Apply (First-Year) | Office of Admissions (2024)

Step 1: Complete the Application

Complete ONE of the applications below. Florida State does not have an application preference.

Apply (First-Year) | Office of Admissions (1)

Apply through
the Common App

Apply throughthe FSU Application

Please note the following when completing your application:

  • We use email as our official method of communication. Please ensure that we always have your most up-to-date email address and include admissions@fsu.edu in your address book.
  • University Honors Program: Students should select Yes to the question "Are you interested in applying to the University Honors Program?" on the admissions application to populate a separate Honors supplemental application on the Application Status Check. Visit the University Honors Program website for detailed instructions on how to complete your supplemental Honors/Presidential Scholars Application. The deadline to complete the supplemental Honors/Presidential Scholars Application is December 1, 2024.
  • CARE Summer Bridge Program: To apply for the CARE Summer Bridge Program, students should select Yes to the question "Are you interested in applying to the CARE Summer Bridge Program?" on the admissions application and complete the separate CARE supplemental application on the Application Status Check. For detailed information about the CARE Summer Bridge Program and eligibility requirements, visit the CARE website.
  • If you plan to major in dance, film (animation or production), music, studio art, or theatre, contact the academic department directly for specific major requirements.

Step 2: Log into the Application Status Check

After submitting the application, you will gain access to your Application Status Check. (Note: If you apply using the Common App, you will receive an email within 2-3 business days that provides instructions for accessing your Application Status Check.) On the Application Status Check, you will:

  • Self-report all your test scores.
    • Please note: FSU does not accept self-reported test scores from the Common App. Students should self-report their test scores on the Application Status Check using the Self-reported Test Scores form.
  • Link your Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR). Please allow one to two business days after linking for the checklist item to be satisfied.
  • Upload your essay and resume/list of activities.
  • Florida Residents must complete the Residency Declaration form.

Additional supplemental applications or materials may be added to your checklist, so it is important that you frequently review your Application Status Check throughout the application process.

Deadlines and Decisions

Your admissions application and all required supporting documents must be received by your preferred application deadline.

  • At least one test score must be submitted before the material deadline, but additional tests may be considered if provided by the test score deadlines.
    Please note: FSU does not accept self-reported test scores from the Common App.
    Students should self-report their test scores on the Application Status Check using the Self-reported Test Scores form.
  • February test scores are the last exam date that can be used for admissions purposes.
  • Admissions decisions are made available through the Application Status Check.
Application PlansApplication DeadlinesMaterials DeadlinesAdditional Test Score DeadlinesDecision Release Dates
Early Action
*Florida Students Only
October 15, 2024October 22, 2024December 1, 2024December 12, 2024
Regular Decision
*All Students
December 1, 2024December 8, 2024January 1, 2025February 13, 2025
Rolling Decision
*All Students
March 1, 2025March 8, 2025March 8, 2025Released on a rolling basis in early April

Application Fee & Waivers

Florida State University's first-year application fee is $30.

Students who qualify for an ACT, College Board, or NACAC application fee waiver or who meet other indicators of economic need may have the application fee waived by selecting the qualifying application fee waiver category on the admissions application.

Test Score Information

FSU, along with Florida's 11 other public universities, is subject to Florida Board of Governors admissions regulation 6.002 which requires first-year students seeking admission to submit an ACT, CLT, or SAT test score.

FSU does not accept self-reported test scores from the Common App. Students should self-report their test scores on the Application Status Page using the Self-reported Test Scores form.

At least one test score must be submitted before the application deadline, but additional tests may be considered if provided by the test score deadline. Since accuracy is critical, students must have a copy of their score report(s) available to reference when self-reporting their scores. We strongly recommend using your complete score report when completing the Self-reported Test Scores form. To complete this form, you must list at least one set of test scores. If admitted, students will be required to submit official test score reports prior to enrollment at FSU.

In May 2023, the Classic Learning Initiatives, Inc. published The Concordance Relationship Between the Classic Learning Test (CLT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), establishing a concordance table between the CLT and the SAT.

Earning both a High School Diploma and an Associate in Arts (AA) degree

A high school student earning both the standard high school diploma and an Associate in Arts (AA) degree must apply to FSU as a first-year student and must adhere to the first-year admission deadlines. In addition, applicants may be subject to additional major deadlines/requirements. Carefully review all major requirements at Academic Program Guide.

Those students who are receiving an AA degree through dual enrollment from the Florida College System or the State University System of Florida but do not meet the admissions requirements under the Florida Board of Governors Admission Regulation 6.002, may be considered for admission under Florida Board of Governors Admission Regulation 6.005. Students admitted under this regulation are first-time-in-college (FTIC) students although they are not required to submit ACT, CLT, or SAT scores. However, they should meet the requirements for their selected major as listed in FSU's Academic Program Guide. If admitted, they must submit a $200 enrollment deposit, attend a first-year orientation session, and are eligible to apply for on-campus housing. Admitted students without a test score are not eligible to be considered for first-year merit scholarships from the Office of Admissions. Students considered for admission under FL BOG 6.005 will be required to submit a final official college transcript displaying the A.A. before enrolling at FSU. Any FTIC student admitted under this regulation must immediately notify the Office of Admissions if they will not receive their degree. All first-year students admitted under this regulation who do not receive the Associate in Arts degree will have their offer of admission revoked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there additional costs associated with submitting the Common App?

