Admission Requirements:
Traditional Undergraduate
How Does Florida Southern Determine my Admission?
At Florida Southern College, we understand you are more than just your grades. We carefully review every aspect of your application to ensure that we’re not just admitting students but welcoming new members who will thrive at Florida Southern. Here’s what we consider:
We’re excited to learn about you and potentially welcome you into our community of learners ready to tackle challenging programs and grow academically and personally.
Priority Application Deadlines
November through March (depending on admission type)
First-Year
Transfer
Early Admission Options
Early Decision (Binding)
| Priority Date: | November 1 |
| Notification Date: | December 15 |
| Deposit Deadline: | January 15 |
Early Action (Non-Binding)
| Priority Date: | November 1 |
| Notification Date: | December 15 |
| Deposit Deadline: | May 1 |
Regular Admission
Before December
| Priority Date: | December 1 |
| Notification Date: | January 15 |
| Deposit Deadline: | May 1 |
After December
| Priority Date: | March 1 |
| Notification Date: | April 1 |
| Deposit Deadline: | May 1 |
Transfer Admission
Rolling Admission dates mean transfer students receive decisions approximately 2 to 3 weeks from the date their application and all credentials have been received.
Spring
| Priority Date: | December 1 |
| Notification Date: | 2 to 3 weeks from the date their application and all credentials have been received |
| Deposit Deadline: | December 15 |
Fall
| Priority Date: | June 1 |
| Notification Date: | 2 to 3 weeks from the date their application and all credentials have been received |
| Deposit Deadline: | July 1 |
Rolling Admissions
Florida Southern offers rolling admissions, with decisions 2-4 weeks after submitting all required materials. Since spots are limited and competition increases, applying early improves your chances for admission and financial aid. Once accepted, submit your enrollment deposit to secure your spot.
Supplemental Application Materials
To help us paint a complete picture of your potential, we encourage you to submit additional materials that reflect your unique talents, experiences, and aspirations. These can play a crucial role in our holistic review process.
Transcripts
Your transcripts provide a complete picture of your academic journey, highlighting the courses you’ve taken and your overall performance.
Request these from your school as early as possible to avoid any last-minute delays. If you’ve taken college courses or dual-enrollment classes, send a transcript from each school you attended.
Transfer students planning to transfer fewer than 25 college credits must also submit their high school transcripts.
Academic Recommendation (Recommended)
Submit an academic recommendation from a teacher or school counselor.
If you’re applying as a first-year student, we’d love to see an academic recommendation from someone who knows you well and can speak to your strengths, work ethic, and character. Whether they share through a letter or use ¹û¶³´«Ã½â€™s Recommendation Form, their insights offer a personal perspective that goes beyond grades and test scores. Choose teachers or counselors who know you well and can speak to your strengths, work ethic, and character. Their insights offer a personal perspective that goes beyond grades and test scores.
Test Scores (Optional)
Standardized test scores, alongside your academic record, help predict your potential for success in the classroom. Florida Southern does not favor one exam over another.
Submitting Test Scores
If applying as test-considered, you may submit unofficial test scores by emailing a screenshot or PDF of your score report to fscadm@flsouthern.edu.The screenshot must include your full name, test date, and scores. Official test scores, sent via the testing company, will be required of admitted students before enrollment.
¹û¶³´«Ã½ Codes
SAT: #5218
ACT: #0732
Florida Southern offers a Test-Optional Policy for applicants entering in the Spring or Fall semesters.
Personal Statement
This is your opportunity to tell your unique story.
A well-crafted personal statement can help the admissions team understand who you are, your goals, and what drives you. Be thoughtful and authentic—share experiences that have shaped your growth and aspirations.
Extracurricular Activities List (Recommended)
Tell us about what you’ve been up to outside of class. We’re interested in hearing about your extracurricular activities, any leadership roles you’ve taken, and any community service you completed during high school. Feel free to brag - let us know about any special honors or awards you’ve earned for your academic and extracurricular achievements.
