The University of South Florida is a large public research university in Tampa, one of the fastest-rising universities in US rankings. It is best known for business, engineering, computing, public health and medicine, with some of the lowest non-resident tuition among US research universities. Choose it for an affordable degree in a growing Florida city.
Tampa, United States
Official website: usf.edu
#621
Top 50 (U.S. News)
Invited to join in 2023
Among the lowest of any US research university
$17,000 – $24,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$16,000 – $22,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on usf.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Business Analytics and Information Systems
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA (Muma College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Master of Public Health
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
One of the fastest-rising universities in US rankings over the past decade.
Invited to join the Association of American Universities in 2023.
Muma College of Business — AACSB-accredited, with a large business analytics programme.
Tampa — a fast-growing Gulf Coast city with a big finance and healthcare sector.
Graduates join Raymond James, JPMorgan Chase, Jabil, Tampa General Hospital and Florida's tech firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Business analytics and information systems graduates move into Tampa's analytics and consulting roles.
Public health alumni enter Florida's health departments and hospital systems.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The main Tampa campus is a large, flat site in the city's north with student housing, a recreation centre and the medical school, linked to downtown by bus; St. Petersburg and Sarasota host branch campuses.
Tampa is a warm Gulf Coast city with beaches, a growing downtown and rent below Miami. A car helps, though buses serve the campus area.
Form I-20 issued by USF
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Undergraduate admission is rolling, with a 1 November 2026 priority date for fall 2027 that gives the best chance at scholarships; international applicants should apply by January to leave time for the visa. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, typically two to four months before the start term.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, business analytics, engineering, the MBA and public health, admit for both fall and spring. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Services issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, business analytics and information systems, electrical engineering, the Muma MBA and public health attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
USF offers limited merit scholarships to international undergraduates, considered automatically if you apply by the priority date; need-based aid is not available, though tuition is already among the lowest of US research universities. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships in engineering and the sciences.
