Address: 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32816, United States
Sciences, Business Administration, Health Professions and Sciences, Engineering and Computer Science, Medicine, Optics and Photonics, Education
The University of Central Florida was authorised on 10 June 1963, when Governor Farris Bryant signed Senate Bill 125. It opened on 7 October 1968 as Florida Technological University with 1,948 students, and it was renamed the University of Central Florida in December 1978. The main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, near Orlando, about 13 miles, or 21 kilometres, east of downtown Orlando.
It is one of the largest universities in the United States. In fall 2025 it had 70,674 students, with 60,083 undergraduates and 10,591 graduate and professional students. It has the second largest on-campus student body among American public universities. International students made up about 3 percent of undergraduates in fall 2023. The staff totalled 13,708 in fall 2025, with 2,865 academic employees.
The university has 13 colleges that offer more than 230 degree programs. The largest undergraduate units by enrolment are Sciences, Business Administration, and Health Professions and Sciences. Study abroad offers 42 programs in 21 countries. The size of the university gives students a very wide choice of courses and activities, along with large introductory classes.
The UCF College of Medicine was established in 2006 by the Florida Legislature and the Board of Governors. The charter class of 41 students began in August 2009. The college is located at the Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona, with a goal of about 120 graduates per year.
The university counts more than 380,000 alumni worldwide as of 2025. They include the NASA astronauts Fernando Caldeiro and Nicole Stott, and Julia Pierson, the first woman to direct the United States Secret Service. Robert P. Burke, a former four-star admiral of the Navy, Scott F. Large, a former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, the former football player Brandon Marshall and the comedian Daniel Tosh are also listed. Tuition differs for Florida residents and non-residents. Check the current tariff.
Students should consider the practical side. The campus is large, with its own housing, libraries and sports facilities, and the surrounding area of Orlando offers many opportunities in technology, simulation, hospitality and health care. Applicants should read the official pages for the admission rules, the housing available and the programmes by college.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, Data Analytics, Engineering, Finance, Life Sciences, Optics, Simulation, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
UCF College of Medicine at the Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona, study abroad programs in 21 countries.
Research:
Engineering, optics, simulation, health sciences, business and sciences.
Famous Alumnis:
Nicole Stott, Fernando Caldeiro, Julia Pierson, Robert P. Burke, Scott F. Large, Brandon Marshall, Daniel Tosh
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
13708
Current students***:
70674
Foreign students***:
3%
Cumulative former students***:
380000
Pros
Second-largest on-campus student body among US public universities, 13 colleges, over 230 degree programs, College of Medicine in Lake Nona.
Cons
Very large size, large undergraduate classes, suburban campus away from downtown Orlando.
Best For
Students who want a very large US public university with strong engineering and a medical school in Orlando.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
On content, Indiana University Indianapolis and this institution are close, as both teach finance, life sciences and data analytics; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
George Mason University offers a comparable education in finance, life sciences and data analytics: it covers statistics and ecology and sustainability as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 39,638 students against roughly 70,674 here.
Also strong in finance, life sciences and data analytics, University of Alabama at Birmingham makes a sensible second look at home; it covers bioinformatics and microbiology and genetics as well, and is far smaller, with about 20,905 students against roughly 70,674 here.
Both schools build their programmes around aerospace, life sciences and engineering, and Texas A&M University is the one to compare first within the country, since it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers agriculture and geotechnics as well.
University of Washington is the closest domestic counterpart for life sciences, data analytics and software engineering; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
RMIT University, in Australia, takes a similar route through finance, aerospace and data analytics; it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers industrial design and civil engineering as well.
Students considering a move abroad can look at University of Technology Sydney in Australia, where finance, life sciences and data analytics also form the core, and it is slightly smaller, at about 51,038 students against roughly 70,674 here, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (Saudi Arabia) is a close relative on subject matter, since finance, life sciences and data analytics are central to both, and it does not run the mba programmes found here and covers industrial design as well.
In Saudi Arabia, King Khalid University teaches much the same core subjects, finance, life sciences and data analytics, and it covers chemistry as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 61,708 students against roughly 70,674 here.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on finance, aerospace and life sciences is University of Seville in Spain, and it is also a public institution and does not run the mba programmes found here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Central Florida?
Near Orlando, about 13 miles east of downtown, in Orange County.
When did it open?
On 7 October 1968, as Florida Technological University.
When did it take its present name?
In December 1978.
How many students does it have?
70,674 in fall 2025.
How many colleges does it have?
13.
How many degree programs does it offer?
More than 230.
Where is the College of Medicine?
At the Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona.
How many alumni does it have?
More than 380,000.
Which astronauts studied there?
Fernando Caldeiro and Nicole Stott.
What does it cost?
Tuition differs for Florida residents and non-residents. Check the current tariff.
Aeronautics, Engineering, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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