Pensacola Beach is about twenty minutes from the University of West Florida's main campus, a wooded site of roughly 1,600 acres on the north side of the city. UWF opened in 1967 and has grown into a mid-sized public university known for cybersecurity, computer science, marine biology and archaeology. Its archaeologists found a 16th-century Spanish settlement site right in Pensacola. The Center for Cybersecurity draws many graduate students.
Pensacola, Florida, United States
Official website: uwf.edu
1967
Public university in the State University System of Florida
About 1,600 wooded acres in Pensacola
Home to the UWF Center for Cybersecurity
$19,000 – $23,000
Out-of-state tuition, undergraduate and graduate
$12,000 – $16,000
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 uwf.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Cybersecurity
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Marine Biology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Cybersecurity teaching and research through its dedicated centre.
Marine biology fieldwork on the Gulf of Mexico.
Historical archaeology with digs in downtown Pensacola.
Computing graduates move into security and software roles with defence contractors and tech firms across the Southeast.
Naval Air Station Pensacola and local hospitals are large employers in the area.
STEM graduates can apply for up to three years of OPT.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
The main campus is heavily wooded, with nature trails, residence halls and a campus stop on the local bus routes. Downtown Pensacola is a short drive south.
Pensacola has white-sand beaches, a historic downtown and the Blue Angels flight team at the naval air station. Summers are hot and humid, and hurricane season runs June to November.
Form I-20 issued by University of West Florida
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
UWF sets international deadlines a few months before each term, usually around early summer for fall and early autumn for spring. Graduate departments may close earlier, so check your programme page.
There are fall (August) and spring (January) intakes, plus a summer term. Most graduate programmes accept students in both fall and spring.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from University of West Florida after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Computer science, cybersecurity, marine biology and the MBA are popular with international students. Undergraduates need strong secondary grades and IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 61. Master's applicants need a relevant bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 80.
UWF has some out-of-state fee waivers and merit awards for international undergraduates. Graduate students often look for assistantships within their department, which are competitive.
