“Southwest Florida public university with programs ranging from marine science to business”
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is a public university in south Lee County near Fort Myers, authorized by the Florida Legislature in 1991 and opened for classes in 1997 — making it the youngest of Florida's 12 State University System institutions. The 800-acre main campus sits on a protected preserve between Fort Myers and Naples, 10 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and has been recognized nationally for sustainability and green-campus design. FGCU enrolls roughly 16,000 students and offers more than 95 undergraduate and graduate programs across six colleges — Arts & Sciences, Education, Lutgert College of Business, Marieb College of Health & Human Services, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, and the Honors College — plus five named schools including the Bower School of Music & the Arts, the School of Nursing, the School of Resort & Hospitality Management, the Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship, and The Water School. FGCU's academic identity is rooted in the environment of Southwest Florida. The Water School — a college-level unit dedicated to the study of water, coastal ecosystems, and sustainability — is the university's signature program and the only U.S. college focused entirely on water science, policy, and management. Marine biology and environmental studies are flagship majors, taking advantage of the Gulf Coast and Everglades for field work. The Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship houses one of the top-ranked undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the country (consistently top-25 by Princeton Review), the Lutgert College of Business is AACSB-accredited, and U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering has fast-growing programs in Bioengineering, Software Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Nationally, FGCU became a household name during its 'Dunk City' NCAA Tournament run in 2013 when it became the first 15-seed ever to reach the Sweet 16. For international students, FGCU offers a warm-weather public-university experience at a relatively accessible cost. The Intensive English Language Program (IELP) provides a conditional-admission pathway for applicants below the regular English-proficiency minimums (TOEFL iBT 79 / IELTS 6.5 / Duolingo 110), and the Office of Admissions directly issues I-20 Forms for SEVP-certified F-1 study. Out-of-state tuition waivers are available to qualifying international students, and the 6 colleges/5 schools structure offers STEM OPT pathways across engineering, environmental sciences, computer science, and business analytics. Fort Myers and nearby Naples give students access to one of Florida's fastest-growing healthcare and hospitality economies, including Lee Health, NCH Healthcare, Arthrex (medical devices, headquartered locally), and the Gulfshore resort industry.
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
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding; supplemental items due Nov 15. Priority for merit scholarships. (2026-27 cycle opened Aug 1 2025.)
Regular Decision
Final domestic deadline; deposit due May 1 2026.
Fall (International)
Preferred international deadline for Fall entry; deposit due Aug 1 2026.
Spring (International)
Preferred international deadline for Spring 2027 entry; deposit due Dec 1 2026.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$6,118
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$25,162
/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.
4 years
FGCU's flagship environmental science program. Field work in the Gulf of Mexico, Estero Bay, and the Everglades; Vester Marine & Environmental Science Research Field Station provides direct ocean access.
4 years
Top-25 undergraduate entrepreneurship program (Princeton Review). Students launch real ventures, pitch at the Runway Competition, and access a regional startup ecosystem through the Institute for Entrepreneurship.
4 years
ABET-accredited program housed in U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering. Strong ties to Arthrex (global medical device company headquartered in Naples) for internships and full-time placement.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $25,162
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.
