Your USF College Admissions Questions Answered
At the University of South Florida (USF), we receive a lot of questions about the college admissions process. We enjoy hearing from you and answering your questions. Today, I’ll help you better understand the process and get your USF college admissions questions answered.
What is my USF University ID Number/U Number/UID and where can I find it?
Your USF University ID Number, sometimes referred to as your U Number or your UID, is a 9-character number starting with the letter “U” that identifies you and your student record. You will need this number to interact with various campus offices.
It’s sent to you in an email 24-48 hours after you're admitted to USF, but if you forget your UID number, you can find it by logging in to Student Self-Service.
Please note: If you've just applied to USF, you won't have a University ID number yet. You'll only receive that after you're admitted. All applicants will have an Applicant ID number that we'll use to track your applications to the university.
I’m a senior in high school and I’ll be graduating with college credit hours. Do I apply as an FTIC (first-time-in-college student) or as a transfer student?
If you completed all your college coursework at the same time as your high school work, you will apply as a FTIC student. If you completed at least 12 credits of college coursework after your high school graduation, you will apply as a transfer student.
What’s the difference between the application and materials deadlines?
The Application Deadline is the deadline to complete and submit the online application. We recommend you apply a few days before the deadline just in case you run into any technology issues!
The Materials Deadline is the deadline to turn in all supporting and requested documentation (high school transcripts/STARS, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation, essay, etc.). You can check out exactly what's needed for a complete USF application on our website.
Please note: These deadlines are the dates by which all required paperwork must be received in our office and not “on their way.”
Are essays and letters of recommendation required? Do they make my application stronger?
Neither is required nor recommended to send in when applying to USF. When we review your application for admission, we will reward you for each academic success predictor that you demonstrate based on your GPA, test scores, and other academic criteria. We will not view or consider any letters of recommendation or essays for general admissions consideration.
If you're looking to enhance your application, our Judy Genshaft Honors College application does require a personal essay. You can find tips for how to write a college essay here.
Does USF use my weighted or unweighted GPA to make a decision?
We recalculate your GPA. This means that we create a new GPA for you based on your high school grades in core academic subject areas, as well as specified AP and IB courses in fine and performing arts. We will add the quality points outlined below for approved AP, IB, Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), Honors, and Dual Enrollment courses, provided you earn a "C" or better.
- Advanced Placement = 1 Quality Point
- International Baccalaureate = 1 Quality Point
- Dual Enrollment = 1 Quality Point
- AICE = 1 Quality Point
- Honors = 0.5 Quality Point
Here’s an example: “B” grade earned in AP Spanish course = 3.0 unweighted GPA; 3.0 unweighted plus 1 Quality Point (AP) = 4.0 GPA for AP Spanish course.
These courses may also help you earn college credit before you even step on campus! You can learn more about credit-by-exam equivalents here.
How long will it take for me to get a decision, and how will I find out?
If you're applying as a first-time-in-college/freshman student, you'll find out during one of our allotted decision days or windows. For instance, if you've applied and submitted all materials by our Early Action deadlines, you'll find out on Early Action Decision Release day. If you've waited until rolling admission, you'll find out typically 6-8 weeks after you complete your application.
If you're applying as a transfer student, we use rolling admission. This means that you'll typically find out 6-8 weeks after you complete your application.
We release all decisions through the USF Applicant Portal. Your results will not be given via email. First-time-in-college students will also receive an acceptance packet through the mail 2 weeks after their decision has been provided in the portal.
Please note: We cannot share your decision with you over the telephone for identity protection purposes.
Who has access to retrieve information on my application?
Per FERPA (the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act of 1974), we are only allowed to disclose student record information to the applicant. General information not directly related to the applicant may be given to parents, but if the applicant wants third parties (parents and guidance counselors included) to acquire additional information regarding their account, a Third Party Authorization Form must be submitted and processed.
How can I apply for scholarships?
The Office of Admissions offers a series of merit-based scholarships for which you are automatically considered as long as you apply on or before the designated scholarship deadline. There are no separate applications to complete for merit-based scholarships. Here is a list of the requirements and the timeline.
There are additional scholarships available at USF. Some of these scholarships may require additional documents.
Which USF campus should I apply to?
USF offers three beautiful campuses across the greater Tampa Bay area. Each campus has its own personality, from the excitement and energy of USF Tampa to the waterfront vibes of USF St. Petersburg and the tight-knit community of USF Sarasota-Manatee. A great way to find your best campus fit is to schedule a tour. You can also learn more about each USF location here.
What if I want to change my student status (freshman/lower-level transfer/upper-level transfer), term of entry, major, campus, contact information, or new class information?
If you want to update any of the above information, you will need to submit an Application Update Form by the application deadline of the term you wish to enroll.
How do I change my residency status from Non-FL Resident to FL Resident?
You will need to complete an Undergraduate Residency Declaration Form and submit it via e-mail to admissions@usf.edu.
Please note: All documentation provided MUST be 1 year plus a day older than the first day of classes of the term in which you wish to enroll. For example, Fall 2026 classes begin August 24, 2026. All documents used for residency must have been ISSUED on or before August 23, 2025.
I’m a first-time-in-college student, and I just got accepted to USF! What are my next steps?
Congratulations on your admission! To get started on the process of becoming a USF Bull, visit the appropriate Admitted Student Next Steps. It’s packed with information on how to apply for financial aid, reserve your spot in the class, apply for housing, and much more.
You'll also access the Onboarding Checklist, which provides you a to-do list of the items you'll need to complete prior to enrollment. You can access that checklist in your USF Applicant Portal.
What is myBullsPath, and how can it help me?
If you’ve just been accepted to USF, you will have some remaining admissions tasks you need to finish. myBullsPath is the name for your Onboarding Checklist for USF. It's designed to guide you through this process and make it easier for you to complete these tasks:
- Use your NetID and password to log directly into the myBullsPath portal. Otherwise, you can access the myBullsPath Onboarding Checklist through the USF Applicant Portal.
- You will see a series of “cards.” Each card represents a task or series of tasks that you need to complete. They are color-coded so you know which to pay attention to:
- Green means you’ve completed the task.
- Red means you need to complete the task.
- Yellow means the task is in progress.
- Gray means you will need to complete the task in the future, but not now.
If you have more questions or would like to learn more about USF, feel free to contact us online or at 813-974-3350. Thanks for reading and, as always, Go Bulls!
