Undergraduate Admission

Introduction & General Information

Director of Admissions: Hege Ferguson

Program Directors: Janice Finney, Andrea Carballo Flores

Associate Directors: Lori Hamilton, Julie Rubin, Anthony Russo, Christina Smith, Erin Verity

Assistant Directors: Cathy Do, Allison Helms, Karen Layton, Lisa McGrady, Stephanie Robinson, Mark Slik

Program Managers: Jack Bart, Olivia Brink

Panama City Campus Director: Susan Hogg

Florida State University encourages applications for admission from qualified students regardless of race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other protected group status in accordance with all pertinent federal, state, and local laws on non-discrimination and equal opportunity. Admission of students to Florida State University is within the jurisdiction of the University, but subject to minimum standards adopted by the Florida Board of Governors. Satisfaction of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to Florida State University. Admission shall be on a competitive basis within curricular, spatial, and fiscal limitations.

The University reserves the right to deny admission to any student that has an unsatisfactory academic, conduct, health, or behavioral record. The University reserves the right to place additional criteria or other requirements on an offer of admission to an applicant. The University further reserves the right to deny (temporarily or permanently) or revoke admission to any applicant who has exhibited behavior that has severely disrupted, impeded, or obstructed normal University operations or otherwise threatened the safety or well-being of the University community. Undergraduate applicants who are denied admission to the University may appeal the admission decision if they have evidence that, due to extenuating circumstances or prior unrevealed information, the admission decision rendered was inequitable. Applicants are requested to appeal in writing to the Admissions Committee through the Director of Admissions.

An application for admission is available online at https://admissions.fsu.edu. When applying for admission, the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 allows colleges and universities to require the disclosure of social security numbers for the purpose of identification and verification of student records, including registration, financial aid, and academic records, and for verification of identity in connection with the provisions of its services. The University does not use social security numbers for student identification; instead, the University assigns a unique Florida State University student identification number.

The Office of Admissions encourages first-year college students who are Florida residents for tuition purposes to apply for Early Action and to submit a complete application by October 15 for an admission decision on December 12. Regular decision for Florida residents and non-Florida residents has a December 1 deadline with an admission decision on February 13. March 1 is the final application deadline and rolling admissions decisions will be made available starting in early April. An application cannot be submitted earlier than one year prior to the term for admission is desired. In addition, the University reserves the right to close admission earlier than the published deadline(s), and/or increase requirements, if warranted by enrollment limitations and the number and quality of applications.

The Office of Admissions will post all decisions electronically on the Application Status Check, an applicant's private account created at the time of application. Admission is for a specific term, and if the student is unable to enroll for the term indicated on the Application Status Check, the Office of Admissions should be notified immediately. If a transfer student wishes to be considered for a different term, the student must submit a new application, an application fee, and updated official transcript(s). A change in terms will result in a re-evaluation of the application. The applicant should not assume that admission will automatically be granted when requesting a term change.

The University reserves the right to request an evaluation of international academic documents. (For transfer credit, an official course-by-course evaluation is required.) We recommend this evaluation be done by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

Offers of admission to the University are contingent upon the subsequent receipt of official college, university, and/or high school transcript(s) indicating successful performance and verification of high school graduation. Poor performance and/or failure to meet the stipulated conditions of admission can result in the offer of admission being rescinded. Failure to submit such documents before enrollment can result in the cancellation of admission and registration.

An application or residency statement submitted by or on behalf of a student that contains false, fraudulent, or incomplete statements may result in denial of admission or denial of further registration and/or invalidation of Florida State University credits and related degrees.

Prior to registering for classes, accepted students must be health compliant. For information regarding this requirement, refer to https://uhs.fsu.edu. Florida State University reserves the right to cancel the admission of an applicant whose health record indicates the existence of a condition that may be harmful to members of the University community.

Excess Credit Hour Surcharge

In 2009, the Florida Legislature implemented a new law (Section 1009.286, FS) to encourage students who enroll in a state university to complete the baccalaureate degree program as quickly and efficiently as possible. It established what is commonly referred to as an “Excess Credit Hour Surcharge” by charging an additional student payment to those students who do not complete the baccalaureate degree in a timely fashion. Accelerated coursework (AICE, AP, IB, CLEP, and dual enrollment) taken while in high school will not be considered in this hour count. To learn more about this surcharge, please visit https://registrar.fsu.edu/records/excess-hours.

Educator Preparation Programs

All students planning to pursue an educator preparation program at Florida State University must be formally admitted to Educator Preparation. Admission to Educator Preparation is administered by the Dean of the College of Education and assigned to the Office of Academic Services and Intern Support (OASIS), 2301 Stone Building. For more information on admission to educator preparation, see the “Admissions Standards for University Educator Preparation Programs” section of this Undergraduate Bulletin.

Application for admission to Educator Preparation is distinct from admission to an upper-division college or program and is a required step for graduation and certification.

Specialized Admissions Programs

Specialized admissions status is justified when student demand exceeds available resources (student/faculty ratios, instructional facilities, equipment, or specific accrediting requirements). Criteria for selective admission include indicators of ability, performance, creativity, or talent to complete required work within the program. Admission to such programs is governed by the Articulation Agreement and by the State Board of Education administrative rules.

For several degree programs, access is limited at the upper-division level to those students meeting certain additional criteria. These additional criteria are applied equally to AA degree transfers from Florida public institutions and rising juniors at Florida State University.

Specialized admissions programs are offered by a number of different colleges. Please be aware that some programs only admit students once a year. For specific requirements for admission to a particular department or college, refer to the Program Description of the Academic Program Guide (https://academic-guide.fsu.edu).

Admission to Graduate Study

Admission to graduate study involves admission to the department or college in which the applicant expects to study; therefore, final admission to the University is subject to approval by the specific program. While there are minimum University admission requirements, the departments can, and frequently do, set admission standards higher than these minimums. The student should determine departmental requirements first and then determine the University admission requirements. Consult the Graduate Bulletin for complete details.

Admission to the Panama City Campus

Undergraduate students who are interested in attending the Panama City campus should request information from the Panama City Office of Admissions and Records, Florida State University, 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City, FL 32405-1099, or apply online at https://pc.fsu.edu/admissions. The same policies, procedures, and requirements that pertain to first year and transfer students at the Tallahassee campus apply to the Panama City campus.

Deadlines for applications and supporting documents at the FSU Panama City campus are typically one month prior to the start of each term. Further information is available by calling the Office of Admissions and Records on the Panama City campus at (850) 770-2160 or by visiting https://pc.fsu.edu/admissions.