Study in Gainesville, The United States

About Gainesville

Gainesville is a university city in north central Florida, in the southeastern United States. Federal statistics class the University of Florida's setting as a midsize city, and the university shapes the place: with more than 56,000 students, it is far larger than a typical campus, and much of the city's daily life, from the bus timetables to football game days, revolves around it.

Students choose Gainesville for a large public university with a wide range of degrees, and for intensive English courses on a university campus.

Studying in Gainesville

The University of Florida (UF) is a four-year public university. According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator, it has 56,311 students, 36,573 of them undergraduates and 19,738 graduate students, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1. It awards everything from short certificates to bachelor's, master's, professional and research doctorates.

International applicants to bachelor's programmes follow the same application process as other students. Applicants with school records from outside the United States must send a course-by-course credential evaluation with a grade point average calculation, and all first-year applicants must submit an ACT, CLT or SAT score.

For English, the university's English Language Institute (UF ELI) runs intensive English programmes with 23 class hours a week, all in person. Its next semester runs from 13 January to 23 April 2027.

Teaching is in English. The U.S. academic year typically runs from September to May.

Student visa

Degree students and students on full-time English courses usually need an F student visa. Once admitted, you receive a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes) from the university's international student office and present it when you apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate. With that office's permission, international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Cost of living for students

International students pay the out-of-state rate. According to College Navigator, UF's undergraduate tuition and fees for 2024-25 were $28,659 for out-of-state students (compared with $6,381 for Florida residents), and food and housing on campus cost $12,120. The estimated total for an out-of-state student living on campus was $45,799. Local buses are inexpensive: the Regional Transit System (RTS) charges $1.50 for a single ride, $3.00 for a 24-hour pass and $35 for a monthly pass.

Getting around and daily life

RTS, the city's bus system, runs routes across Gainesville and to the UF campus. The city has a transit services agreement with UF. RTS's $60 student semester pass is only for UF and Santa Fe College students who study online, not for full-time students, so full-time students should check with UF how they ride.

The climate is subtropical. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Gainesville Regional Airport give an average of 54.8 °F (about 13 °C) in January and 81.4 °F (about 27 °C) in July, with average July highs of 91.1 °F (about 33 °C).

Frequently asked questions

Which university is in Gainesville, Florida?

The University of Florida, a public university with 56,311 students, according to College Navigator.

How much does a year at the University of Florida cost for an international student?

For 2024-25, College Navigator gives out-of-state tuition and fees of $28,659 and an estimated total of $45,799 with food and housing on campus.

Can I learn English in Gainesville?

Yes. The UF English Language Institute offers intensive English programmes with 23 class hours a week, taught in person on campus.

Do I need the SAT or ACT to apply to UF?

Yes. All first-year applicants, including international students, must submit an ACT, CLT or SAT score.