University of Florida

The University of Florida is an international large US research university located in warm Gainesville. It is one of the flagship institutions of higher education in the country, known for its active research activities, as well as strong engineering and sports training.

History of the University of Florida

In 1853, the Governor of Florida signed a bill to support higher education. The seminary in the small town of Ocala became one of the first institutions of higher education in the state, but it soon closed due to the civil war. The decision to resume education was made in 1866 in Gainesville: then began the continuous 150-year history of one of the largest universities in the United States. The Gainesville campus opened on September 24, 1906, and two days later 102 students began their studies at the institution of higher education.

The years of the Great Depression and World War II were difficult for the school. During the war, troops were trained in Florida: the state inherited a convenient transport system and other infrastructure from the exercises. Immediately after the end of the war, Florida is experiencing rapid population and economic growth: many high-tech industries are moving here, it is here that the space program is being implemented. War veterans are given the opportunity to study at the university on preferential terms. During these years, the university reaches its peak: the campus expands, new laboratories open, well-known scientists, Nobel laureates teach and conduct their research at the University of Florida.

Infrastructure and location University of Florida

The University of Florida campus is located in Gainesville, in Alachua County. The city is known for its active cultural life: musical groups are based here, festivals are held. Gainesville is also famous for its craft workshops. The university campus is located on 2000 acres of land (8.1 km²), this is one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States. On campus there is a bell tower of the Century Tower (48 meters high) with a carillon. Many university buildings are architectural monuments, film shootings, photo shoots of newlyweds and tourist excursions are often held on campus.

The university has a teaching hospital in Jacksonville. Several more university clinics are located in Orlando, St. Petersburg, Naples, Hialeah. Sunrise is home to the University of Florida Business School buildings.

The Center for International Studies at the University of Florida is located in Beijing, China. The university has partnerships with Spanish organizations and educational institutions, the university conducts its research on an optical telescope in the Canary Islands.

Faculties and Popular Programs at the University of Florida

The University of Florida includes 16 academic colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes. Some of the most popular areas are business administration, engineering, law, dentistry, medicine, and veterinary medicine. In addition to more than a hundred bachelor’s degrees, the University of Florida offers 123 master’s and 76 doctoral degree programs.

Scientific achievements of the University of Florida

• The university conducts diabetes research and has a statewide, statewide screening program. Scientists at the University of Florida observed a group of people who began to walk for half an hour a day for six months. Six months later, they changed their insulin sensitivity, the researchers proved that walking can protect against the development of type 2 diabetes.
• Researchers have grown an artificial “brain” capable of operating a simulated jet fighter.
• The University of Florida cited evidence that IQ levels in children are laid down at the genetic level.
• Within the walls of the University of Florida, they proved that the weight of a child at birth affects his success in school.
• According to a university study, pulsed UV light removes up to 80 percent of the allergy-causing proteins from peanuts. Thus, they found a way to make peanuts almost hypoallergenic.
• Coral reefs are protected by “guard” crabs: they destroy natural enemies, established at the University of Florida.
• An interesting study was conducted by one of the professors at the University of Florida: Owen Mundy created an interactive map of the world’s cats. The researcher collected portraits of four-legged pets from photos posted on social networks in different countries.
• The University of Florida has proven that strict diets can cause alcoholism and mental disorders.
• According to a group of researchers from the university, the lead content in human teeth can be used to determine in which region a person grew up.
• University scientists have found unique protozoan marine animals that regenerate the brain in 4 days, as well as two types of vulture turtles.
• University researchers have established a link between the development of Alzheimer’s disease and gum disease.

Why choose the University of Florida?

