“Public R1 research university on Florida's southeast coast with 10 colleges and 170+ programs.”
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is a large public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton and additional locations along Florida's southeast coast. Enrolling more than 30,000 students from all 50 states and 180+ countries, FAU sits within the State University System of Florida and offers more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across 10 colleges, including the College of Business, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Schmidt College of Medicine, and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. The university has a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) classification and is particularly recognized for neuroscience (the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and an active partnership with Scripps Research and the Max Planck Florida Institute), ocean engineering, and accounting. Life at FAU is shaped by its Boca Raton location: warm weather year-round, easy access to Atlantic beaches, and a metro that connects Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. The university's nine residence halls house roughly 4,000 students, with all full-time freshmen required to live on campus. Signature traditions include Red and Blue Weeks at the start of each semester, the annual fall bonfire ahead of football season, and late-night finals breakfast served by faculty. Athletics revolve around the Owls (NCAA Division I, AAC) and a recent run of basketball success that brought national attention. For international applicants, FAU is attractive as a moderately selective, large public university with a relatively accessible price point compared with elite privates, an established International Student Services office under the Center for Global Engagement, and broad CPT/OPT support across STEM-designated programs in engineering, computer science, and business analytics.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Top Public Schools
US News 2026
International Student Enrollment (F-1)
DHS SEVIS by the Numbers (2024)
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research classification
Carnegie
Research classification
Carnegie Classification
Campus ethnic diversity (Florida)
FAU / U.S. News
Campus ethnic diversity
FAU / U.S. News
Test Required — All applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official SourceEarly Action
Decision by December 5; non-binding
International Priority (Fall)
Priority deadline for international merit scholarships
International Regular (Fall)
Regular international admission deadline for Fall 2026
Rolling Decision
Domestic rolling deadline
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$4,879
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$17,324
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Undergraduate and graduate programs across accounting, finance, management, and information technology.
Engineering disciplines plus computer science and AI research.
Bachelor's through doctoral programs in nursing.
Houses biology, marine science, and the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
Residential liberal arts honors college on the Jupiter campus.
FAU's nationally ranked business programs leverage South Florida's corporate community.
Nationally ranked engineering programs with strong research funding.
Nationally ranked program supporting FAU's R1 research mission.
Nationally ranked nursing program serving South Florida's healthcare sector.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $17,324
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
