public university program. The Rosen College of Hospitality Management, located near the theme-park corridor rather than the main campus, is a distinctive standalone strength tied to Central Florida's tourism economy. Research activity has grown quickly and now touches nearly every college on campus, with a UCF Downtown campus adding business and health programs in the city center.

Campus & student life

Campus life is large-scale and spirited, with Knights athletics, a sprawling student union, and an enormous range of clubs and organizations reflecting the size of the student body. Spirit Splash, a homecoming-week tradition where students jump into the campus reflecting pond, is a signature UCF ritual, and the football rivalry with the University of South Florida draws real regional attention. The main campus sits in suburban east Orlando, with easy access to the broader Orlando area's entertainment, tourism, and tech employers, and the DirectConnect program guarantees admission for students transferring from partner state colleges like Valencia.

Getting in

UCF evaluates applicants holistically but manages very high application volume given its size, so academic record carries substantial weight in a way that can feel more numbers-driven than at a small liberal arts college. Certain competitive programs, including some in the Rosen College, engineering, and the game-design pathway through FIEA, can have their own additional application considerations beyond general admission. The DirectConnect guarantee gives students who start at a partner Florida state college a clear, secure path into UCF later.

After graduation

Graduates have strong regional pipelines into the Orlando-area aerospace, defense-simulation, and hospitality/tourism industries, alongside a large and increasingly national alumni network given the university's rapid growth. The simulation and training industry clustered around Central Florida Research Park recruits directly out of UCF's engineering and computer science programs, and Rosen College graduates are well represented across the region's theme-park and hospitality management ranks.

Worth knowing

UCF's size means a large-university experience is part of the deal: students who want a big, resource-rich, spirited campus with wide program breadth will find it a natural fit, while those seeking a small, intimate setting should look elsewhere. The DirectConnect partnership with Florida's state college system is also worth knowing for students who might start elsewhere and plan to transfer in.

ucf.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate40.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1200–1350 · ACT 25–29

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionMay 1

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Own application.

Financial aid formsDec 1

Applying by the priority deadline gives earlier decision timing and priority consideration for merit scholarships, without any binding commitment.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