Study in Tampa, The United States

About Tampa

Tampa is a large city on Florida's Gulf Coast, at the heart of the Tampa Bay region. The U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator classifies its university campuses as being in a large city, and the area has one of Florida's big public research universities as well as private institutions downtown.

For international students, Tampa combines a warm climate with a mix of options: a mid-sized private university with students from most of the world's countries, a small international university linked to campuses in Europe, and a large public university with its own education abroad office.

Studying in Tampa

Our directory lists two universities in Tampa and one study abroad office. Teaching is in English, and the academic year typically runs from September to May, according to EducationUSA, the State Department's advising network.

The University of Tampa (UTampa) is a private not-for-profit university on West Kennedy Boulevard. Its landmark building, Plant Hall, is a National Historic Landmark. The university states that it has about 11,429 students from all 50 states and most of the world's countries; College Navigator gives 11,433 students, 10,598 of them undergraduates, and a ratio of 17 students per teacher.

Schiller International University has its Tampa campus on North Tampa Street and other campuses in Madrid, Paris and Heidelberg. Students can move between campuses after their first year. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and offers bachelor's degrees in fields such as international relations and diplomacy, international business and international hospitality and tourism management, as well as master's degrees and an MBA. According to College Navigator, it is a private for-profit institution without campus housing.

The University of South Florida (USF), founded in 1956, is a public university and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). It serves nearly 50,000 students on its main campus in Tampa and a branch campus in St. Petersburg, with more than 200 programmes in 14 colleges. Our directory lists its Education Abroad office, which runs programmes abroad for USF students, from short trips during Spring Break, Maymester and Winter Break to summer programmes of two weeks to two months and full semesters.

Student visa

International degree students usually need an F student visa, which also covers English courses at a language institute; J exchange visas are for exchange programmes. Once admitted, you receive a Form I-20 or DS-2019 from the institution's international student office and present it when you apply for the visa. With permission from that office, international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year, according to EducationUSA.

Cost of living for students

College Navigator gives these estimates for a first-year undergraduate in the 2024-25 academic year:

• The University of Tampa: $34,408 in tuition and fees and $14,612 for food and housing on campus, about $59,650 in total
• University of South Florida: $17,324 in out-of-state tuition and fees (the rate international students pay at a public university) and $14,440 for food and housing on campus

The totals also include books and other expenses. Figures change every year, so check each institution's current cost page before planning a budget.

Getting around and daily life

HART runs the city's buses. A regular local trip costs $2.00, with a daily fare cap of $4.00 and a monthly cap of $65.00. USF students ride HART local and limited express buses and HARTFlex for free through the U-Pass programme. The University of Tampa is among the schools that sell HART student farecards at a 25% discount; a 31-day local adult student farecard costs $48.75.

Winters are mild and summers hot. NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Tampa International Airport give an average temperature of 62.0 °F (about 17 °C) in January and 83.8 °F (about 29 °C) in July.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Tampa?

Our directory lists The University of Tampa and Schiller International University, as well as the Education Abroad office of the University of South Florida.

How much does a year at the University of Tampa cost?

According to College Navigator, a first-year undergraduate living on campus paid an estimated $59,650 in 2024-25, including $34,408 in tuition and fees and $14,612 for food and housing.

Can I study in Tampa and Europe with the same university?

Yes. Schiller International University has campuses in Tampa, Madrid, Paris and Heidelberg, and students can move between them after their first year.

Is public transport free for students in Tampa?

For USF students, yes: the HART U-Pass programme lets them ride local and limited express buses and HARTFlex for free. University of Tampa students can buy discounted HART farecards through the university.