Florida International University

Public · Moderately Selective · FL

Photo: Fiuchaplinschool (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationFL · South

SettingSuburban

Undergrads39,508

Student:faculty24:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate59.2%

6-yr grad rate74.4%

Drop-out rate8.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$7k

Out-of-state tuition$19k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity91.5%

Gender diversity55.3%

International6.7%

Identity—

Overview

Florida International University is a large public research university anchored in Miami, one of the country's biggest Hispanic-serving institutions and a major hub for bilingual, globally minded higher education. It has built its identity around Miami's international economy, with a practical, career-oriented culture that reflects the city's mix of Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. business ties. FIU has grown quickly from a commuter-focused institution into a full research university, adding a medical school and expanding graduate research even as undergraduate life keeps its urban, work-while-studying character.

Academics

FIU is best known for international business, hospitality and tourism management through its Chaplin School, and programs tied to Latin American and international affairs through its Green School of International and Public Affairs, all leveraging Miami's role as a hub for global commerce and travel. Journalism, public health, engineering, and the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine also have solid and growing reputations, and many programs incorporate co-ops, internships, or direct partnerships with Miami-area employers. An Honors College offers smaller seminar-style classes and closer faculty contact within the larger university.

Campus & student life

Most students commute rather than live on campus, and the university's Modesto Maidique Campus and smaller Biscayne Bay Campus reflect that scale and urban integration, with the two connected by shuttle rather than functioning as one contiguous campus. Student life is less centered on traditional campus rituals and more on commuting patterns, jobs, and the surrounding city's culture, though FIU has built up Panther football and a growing on-campus housing population in recent years to create more of a residential feel.

Getting in

Admission is generally accessible relative to elite private schools but competitive for the Honors College and specialized professional programs like the medical school, nursing, and business, with an emphasis on academic record and, for programs like international relations and hospitality management, relevant extracurricular or work experience given the applicant pool's practical orientation. FIU also draws large numbers of transfer students from South Florida community colleges, and its admissions process is built to accommodate that pipeline.

After graduation

Graduates are well positioned within Miami's international business, hospitality, banking, and trade sectors, and the university's placement strength is closely tied to its deep local and Latin American employer networks rather than a national recruiting pipeline. The College of Business's ties to Miami's banking and logistics industries, and the Chaplin School's connections to the region's hotel and cruise industry, give students unusually direct routes from internship to full-time hire.

Worth knowing

FIU's Wertheim College of Medicine and rapidly expanding research funding mark its transition from a regional commuter school into a full research university, a shift still underway. Its bilingual, bicultural campus culture, where Spanish is heard as often as English, is itself a distinctive feature for students weighing a Miami-based education.

fiu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate54.7%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1070–1260 · ACT 21–27

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 2

Regular decisionMar 2

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Own application.

Early Action (Nov. 2, decisions Dec. 10) is non-binding; students who miss the Dec. 16 regular deadline can still apply through a final late deadline of March 2, 2027 (last decisions April 2, 2027).

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