Florida State University's first-year application fee is $30. The Common App carries an additional $5 processing fee. If a student qualifies for a College Board, ACT, or NACAC fee waiver, the entire amount, including the processing fee, is waived.

What is the next step after submitting the Common App?

Please allow up to two business days to receive an email confirmation from Florida State University. That message will contain instructions about how to access the Application Status Check.

What sections does FSU require from the Common App?

FSU requires the Profile, Family, Education (excluding Grades and Current / Most Recent Year Courses), Writing, Institution-Specific Questions, and Recommenders & FERPA sections of the Common App.

Does FSU require letters of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation are not required and will not be used in the decision-making process.

Apply (First-Year) | Office of Admissions (2024)

FAQs

How many admission officers read your application? ›

Depending on the school, your essay might be read by one to three people. If you are not a clear admit (based on the school's admission criteria) there is a chance your application materials will be reviewed by other members of the admission committee.

What do admissions officers look at first? ›

The Admissions Rubric breaks down what college admissions officers are looking for into two categories, the “hard factors,” like grades, test scores, and courses, and the “soft factors,” like extracurricular activities, essays, demonstrated interest, and more.

What is the acceptance rate for early decision 1 at American University? ›

The early decision acceptance rate at American University is 86%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 41%.

How many reaches should I apply to? ›

How Many Colleges Does the Average Student Apply to? In general, most students apply to between 8 and 12 colleges. This is a good range to aim for, provided that the applications you submit represent a broad variety of colleges. Ideally, you want to apply to at least two safety, four target, and two reach schools.

What is a red flag for admissions officers? ›

Any evidence of plagiarism or academic dishonesty in an application can have severe consequences and raise serious red flags for admissions officers. Academic integrity is highly valued by colleges, and dishonesty in application materials can lead to automatic rejection.

How do admissions officers pick students? ›

Factors That Most Affect Admission Decision. Many small, selective colleges pay greater attention to personal statements and essays, teacher and counselor recommendations, leadership experiences, and the individual talents of applicants. They typically offer the chance for a face-to-face interview.

How long does it take for an admissions officer to respond? ›

You'll probably hear back from the colleges you applied to within one to two months. But the time it takes to hear back may vary depending on when you submitted your application and which application plan (ED, EA, RD) you chose. So you've applied to college. Congratulations! …

Is it better to apply early decision 1 or 2? ›

Colleges aim to secure a significant portion of their incoming class early. This can be attractive for students confident in their first-choice school and seeking a higher likelihood of acceptance. Applying ED1 generally gives a student a greater chance of admission than applying ED2.

Is early admission harder to get into? ›

Is it harder to get in on early action or regular decision? It depends on the admissions cycle and other applications. Because early decision and early action applicants tend to submit exceptionally strong materials, they might have a higher chance of being accepted.

What is the hardest college to get into acceptance rate? ›

Harvard University

The Harvard acceptance rate is 3%, tied with Caltech for the #1 spot on our list of hardest colleges to get into. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is a quintessential New England school globally recognized for its rigorous academic programs and influential alumni.

Why shouldn't you apply to a lot of colleges? ›

While most students spend time trying to decide where to apply to college, they should also be considering how many applications to send out. Applying to too many schools can lead to a heavier workload, added stress, and tougher decisions.

What's a good number of colleges to apply to? ›

Every year, prospective college students wonder, "How many colleges should I apply to?" As a general rule of thumb, some admissions experts recommend submitting applications to 4-12 schools.

Can you apply twice to a college? ›

The short answer is, yes! You can reapply to the vast majority of colleges; however, it's often not your best option.

Do admissions officers read all your essays? ›

Colleges look carefully at every aspect of your application. So if you're wondering, do colleges read letters of recommendation? The answer is yes. Likewise, they also review each of your college essays, in addition to all of the other sections of your application.

Do college admissions officers look you up? ›

Of course! Some students directly link to social media accounts on their applications. Others might trigger admissions officers to check out their profiles because they raised a red flag in their application.

Do admissions officers read additional info? ›

While it's not guaranteed that every single admissions officer will read it in detail, including that information can be helpful for your application overall. Just make sure to be concise and clear in your explanation, and don't worry too much about making it sound perfect.

How many people review your UC application? ›

Each application is usually read by at least two people (students who are not UC-eligible are usually checked by one person to see if there were any application errors, additional reviews are required when application scores differ by more than a predefined value for the holistic review campuses; UCLA has stated in the ...

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