Key Takeaways:
- UCF offers over 500 degrees, including 49 online, and boasts significant ROI with high national rankings in several programs.
- The university emphasizes affordability, with in-state tuition of $5,954 annually and numerous scholarships and financial aid options.
- UCF is highly accredited and recognized, hosting over 68,000 students, and is known for research impact and diverse academic opportunities.
Hundreds of Top-Ranked Degrees at 11 UCF Connect Locations
University of Nevada Las Vegas appears in our ranking of Master’s in Hospitality Management Online: Top 25 Values.
Reporting a 20-year net PayScale ROI of $306,000, the University of Central Florida helps “Reach for the Stars” in 226 bachelor’s, 206 master’s, and 75 doctoral tracks, including 49 online offerings, at Orlando’s largest RU/VH institution.
Featured Programs
For example, the 128-credit Aerospace Engineering BSAE ranked 80th nationally on the U.S. News & World Report is located near Kennedy Space Center with a NASA Launch Competition and Boeing Co-Op Program. Since 2012, the Nursing BS has utilized Canvas and the Melbourne Health First Education Center for a 30-credit, three-term online ASN Transfer curriculum requiring valid licensure. Partnered with the National Center for Forensic Science, the 30-credit Digital Forensics MS led by Dr. Cliff Zou utilizes a CyberLaw Lab for online courses like Malware Vulnerability Analysis. The Optics and Photonics Ph.D. currently engages 41 scientists in a 72-credit dissertation sequence in the Townes Laser Institute that’s produced 300+ patents.
Other opportunities include the Business Economics BSBA, Creative Writing BA, Golf Club Management BS, Music BA, Childhood Development MS, Health Informatics PSM, Nanotechnology MS, Real Estate MSRE, Conservation Biology Ph.D., and Public Affairs Ph.D.
About the University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida originated on June 10, 1963, when 34th Governor Cecil Farris Bryant signed State Senator William A. Shands’ Legislative Bill 125 for an east-central college. In December 1965, President Charles Millican was chosen to lead the new Florida Technological University. On October 7, 1968, its inaugural class of 1,948 entered 55 programs on over 1,000 Orlando acres along Alafaya Trail. In 1969, Dr. Harry Poole fired up its first Model 1200 computer. In Spring 1970, the FTU Equal Opportunity Advisory Council was formed for Title VII. On December 6, 1978, Governor Reubin Askew signed the University of Central Florida name into law. Two years later, Ali Reza Hurson received the school’s first doctorate. During President John C. Hitt’s tenure, the acclaimed Tinsley Telescope was also moved back to UCF’s Robinson Observatory from Gainesville in 1996. Budgeting $1.7 billion, the University of Central Florida now employs 2,533 faculty teaching 68,571 Knights from 157 nations online and on-site with 400+ clubs like Order of Pegasus. Forbes ranked UCF America’s 88th top public college, 151st best value, and 135th most impactful research institution.
University of Central Florida Accreditation Details
On December 12, 2016, the University of Central Florida was notified by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) that the evaluation visit was satisfactory for another 10-year Level VI accreditation cycle under its fifth president, Dr. Dale Whittaker, who earned the 1994 A.W. Farrell Outstanding Educator Award. Based 457 miles north via Interstate 75 in Decatur, Georgia, this 11-state Southeast accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Education Department and State University System of Florida. The Academic Program Quality Office also lists the following accrediations:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Council on Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- American Psychological Association
- Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science
- Council on Social Work Education
- Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Accreditation Committee of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
- Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
- Liaison Committee on Medical Education
- National Association of Schools of Theatre
University of Central Florida Application Requirements
Admission to the University of Central Florida is classified “moderately selective” by Peterson’s because 18,810 of the 37,693 Fall 2017 applicants were okayed for 50 percent acceptance. First-year Knights must graduate from high school or complete a GED equivalent. Spots are guaranteed for Florida residents ranking in the top 10 percent of their class. The Class of 2021 included 82 National Merit Scholars with a mean weighted GPA of 4.12. Freshmen present an average 1328 SAT and 28.3 ACT score. The Office of Transfer Services seeks undergrads with minimum 2.0 college GPAs in at least 12 attempted credits. There’s DirectConnect for six nearby institutions like Lake-Sumter State and Daytona State. The College of Graduate Studies only admits regular degree-seeking students with minimum 3.0 GPAs in accredited bachelor’s. The Speech-Language Pathology MA accepts a median 152 Verbal, 150 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytical Writing GRE mark. Computer Science MS cohorts must have a technical STEM background and C++ experience. The Executive MBA mandates 5+ years of full-time business work.
The University of Central Florida imposes undergrad deadlines of July 1st for Fall, November 1st for Spring, and March 1st for Summer starts. Non-U.S. residents move dates up to March 1st, September 1st, and January 1st respectively. The College of Graduate Studies generally cuts off entrants on July 15th, December 1st, and April 15th. Program-specific dates are diverse, such as January 1st for the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. and November 1st for the Doctor of Physical Therapy. Check current requirements before filing the $30 UCF Application online. Mail official transcripts to PO Box 160111 in Orlando, FL 32816. Select SAT/GRE code 5233 or ACT code 0735 for testing scores. Other necessities might include the medical history report, English examinations, 2-3 recommendations, committee interview, purpose statement, and industry résumé. Ask more questions at admissions@ucf.edu or (407) 823-3000.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, the University of Central Florida has charged full-time Florida undergrads $2,977 each term or $5,954 annually. Non-resident bachelor’s majors pay $10,490 by semester or $20,980 per year. Flat-rate tuition is $105 per credit plus the $511 out-of-state fee. The $11 activity fee, $44 differential fee, $10 health fee, and $5 technology fee are added. Living at the Orlando campus’ dorms like Rosen Apartments costs $10,010 for room and board. UCF budgets $1,152 for books and $4,970 for personal expenses. Annual undergrad attendance averages $22,254 in-state and $38,353 out-of-state. The College of Graduate Studies usually bills Floridians $327 and non-residents $694 per credit. Online exceptions include $487 for the MSW, $440 for the Master of Nonprofit Management, and $772 for the Health Sciences MS.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Student Financial Assistance in Millican Hall gets 62 percent of UCF Knights marching with median aid of $5,126 each and $178.27 million total. University funds include the Dorothy Anne Perkins Tomlinson Scholarship, DuPont Nursing Scholarship, Boeing Company Scholarship, Rosa Parks Service Scholarship, Walter Komanski Scholarship, D.F. Newnham Scholarship, Lefkowitz Graduate Scholarship, Business Ethics Scholarship, Open Door Education Scholarship, and Zebra Coalition LGBTQ Scholarship. The Student Government Fall Patriot Scholarship gifts $1,000 to Armed Services members meeting 2.5 GPAs. Second Degree BSN majors can receive full tuition coverage from the Helene Fuld Health Trust. Federal resources like the SEOG Grant and Work-Study Program require FAFSA applications coded 003954. Bright Futures Scholars deduct $48 per in-state credit for first bachelor’s programs. Floridians pursue the Minority Teacher Scholarship, Jose Marti Scholarship, Student Assistance Grant, and First Generation Grant too.
Search through 13 colleges for accredited, flexible degrees at the University of Central Florida website.