The University of Central Florida | Rankings and popular courses

Academics and programs

Founded in 1963, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is a metropolitan research institute based out of Orlando, Florida. It is highly regarded for its academic programs, partnerships, and leadership in various fields, including optics, computer science, business, public administration, and healthcare. UCF consistently appears in the US News & World Report’s best college rankings and offers a rich learning experience to its students. Read on to learn about the university, its rankings, fees, scholarships, and its application process.

Why study at the University of Central Florida?

If you’re looking to pursue one of the top-ranked courses at UCF, and want hands-on experience even before you step into the job market, then the University of Central Florida is the place to go.

• The institute ranks among the #15 in the Most Innovative Schools and #51 in Best Value Schools by US News and World Report.
• It’s ranked #1 for the graduate design program, #3 for its emergency and crisis management program, and is considered one of the best hospitality schools in the world.
• UCF also ranks #13 for its nonprofit management course, and is among the 30 best schools offering cybersecurity programs in the US.
• The average high school GPA at the University of Central Florida is 4.23.
• It’s home to 367 national merit scholars.
• 57% of first-time-in-college students at UCF graduate with zero educational debt.
• About 50% of students here are minorities.
• UCF is a highly research-oriented university. It attracts over $200 million in grants each year and files over a hundred patents each year.

Important facts and figures

Ranking: #64 in Top Public Schools, US News & World Report 

Tuition fee: $22,479

Accommodation: $11,498

International students: 4%: 

% of female students: 56%

Teacher-to-student ratio: 4:15

Top courses

The University of Central Florida offers 104 bachelor’s, 96 master’s, and 34 Ph.D. programs across 13 colleges. It has conferred 400K+ degrees since inception and received $214.8 million for research this year.

The top 10 majors at UCF are-

1. Psychology
2. Computer Science
3. Biology
4. Health Sciences
5. Mechanical Engineering
6. Hospitality Management
7. Digital Media
8. Finance
9. Information Technology, and
10. Political Science

Some of the other programs offered by the institute include-

1. Aerospace Engineering
2. Biotechnology
3. Cybersecurity
4. Data Science
5. Emergency Management
6. Journalism
7. Kinesiology
8. Music
9. Psychology
10. Science Ed
11. Statistics
12. Teacher Education
13. Legal Studies
14. Theatre
15. Material Science and Engineering

There are about 58,000 undergraduate students, 9000 graduates, and 12,500 faculty members at UCF, spread across the institute’s online and traditional programs.

The University of Central Florida fees

Your University of Central Florida fees will vary depending on the degree and the course you decide to pursue, and whether you’re an international student or not.

But to give you an overview of the possible tuition fee-

• Domestic Undergraduate Students: $212.28 per credit hour
• International Undergraduate Students: $748.89 per credit hour
• Domestic Graduate Students: $369.65 per credit hour
• International Graduate Students: $1,194.05 per credit hour

To calculate the total fee, head to the official program website, look at the number of credits required for the course, and multiply the number by the corresponding amount listed above.

Note that this fee does not cover the cost of study materials, accommodation, food, transportation, WiFi, etc. 

There are various ways to offset these expenses. Like grants and scholarships, internship opportunities, TA/GA/RA opportunities, fee waivers for students from low-income family groups, travel grants, etc.

The University of Central Florida scholarships

Aspirants can apply to numerous public and private scholarships available at UCF, ranging from merit and financial need-based scholarships to community involvement and leadership experience fellowships.

Moreover, the institute’s Access to Opportunities System considers applicants for more than 200 scholarships offered by the University of Central Florida and other external agencies.

Some of them are listed below-

1. Alumni Association
2. College of Business
3. College of Nursing
4. The Burnett Honors College
5. College of Optics and Photonics | CREOL
6. College of Arts and Humanities
7. Global Perspectives
8. College of Health Professions and Sciences
9. College of Community Innovation and Education
10. Multicultural Academic and Support Services
11. College of Undergraduate Studies
12. College of Sciences
13. Rosen College of Hospitality Management
14. College of Engineering and Computer Science
15. Transfer and Transition Services
16. College of Graduate Studies
17. Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships
18. Student Accessibility Services
19. Florida Bright Futures
20. Pegasus Scholarships, and many more

How to apply?

The application process for the University of Florida is pretty straightforward-

1. Your first step will be to decide which degree and course you want to apply for.
2. Look up the admission requirements for your chosen program. Make sure you fulfill all the academic requirements. 
3. Then, check if your standard test scores match their criteria (GRE or GMAT, depending on the program). International students are required to take English proficiency tests to be eligible for admission.
4. Once you’re sure you have fulfilled the criteria, visit the course page on their website and apply!

If you get accepted, you can start applying for scholarships and plan your accommodation at UCF.

Application deadlines

The application deadlines depend on the program you choose to apply to. In general, however, applications during the fall semester have to be submitted before-

1. 1st March for graduate applicants.
2. 1st March for international undergraduate applicants.
3. 1st July for freshmen undergraduate applicants.

During the spring semester, the deadline is-

1. 15th January for graduate applicants
2. 1st September for international undergraduate applicants
3. 1st November for freshmen undergraduate applicants

To be sure, we recommend you search for the program on the university website and check out the deadlines yourself before applying.

Key takeaways

• Founded in 1963, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is a metropolitan research institute based out of Orlando, Florida.
• The institute ranks among the #15 in the Most Innovative Schools and #51 in Best Value Schools by US News and World Report.
• UCF is a highly research-oriented university. It attracts over $200 million in grants each year and files over a hundred patents each year.
• The University of Central Florida offers 240 degrees across 13 colleges.
• Your University of Central Florida fees can range from $212.28 per credit hour to $1,194.05 per credit hour.
• Aspirants can apply to numerous public and private scholarships available at UCF.
• Follow the steps mentioned above to apply to Cranfield University.

Did you find this blog informative? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Click here to contact us for more information on the University of Central Florida. We would be happy to assist you with your queries.

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FAQs

1. What GPA do you need to get into UCF?

Ans: You will at least need a GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 to be able to secure admission at the University of Central Florida.

2. What is UCF best known for?

Ans: UCF is best known for its programs in design, emergency and crisis management, hospitality, nonprofit management, cybersecurity, and its online courses.

3. How many campuses does UCF have?

Ans: While its main campus is in Orlando, the University of Central Florida is spread across a dozen other locations throughout Central Florida.