How to Get Into the University of Florida: Acceptance Rate & Strategies

Charging an annual in-state tuition of approximately $6,400, the University of Florida allows residents to get a full year’s education for roughly the same cost of a single course at an elite private institution like Duke, Boston College, Columbia, or Tufts. In today’s marketplace, it is rare to find a university that provides a stellar undergraduate education with numerous top-ranked programs for such an affordable sum. The University of Florida is one the finest higher education bargains in the United States, and, for Sunshine State residents, is often an easy school for high-achieving Florida teens to place atop their college lists. These attributes certainly explain why the University of Florida acceptance rate continues to reach new lows. Of course, prospective students and their families have taken note of the almost absurdly affordable cost and unquestioned quality of the education offered. As a result, applications have doubled in the last decade. The University of Florida presently receives 67,000 applications each year, and the UF acceptance rate has crept under 30%.

The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to the University of Florida a full understanding of the following topics:

• University of Florida acceptance rate 2023
• SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted University of Florida applicants
• Admissions trends
• University of Florida’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current UF undergraduates
• The percentage of accepted students that attend the University of Florida (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to the University of Florida
• How to assess whether applying to the University of Florida is even worth the $30 application fee (for you)

Students applying to U Florida may also find the following blogs to be of interest:

How to Get Into:

• University of Miami
• Duke University
• UNC Chapel Hill

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.

University of Florida Acceptance Rate 2023

While the University of Florida has yet to release official Class of 2027 acceptance rate figures, we do know that they received roughly 67,000 total applications. Based on that total, we would estimate that this year’s UF acceptance rate may be as low as 23%.

There were 51,207 applications for admission into the Gator Class of 2025. Only 15,431 or 30% of that group were accepted.  It is important to note that it is far more difficult to gain acceptance to this university if you are not a Florida resident. In-state students were accepted at a 59% clip. That same cycle, those from out-of-state only gained acceptance at a rate of 19%. Clearly, the UF acceptance rates are far lower for non-residents.

University of Florida Admissions – SAT, GPA, and Class Rank

For Class of 2026 members, the mid-50% SAT range for admitted freshmen was 1350-1490, the ACT range was 30-34, and the weighted GPA range was 4.4-4.6. Among enrolled first-year students, an impressive 83% hailed from the top 10%, while 98% earned a place in the top 25%. The average GPA for an admitted freshman was 4.51. The median SAT was 1380 and the median ACT was 31.

Admissions Trends & Notes

• In the year 2000, the acceptance rate was 63%, more than double today’s acceptance rate.
• Seven years ago, the mid-50% SAT range was 1170-1350, meaning that the 75th percentile score then was lower than the mean score for an admitted member of the Gator Class of 2026.
• 90% of each of the last two admitted freshman cohorts participated in community service in high school.
• Unlike the vast majority of prominent schools, the University of Florida did not adopt a temporary test-optional policy during the pandemic and continues to require test scores.
• UF superscores both the ACT and SAT.

How the University of Florida Rates Applicants

In sum, the University of Florida considers seven factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, GPA, essays, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, and volunteer work. Items that are “important” as part of the admissions process are: standardized test scores, first-generation status, and work experience. “Considered” factors are: class rank, geographical residence (Florida residents are at an advantage), alumni relation, and the level of demonstrated interest.

Straight from the UF admissions office:

• “Few students are admitted purely on academic merit. While the potential for academic success is a primary consideration, UF’s comprehensive holistic application review also considers personal essays, academic awards, extracurricular activities, family background and home community.”
• “All information in the applicant’s file, academic and non-academic, is considered in relation to the size and strength of the applicant pool.”

University of Florida Acceptance Rate 2023 (Continued)

It is also worth highlighting that recruited athletes enjoy a huge edge. This is because the University of Florida takes great pride in its 21 NCAA Division I sports teams that participate in the vaunted SEC. Overall, more than 600 student-athletes are presently attending the university. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

University of Florida Demographics

Let’s look at the demographics of the undergraduate student body:

• Florida: 90%
• Out-of-State/International: 10%

The greatest number of international students come from the following countries:

1. China
2. India
3. South Korea
4. Canada
5. Brazil

University of Florida Acceptance Rate 2023 (Continued)

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown is as follows:

• Caucasian/White: 51%
• Asian American: 10%
• Hispanic: 24%
• African American: 5%
• Two or more races: 5%

A look at the gender split reveals that university enrolls far more women than men:

• Men: 44%
• Women: 56%

Given that they make up just 44% of the population, one might assume that men would be at an advantage in the admissions process at UF, but that would be incorrect. In fact, women are typically accepted at a higher clip than their male counterparts.

 “Yield Rate”

University of Florida’s yield rate is 44%. This figure is comparable to other powerhouse state universities like the University of Michigan, UVA, and UCLA.

Tips for Applying to University of Florida

If you plan on joining the 67,000+ University of Florida hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• Firstly, the University of Florida does not use interviews as part of their evaluation process.
• The University of Florida does consider “demonstrated interest” so you will be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• You should also save some extra time to complete the Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR) required by the University of Florida. This is essentially a self-reported transcript for grades 9-11.
• Prospective Gators can apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application.
• The University of Florida requires official ACT and SAT score reports. Many other schools will let you self-report.
• Lastly, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the short essay required by University of Florida. In the 2021-22 cycle, it was as follows:

2022-2023 Important Question

Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful. This could be related to an extracurricular activity, work, volunteering, an academic activity, family responsibility, or any other non-classroom activity. (250 Word Limit)

 College Transitions’ UF Essay advice can be found at: University of Florida Prompt and Tips

UF Acceptance Rate 2023 – Final Thoughts

Those with test scores within the mid-50% mark for the University of Florida and mostly A’s are viable candidates. However, if you live in Florida, your road to acceptance will be much smoother than if you are an out-of-state or international applicant. You will need to bring higher test scores if you do not hail from the Sunshine State. Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of the University of Florida’s caliber also need to also have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.