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2021 Best Colleges for International Students in Florida

35 Colleges
$32,726 Avg Tuition & Fees*
45% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

International students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Colleges for International Students in Florida ranking - to help you make that decision.

After analyzing 35 schools in Florida, we came up with our list of those that offered the best educational experiences for international students in Florida. Our ranking is based on several objective factors, including the school's overall quality and the total number of international students at the school. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.

Learn more about our ranking methodology.

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Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as online students or returnings adults.

We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don't have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Top Colleges in Florida for International Students

See which schools came out on top of our ranking:

1
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

University of Florida tops this year’s ranking as the best school for international students in Florida. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9,775 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Around 7.4% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at UF are China, India, and South Korea.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

2
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Miami. The school came in at #2 in this year’s ranking. U Miami is located in Coral Gables, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,348 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Of the total number of students at the school, 13.3% are international. Students studying at U Miami come from such countries as China, Kuwait, and Venezuela.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on University of Miami

3

Out of the 35 schools in Florida that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10,333 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Around 8.6% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at USF Tampa are India, China, and Saudi Arabia.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on University of South Florida - Main Campus

4

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Florida State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for international students in Florida. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 9,735 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 4.0% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Florida State come from such countries as China, India, and Panama.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read More…

5

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Central Florida helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for international students in Florida. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 15,189 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 4.3% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, India, and Saudi Arabia come to UCF to study.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Central Florida Report

6
Rollins crest
Rollins College
Winter Park, FL

Rollins College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Florida list. Located in Winter Park, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 679 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 8.3% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Brazil, Venezuela, and India come to Rollins to study.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Rollins College Report

7

Ringling College of Art and Design came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking. Ringling College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sarasota, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 306 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 18.5% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Ringling College are South Korea, China, and India.

Read full report on Ringling College of Art and Design

8

Florida Institute of Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Florida list. Florida Institute of Technology is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Melbourne, Florida that handed out 747 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 20.3% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as India, China, and Saudi Arabia come to Florida Tech to study.

Read More…

9

Florida International University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking. Florida International University is a large public school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 13,988 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 7.4% are international. Students from as far away as China, Venezuela, and India come to FIU to study.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Florida International University

10
NUS Florida crest
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Nova Southeastern University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking, coming in at #10. Fort Lauderdale, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,413 students in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 3.9% are international. Students studying at NUS Florida come from such countries as Venezuela, Canada, and India.

Full Nova Southeastern University Report

11

With a ranking of #11, Stetson University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. Stetson University is a small private not-for-profit school located in DeLand, Florida that handed out 755 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 4.7% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at Stetson are China, Canada, and Venezuela.

Read More…

12
Eckerd crest
Eckerd College
Saint Petersburg, FL

Eckerd College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking. Eckerd is located in Saint Petersburg, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 541 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Around 3.4% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at Eckerd come from such countries as United Kingdom, Spain, and India.

Read More…

13

The University of Tampa landed the #13 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,067 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 7.2% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at UT are Kuwait, India, and Saudi Arabia.

Full The University of Tampa Report

14

With a ranking of #14, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. UNF is a fairly large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 3,573 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 1.9% are international. Students from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Brazil come to UNF to study.

Read full report on University of North Florida

15
JU crest
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Florida list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and it awarded 737 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 5.9% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at JU are Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Canada.

Read More…

16

Florida Southern College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking, coming in at #16. Florida Southern is located in Lakeland, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 757 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

International students make up 2.7% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at Florida Southern are Sweden, Canada, and Spain.

Full Florida Southern College Report

17

Florida Atlantic University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Florida list. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 5,986 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 3.8% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as India, China, and Brazil come to FAU to study.

Read full report on Florida Atlantic University

18

New College of Florida landed the #18 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. Located in Sarasota, Florida, the small public school handed out 158 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 3.4% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at New College come from such countries as Jordan, Palestine, State of, and China.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on New College of Florida

19
Lynn University Fighting Knights crest
Lynn University
Boca Raton, FL

Lynn University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and it awarded 445 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 16.7% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Lynn University Fighting Knights are Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia.

Full Lynn University Report

20

Palm Beach Atlantic University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking, coming in at #20. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 537 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 3.7% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at Palm Beach Atlantic are Bahamas, Canada, and Brazil.

Read More…

21

With a ranking of #21, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,466 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 0.9% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Bahamas, Nigeria, and Jamaica come to Florida A&M University to study.

Read More…

22

Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking, coming in at #22. Florida Gulf Coast University is a fairly large public school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 2,889 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 1.9% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at FGCU come from such countries as Jamaica, Brazil, and Canada.

Full Florida Gulf Coast University Report

23

Ave Maria University landed the #23 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Ave Maria, Florida, and it awarded 390 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students from as far away as Canada, Colombia, and Ecuador come to AMU to study.

Full Ave Maria University Report

24

The University of West Florida came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Florida ranking. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school located in Pensacola, Florida that handed out 2,407 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 2.1% of the total student population at the school is international. Students studying at UWF come from such countries as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Japan.

Read full report on The University of West Florida

25

With a ranking of #25, Barry University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Florida. Barry University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 725 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 4.9% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Bahamas come to Barry University to study.

Full Barry University Report

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*Avg Tuition and Fees and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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