Florida State University accepts less than one-third of freshman applicants and the mid-50% GPA for admitted students is 4.3-4.6. Given this spectacularly high level of selectivity, many aspiring Seminoles are unable to begin their academic careers in Tallahassee. Fortunately, there is another way forward for FSU hopefuls. While still an extremely competitive process, this school extends offers to 2,500 to 3,000 qualified transfer applicants each year. This blog will share the FSU transfer acceptance rate as well as other essential pieces of information like the FSU transfer deadline, the requirements/checklist for applicants, the FSU transfer decision date, and much more.

FSU Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available FSU transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2021, the FSU received 7,906 applications and accepted 2,430 members of that group. This means that the FSU transfer acceptance rate is 30.7%.

Gender-specific data is only available from the prior cycle, where the acceptance rates were as follows:

  • Male transfer applicants: 33.5%
  • Female transfer applicants: 28.6%

As with their first-year admissions, the FSU favors Florida residents in the transfer evaluation process.

When trying to get the complete picture of how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to also look at historical data. Many schools have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rate from year to year. Yet this is not the case at FSU which has been remarkably consistent in recent years.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Year Acceptance Rate
2020 30.2%
2019 29.3%
2018 28.5%
2017 39.9%

 Limited-Access Programs

Florida State University has a number of courses that have a particularly selective admissions process. These majors are referred to as Limited-Access Degree Programs. The following academic concentrations qualify as LADP:

  • Accounting
  • Athletic Training
  • Biological Science
  • Commercial Entrepreneurship
  • Communication
  • Communication Science and Disorders
  • Computer Science
  • Dance
  • Dietetics
  • Economics
  • Elementary Education
  • Exceptional Student Education
  • Finance
  • Hospitality Management
  • Interior Design
  • Jazz
  • Management
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing
  • Motion Picture Arts
  • Music Education
  • Music, Liberal Arts
  • Music Performance
  • Music Theatre
  • Music Theory and Composition
  • Music Therapy
  • Nursing
  • Professional Communication
  • Professional Sales
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate
  • Retail Entrepreneurship
  • Risk Management/Insurance
  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Social Work
  • Sport Management
  • STEM Entrepreneurship
  • Studio Art (BFA)
  • Theatre
  • Visual Disabilities

FSU Transfer Deadline

The university offers a fall, spring, and summer transfer option. The FSU transfer deadline for fall applicants is June 1. Spring applicants apply by November 1. Summer applicants have a deadline of March 1.

FSU Transfer Requirements

The FSU transfer requirements are as follows:

  • The FSU uses their own application
  • Final high school transcripts (sent directly from high school)
  • Official college transcripts
  • Official SAT/ACT results
  • Personal statement (if you have completed 90+ hours)

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to the FSU have done the following:

  • Have completed an English and Math course.
  • Can show competency in a foreign language.
  • Earned solid grades at a community college or 4-year university.
  • The best route to enter FSU is through attending an in-state community college.

Florida State University Transfer GPA

According to the university, “very few students with less than a 3.0 academic GPA will be admissible.”  Candidates with a 3.3 or higher will definitely have the best chance. You may need even higher grades to be admitted into Limited-Access Programs.

Transfer Decision Date

For all deadlines, transfer decisions are released on a rolling basis. The typical timeframe is 6-8 weeks after the application was submitted.

Final Thoughts – Florida State University Transfer Acceptance Rate

Directly from the admissions office: “The majority of our students come to us from the Florida College System and most will have completed their Associate in Arts degree. However, we accept transfer students from all nationally accredited institutions at all levels.” As indicated by the Florida State transfer acceptance rate, the majority of applicants will not make the cut.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to the FSU as a first-year student, you may find the following blog to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages/blogs:

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).