University of South Florida, St. Petersburg (USF): Admissions 2026, Scholarships, Fees 2026, Rankings & Programs

Popular Courses and Fees at University of South Florida, St. Petersburg 2027

USF St. Petersburg follows a per-credit-hour tuition model set by the Florida Board of Governors. Non-resident graduate tuition sits at USD 1,082 per credit hour and undergraduate at USD 575 per credit hour, so total costs vary with programme credits and duration.

USF St. Petersburg PG Fees 2027

Master’s programmes typically run 30 to 45 credit hours across 12 to 24 months. Totals below use non-resident rates for full duration.

[Source: USF Tuition and Fees Schedule, University of South Florida official site]

USF St. Petersburg UG Fees 2027

Bachelor’s programmes span 120 credit hours over four years at USD 575 per credit hour (non-resident).

Insider note: Indian applicants concentrate in MS Business Analytics and MS Marine Science because both hold STEM OPT designation, unlocking 36 months of post-study work.

Read More: USF St. Petersburg Fees and Programs

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Admission 2027

USF St. Petersburg admits Indian students through two intakes per year, Fall (August) and Spring (January), with Fall as the primary cycle for graduate applicants.

Planning note: Indian applicants should begin WES verification at least 8 weeks before the deadline because Indian mark sheets require additional attestation from the issuing university.

Read More: USF St. Petersburg Admissions Guide for Indian Students

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Admission Requirements for Indian Applicants 2027

Graduate admission for Indian applicants centres on academic performance in the four-year bachelor’s degree, English proficiency, and course-by-course credential evaluation.

PG Requirements

• Academic: Four-year bachelor’s with 60% or CGPA 6.0/10 (recommended); three-year Indian degrees require WES review for U.S. equivalency
• English Test: TOEFL iBT 79 (0-120 scale) or IELTS 6.5 overall, PTE Academic 53, Duolingo English Test 105
• Credential Evaluation: WES or ECE course-by-course report
• GRE/GMAT: Waived for most master’s programs; MBA requires GMAT 550 or GRE 300 (waivers case-by-case)

UG Requirements

• Academic: Class 12 with 70% to 85% (recommended); CBSE, ISC, and state boards accepted
• English Test: TOEFL iBT 79 or IELTS 6.5 overall, Duolingo 105
• SAT/ACT: Test-optional for Fall 2027 admission

Key insight: Indian applicants can waive the English requirement if their entire secondary or bachelor’s degree was taught in English, with a formal letter from the institution.

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Acceptance Rate 2027

The acceptance rate at USF St. Petersburg sits at approximately 44% (estimated) based on the University of South Florida system’s overall admission profile. Rate confidence is moderate; USF does not publish campus-specific figures.

Graduate admission is program-specific, with Marine Science and Business Analytics running the most competitive cohorts. Undergraduate admission is more accessible for Indian students with strong Class 12 scores.

Reality check: Indian applicants with 65% in bachelor’s and 6.5 IELTS clear the bar for most non-STEM masters, but Marine Science expects research-linked SOPs and often waitlists candidates without prior lab exposure.

Read More: USF St. Petersburg Acceptance Rate

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Fees and Cost of Living for Indian Students 2027

Total annual cost for an Indian graduate student at USF St. Petersburg runs USD 32,000 to USD 38,000 (INR 30.2 to 35.9 lakh), combining non-resident tuition and St. Petersburg living costs.

USF St. Petersburg Tuition Fees for Indian Students 2027

Non-resident rates apply to all Indian students on an F-1 visa. Florida does not offer in-state tuition to international applicants.

Monthly Cost of Living in St. Petersburg for Indian Students

St. Petersburg costs run 15% to 20% below Tampa averages, giving USF St. Petersburg a distinct affordability edge in the Florida Gulf coast region.

[Source: USF Cost of Attendance estimate 2026-27]

Insider note: Indian students share two-bedroom apartments in the Old Northeast neighbourhood for USD 550 to USD 750 each, walking distance to the Bayboro campus.

Read More: Cost of Living in USA for Indian Students

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus, Facilities and Student Life

The campus spans 52 waterfront acres along Bayboro Harbor in downtown St. Petersburg, a 30-minute drive south from Tampa International Airport.

• Location: Bayboro Harbor, downtown St. Petersburg; SunRunner rapid transit connects campus to beaches
• Housing: Osprey Suites and Pelican Apartments cost USD 4,200 to USD 6,800 per semester; on-campus housing not guaranteed for international students
• Notable Facility: Nelson Poynter Memorial Library and the College of Marine Science research vessel Weatherbird II
• Indian Community: Indian Students Association hosts Diwali, Holi, and career networking with alumni from Tampa Bay tech firms

What Indian students say: The waterfront location makes evening study sessions calmer than city campuses. Access to marine research vessels from the second semester onward is a genuine draw for Marine Science applicants.

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Scholarships 2027

USF publishes four merit-based scholarships open to international graduate applicants, with automatic consideration for most on admission.

Planning note: Indian applicants should apply by mid-January to be considered for both admission and marquee fellowships; waiting until March closes the door on Marine Science funding.

Read More: USF St. Petersburg Scholarships Guide

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Rankings 2027

The University of South Florida system holds a top-100 U.S. public university position, with U.S. News as the strongest recognition body. QS and Times Higher Education rank USF as a single system.

[Source: QS, THE, US News]

Key insight: For Indian applicants, USF’s U.S. News position matters more than QS because F-1 visa officers and Indian employers weight U.S. domestic rankings when evaluating a Florida degree.

Read More: USF St. Petersburg Rankings Analysis

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Placements and Career Outcomes 2027

USF St. Petersburg graduates enter the Tampa Bay technology, finance, and marine science job markets, with Career Services running dedicated F-1 employer outreach.

• Six-month Employment Rate: 84% (USF system, official)
• Median Starting Salary (MS): USD 62,000 (INR 58.6 lakh) — market median
• Post-MBA Median Salary: USD 74,000 (INR 69.9 lakh) — market median
• Representative Employers: Raymond James, Jabil, Publix, HSN, KPMG Tampa, NOAA (marine science)
• Post-Study Work: 12-month OPT for non-STEM, 36 months for STEM-designated business analytics and marine science tracks; F-1 to H-1B conversion supported through Career Services workshops

Insider note: Indian STEM OPT graduates concentrate at Tampa-based Raymond James and Jabil for analyst roles, giving the campus a Florida corridor recruitment advantage.

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg vs Peer Universities

Comparison covers Florida public university peers and one out-of-state comparable, using QS 2027 and average PG fees for Indian applicants.

[Source: QS World University Rankings 2027, university tuition schedules]

USF St. Petersburg stands out on two axes for Indian students: the lowest published non-resident PG tuition among Florida publics, and the only marine-research campus with STEM OPT designation for its analytics masters.

The University of South Florida, St. Petersburg fits Indian applicants targeting a total investment of INR 32 to 36 lakh against a projected 6-month post-OPT salary of INR 58 to 70 lakh. STEM OPT eligibility on Business Analytics and Marine Science is the specific advantage, unlocking 36 months of legal U.S. work on the F-1 visa pathway.

USF St. Petersburg is not the fit for Indian applicants set on top-100 QS branding or a large tech-cluster campus; those candidates should consider Florida State University or move to University of Central Florida in Orlando for stronger engineering breadth.