• Gainesville is the cultural center of the region and hosts several art festivals every year, including a major festival of theatrical improvisation. The city has several theaters and museums. It is a young student city with a great atmosphere and friendly people.
• The university’s international sports teams are well known in the US: the Florida Gators are considered one of the strongest student teams. In addition, more than 950 interest clubs operate at the university.
• Students from 130 countries study at the University of Florida, the share of international students is 10 percent.
• Many university projects subsequently turn into successful businesses. For example, about 50 biotech companies in Florida and several other states have come into existence through research programs at the University of Florida. It was here that the drink Gatorade, which today is produced by Pepsi, was invented. Interestingly, the drink was created for the University of Florida football team, and became popular all over the world.
• The university has ten libraries with over 5.3 million volumes of books. Collections are digitized, most of the books are available to students online.
• Florida is famous for its climate. Local beaches are a resort of national importance, in the southern part of the state the sun shines up to 3200 hours a year. Winter in Florida is mild and warm: not a single snowfall was recorded in the south of the state. This fact attracts children from all over the world here: here students can combine education with beach and outdoor activities.
• The University of Florida has exchange and internship agreements with universities in the US and other countries. In total, there are more than 140 such programs; during one academic year, more than 2 thousand UF students study in different countries of the world.

Scholarships at the University of Florida

The University of Florida has an honors student program. To take part in it, the student must have high scores on the SAT (2070-2400) or ACT (33). The program provides preferential conditions for studying and living on campus. The Honors Program also provides special scholarships and internships abroad.

The J. Wayne Reitz Scholars Program is designed for students with high academic performance and leadership qualities. Its size is 2500 dollars a year.

You can apply for financial aid, student scholarship, grant online at sfa.ufl.edu . You can also find an impressive list of University of Florida scholarships here. In addition to internal scholarships and grant competitions, students can take part in external competitions.

Notable alumni and students of the University of Florida

Among the graduates of the University of Florida are astronauts, politicians, scientists, actors, engineers, architects, athletes.

• Mark Adler, renowned data compression expert and co-inventor of ZIP, studied at the University of Florida.
• Robert Grubbs, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, and Marshall Warren Nirenberg, who received the prize for “decoding the genetic code and its role in protein synthesis,” are graduates of the University of Florida.
• Faye Dunaway, a well-known actress and Oscar-winning actress who played Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, and Three Days of the Condor in the movies, graduated from the theater department of the University of Florida.
• Actor Buddy Ebsen (The Hillbilly in Beverly Hills, Breakfast at Tiffany’s) is also a graduate of the University of Florida.
• University alumni include several TV series stars, including Rachel Specter and Stephen Root.

Interesting facts about the University of Florida

• Dozens of well-known musical groups in the US and around the world were created and are based in Gainesville. Among them are The Motels, Against Me!, Hot Water Music, Less Than Jake, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, performed by Stephen Stills. The city has been named the “Best Place to Start a Band in the United States” by Blender magazine.
• The Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida houses the largest collection of butterflies in the world. The museum has 6 million Lepidoptera specimens.
• A collection of microscopic images of alcoholic beverages was assembled at the University of Florida.
• Florida is the champion in the frequency of lightning strikes, and research is being conducted at the university on this natural phenomenon.

The process of admission to the University of Florida

International applicants have a good chance of getting into the University of Florida. According to statistics, about 40-45 percent of applicants enter here.

The application deadline at the University of Florida is November 1, which means the application deadline at the university is slightly earlier than at other US universities. The application is submitted online at the university’s website admissions.ufl.edu . A $30 fee must be paid at the time of application. After that, test results must be submitted. SAT or ACT scores are required for admission to bachelor’s programs . The average values ​​of the SAT test of the applicants lie in the range of 1810-2060 points (critical reading – 580-670, math – 590-690, writing – 570-670), the ACT test – 27-31.

For admission to master’s programs, GRE , GMAT or FE results are required.

Foreign applicants must also demonstrate decent knowledge of the English language.

Exam Minimum score

TOEFL Paper-based 550

TOEFL Internet-based 80

IELTS 6

MELAB 77

In addition, a standard package of documents is required: copies of the certificate (diploma) with grades and official translation , recommendations from teachers .

Tuition at the University of Florida

The table shows the estimated cost of studying at the university for the academic year.

The cost may vary depending on the place of residence, the stereotype of food, personal preferences and other factors.

* Accommodation and meals on campus are possible, but places are limited – a total of 9200 students can live on campus.