University of Florida, USA

UF is ranked among USA’s Top 50 universities and #14 among public universities by the US News & World Report in its America’s Best Colleges Rankings 2014 Summiya Yasmeen

FOUNDED IN 1853, THE UNIVERSITY OF Florida (UF) is a major public, land-grant, research varsity with an enrolment of 50,000 students from 130 countries mentored by 4,000 faculty. Florida’s oldest higher education institution, UF is ranked among the country’s Top 50 universities and #14 among public universities by the US News & World Report in its America’s Best Colleges Rankings 2014. The 162-year-old varsity is also rated #1 on Washington Monthly magazine’s list of national universities offering “best bang for the buck” (2013) and #2 on SmartMoney’s list of varsities getting highest pay packages for tuition dollars (2012). UF alumni include nine former Florida governors, two Nobel Prize laureates, eight NASA astronauts, eight former US ambassadors, and dozens of professional and amateur athletes.

One of only 17 public, land-grant universities in the Association of American Universities, UF comprises 16 colleges and 140 academic departments which offer over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 200 graduate degree and doctoral programmes. Recently, UF was ranked among the Top 20 research universities in the US by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, and #3 among public universities for awarding the most number of Ph Ds.

The distinguishing feature of UF’s four-year undergrad programme is compulsory general-education humanities study for all first-year students “to give them a common academic experience and the chance to reflect on the human condition and their own lives”. Christened ‘What is the Good Life?’, it draws on art, music, literature, history, religion and philosophy to encourage students to examine how to live balanced, fulfilling lives.

Gainesville. The largest city in Alachua county, Gainesville (pop.125,904) is the cultural, education and commercial centre of the North Central Florida region. Hosting an ethnically diverse population, the town boasts numerous historic buildings, parks, museums and lakes. Several thriving community theatres, music venues and galleries complement the university’s exciting arts and cultural programmes.

About a 90-minute drive from the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico beaches, Gainesville enjoys sunshine and moderate temperatures year-round. Winter temperatures range from 5.7-12.7oC and in summer between 30-36oC. Picturesque and surrounded by natural wonders, including rivers, lakes and the crystal springs for which it’s famous, outdoor enthusiasts have the option to head to any of the 40 nature parks sited within 50 miles of Gainesville to picnic, boat, swim, dive, hike, camp, bike, hunt or fish.

The nearest international airports connecting with Gainesville Regional Airport are in Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami and Tampa.

Campus facilities. UF hosts over 900 buildings including 170 with classrooms and laboratories, and two television and four radio stations on its 2,000-acre campus. The green campus also houses museums, art galleries and performing arts venues including the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, the Florida Museum of Natural History, College of Design, Construction and Planning, Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, University Auditorium and Baughman Center which host a variety of musical and theatrical events. The north-east corner of the campus is listed a Historic District and hosts the landmark Century Tower which rises to a height of 157 ft.

The university libraries form the largest information resource system in the state of Florida, housing more than 5.6 million volumes, 7.9 million microfilms, 453,000 e-books, 158,695 full-text electronic journals and 1,162 electronic databases. 

The university’s department of recreational sports provides a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities. They include nine fields, two pools, 32 tennis courts, nine sand volleyball courts, five basketball courts, four racquetball/handball courts, three volleyball courts, a skate park and a roller hockey rink. The Southwest Recreation Center (a 140,000 sq. ft facility with gymnasium, six basketball and racquetball courts), Student Recreation & Fitness Center (37,000 sq. ft with gym, squash courts), and the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (296,000 sq. ft with basketball and volleyball courts, indoor track) are other extra-curricular facilities accessible by students.

Moreover, 975 student organisations offer students a range of leadership development, social interaction, entertainment, and education opportunities.  

Admission. The minimum eligibility criteria for admission into UF’s undergraduate programmes are successful completion of Plus Two/class XII and SAT/ACT with acceptable test scores. Applications may be made online/offline and need to be supported with academic transcripts, test scores, extra-curricular achievement record, essays and teacher recommendations.

Foreign undergraduate applicants are also required to submit secondary school/college credentials (exam scores) from non-US institutions to a credential evaluation agency for a course-by-course evaluation with grade point average calculation. The application deadline (with a fee of $30) for term beginning September is November 1.

For admission into graduate programmes, the eligibility requirements are a bachelor’s degree and acceptable GRE/GMAT and TOEFL scores.

For further information, contact the University of Florida, Office of Admission, 201 Criser Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611. Ph: 352-392-1365, e-mail: webrequests@admissions.ufl.edu; website: www.ufl.edu.

Accommodation. The university provides on-campus housing to more than 8,500 students. Housing options include residence halls (fully furnished single, double and triple rooms) and apartments (two bedrooms with kitchenette). Facilities include high-speed internet access, floor lounges with kitchens, laundry, and recreation rooms. Moreover, there are over 25 dining options on campus and numerous meal plans.

For students wishing to live off-campus, UF’s housing service offers help and advice to find private rental accommodation in Gainesville.

Degree programmes: UF’s 16 colleges and more than 200 research, service and education centres, bureaus and institutes offer over 100 undergraduate and 200 graduate programmes (see box).