Financial aid •
December 20, 2021
University of Florida financial aid: a complete guide
Are you interested in going to school at the University of Florida and wondering how you’ll pay for it? Read our complete guide to financial aid at UF.
Located in Gainesville, Florida, the University of Florida is a state school that aims to “help great students become even greater.”
With an average weighted GPA of 4.5 and an SAT score of 1405 for the class admitted in 2020, it’s clear that the University of Florida is a competitive school with a lot to offer.
If you’re interested in attending the University of Florida but want to know more about how to pay for school, we’ll break it all down for you.
A snapshot look at the University of Florida
The University of Florida was founded over 160 years ago. The school has grown from enrolling fewer than 200 students in 1909 to more than 57,000 in 2020.
The school is highly rated, ranking as the 6th-best public university in the United States. Its campus includes 2,000 acres of land and more than 900 buildings, giving students plenty of space to use while they study.
Students can choose from 30 certificate programs, 100 undergraduate programs, and 200 graduate programs during their time at the school. When they’re not studying, they can enjoy the school’s wide variety of extracurriculars, including its many highly-ranked NCAA teams.
Ranking: 28th nationally
Size: 53,372 (fall 2020)
Demographics: 43% male, 57% female
Tuition: $6,380 for in-state students, $28,658 for out-of-state students
Acceptance rate: 31%
Average GPA of accepted student: 4.5
Key dates and deadlines (2021)
Application: November 1
Financial aid deadlines: No additional deadlines
A look at scholarships offered by the University of Florida
One of the best ways to pay for higher education is to earn a scholarship. Scholarships are like free money to pay for your education. This makes them a better option than student loans, which you eventually have to pay back.
The University of Florida has a list of the different scholarships that its students can apply for. You can use this tool to search for different programs that you might be eligible for. You’ll have to provide some basic information, such as your degree program and whether you’re looking for need or merit-based aid to find scholarship opportunities.
Outside of the scholarships that the University of Florida advertises, you may be able to find additional opportunities.
There are lots of community groups, large corporations, and local businesses that run scholarship programs. There are also many special-interest scholarship programs for almost everything that you can think of.
If you look for opportunities in your local community, you could find hundreds or thousands of extra dollars that you can use to pay tuition and fees.
For more on which scholarships you can apply for and how we can help, check out our financial aid tips and tricks.
Student loans
Once you’ve exhausted the available scholarships, taking out a student loan can help you pay for school. Borrowing money to pay for college is one way of investing in yourself, but you need to be ready to pay back the money you borrow plus any interest that builds up.
The University of Florida has a webpage that outlines the different loan programs that are available to its students.
Of these programs, one of the best ways to borrow money is through the Federal Direct Loan program. These loans are a form of federal aid and can come in subsidized and unsubsidized forms.
With a subsidized loan, interest won’t build up while you’re in school. If you get an unsubsidized loan, interest will start to build on the loan immediately. Both types of federal loans are eligible for federal loan programs like loan public service loan forgiveness and income-based repayment.
To learn more about this, you can read our guide on how student loans work.
The University of Florida also provides loans to students who aren't eligible for federal loans or who have financial need beyond the federal loans they’re offered. These loans can be long-term or short-term, and the university offers amounts ranging from $500–$3,500.
If you need more funding once you’ve maxed out your federal aid and other loan options, you can consider working with private lenders. There are many banks and other companies that are willing to give you money to pay for college.
However, remember that private loans tend to be more expensive than government student loans. You also won’t get to benefit from programs like income-based repayment for the private loans you get.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the most important documents a student will fill out. The FAFSA is a universal financial aid form that is used by the federal government and hundreds of universities to determine your eligibility for financial assistance.
The FAFSA will ask you and your parents to provide some basic personal and financial information.
For example, it will ask for your family income and the amount of money you have saved for school. Using this information, the government calculates your expected family contribution (EFC) to the cost of your college education.
The federal government uses this information to determine your eligibility for scholarships and grant aid like Pell Grants. It also affects your eligibility for loan programs. Individual schools, including the University of Florida, also use the FAFSA to determine the amount of need-based aid you can get.
The FAFSA process starts on October 1 for financial aid awarded during the next academic year. The deadline to submit is the end of June of the academic year you actually attend school, but it’s usually a good idea to submit the form as early as possible.
Some schools and state programs start awarding funds prior to the deadline and keep awarding money until it runs out, meaning early applicants might get more aid.
University of Florida financial aid FAQs
These are some of the most frequently asked questions about financial aid at the University of Florida.
What is the University of Florida’s cost of attendance?
The University of Florida’s cost of attendance ranges from $11,850–$21,430 for in-state students depending on whether they live on or off-campus or live with their parents. Of this amount, $6,380 is tuition.
Out-of-state students can expect to pay an additional $22,278, driving their cost of attendance as high as $43,708.
Can out-of-state students receive financial aid?
Yes, out-of-state students are eligible for some forms of financial aid at the University of Florida. One aid program for out-of-state students is the out-of-state tuition waiver, which reduces tuition to be closer to the in-state cost.
What is textbook deferment?
One unique form of aid that the University of Florida offers is textbook deferment.
Eligible students can purchase their textbooks from the bookstore but defer payment until they receive all of their financial aid. This lets students get the materials they need to start studying without needing to have the cash upfront.
Universities like the University of Florida that you might be interested in
If you’re not sure whether the University of Florida is right for you, these alternatives might fit the bill.
Florida State University
Florida State University is a public university located in Tallahassee, Florida. It is one of the top research universities in the United States, and it has a student population of more than 41,000.
As a public university, FSU is relatively inexpensive for Florida residents. If you want to attend a public university but don’t think the University of Florida is right for you, FS may be a better fit.
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural & Mechanical (Florida A&M) is a public university that is also located in Tallahassee, Florida. A historically Black college, more than 97% of Florida A&M students are Black.
Though Florida A&M began with a focus on mechanical and agricultural subjects, it now offers many other degree programs, including business, health services, and criminal justice.
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF), located in Orlando, Florida, is a public college with a student population of nearly 70,000.
Like the University of Florida, UCF is relatively inexpensive for in-state students, making it an appealing option for students looking to save on the cost of higher education.
Conclusion
The University of Florida is a large, prestigious school that offers a top-tier education at a low price. If you’re able to qualify for aid, you may be able to graduate without having to take on any student loan debt!
If you’re looking for the best way to pay for school, Mos can help. With Mos, you can get help negotiating for more financial aid, apply for hundreds of scholarships and grants with ease, and even get help with writing scholarship essays to help you earn extra funding to pay for tuition. Explore memberships to get started.
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