Homeschool Applicant Requirements
Florida Southern College evaluates homeschooled students based on the strength of their application, essay, high school curriculum, and GPA—just like all other first-year applicants.
Required Materials:
- Completed application
- Official high school transcript
One of the following:
- Official SAT/ACT scores
- Official college transcript demonstrating a minimum of 12 transferable college credit hours (earned or in-progress through dual enrollment)
The admissions committee also considers extracurricular involvement and personal achievements. Applicants are encouraged to highlight work experience, volunteer service, and other extracurricular activities.
Frequently Asked Application Questions
Check Your Application Status
Additional Admissions Information
Transfer
If you’ve taken courses at a regionally accredited college or university after high school, you can apply to Florida Southern as a transfer student. An associate's degree isn’t required to transfer.
If you're still in high school and taking college courses through dual enrollment, you'll apply as a first-year student.
International
Florida Southern welcomes international students from outside the U.S. Find all the information you need to complete your ¹û¶³´«Ã½ application.
Conditional Admission (Gateway to Success Program)
Florida Southern College offers conditional admission through the Gateway to Success program, which helps students transition to college by limiting their first-term course load to a maximum of 10 credit hours. Students may be required to follow a prescribed course plan while in the program.
Students who achieve a 3.0 GPA or higher in their first term may be considered for traditional, full-time status. Those who need to meet this requirement may still be considered for full-time admission with approval from the Dean of Student Success. Please note that students in the program are not eligible for institutional aid and will be billed at the standard full-time tuition rate.
To apply, students must graduate from a regionally accredited high school, submit SAT or ACT scores, and provide an academic letter of recommendation along with the signed Gateway to Success Agreement form. A personal interview may be required, and enrollment deposits are non-refundable.
Deferred Admission
Students may petition to defer enrollment for up to one academic year from the original entry term. To qualify for deferral, students should have an enrollment deposit on file and submit a letter of intent to the Director of Admissions detailing the reason for deferral and plans during the interim period. Deferrals will not be approved if the student enrolls at another institution before attending Florida Southern College.
Within 30 days of deferral notification, students should submit a deferral deposit equal to the original enrollment deposit. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of the application. The non-refundable deferral deposit is credited towards the first semester bill.
Federal, State, and need-based financial aid are not automatically deferred. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office for aid consideration in the anticipated enrollment term.
Alternatively, students may reapply for a future term, adhering to the new entry term's enrollment timeline.
Reactivation of Applicants
All applications to Florida Southern College remain on file for a period of one year. Students who do not enroll in the semester requested on the original application may reactivate an application for consideration for a subsequent semester within that period.
If the applicant has undertaken additional formal study in the intervening period, official transcripts must be submitted showing all work completed or in progress. Candidates who have attended a post-secondary institution in the intervening period should file the appropriate Report of Social Standing form, available from the Office of Traditional Undergraduate Admissions.
If already on file, the following items do not need to be submitted when an application is reactivated: final official transcripts of all work completed at the secondary or college level and official results from standardized testing.
Admission decisions are made according to the requirements and expectations pertaining to the class entering in the semester requested. Any decision rendered earlier by the Office of Admissions and the Admissions Committee is subject to review and modification.
Readmission of Traditional Undergraduate Students
The application includes a complete statement explaining the reasons for leaving and specifies the semester of intended re-enrollment. The application statement should also include a full explanation of activities (work, travel, academic work) which have occurred since leaving Florida Southern. If the student has undertaken any academic work at another institution, official transcripts and a Report of Social Standing form must be submitted prior to any decision by the Admissions Committee. To be eligible for readmission, students must have demonstrated a successful and positive adjustment to the campus community while at the College and must not have any outstanding accounts payable in the business office or any unresolved judicial matters.
The degree requirements listed in the catalog in effect when readmission is approved shall be applicable to those readmitted that semester. Re-admitted students should consult the catalog for changes in requirements.
College work completed more than ten years prior to the date of readmission must be validated by the attainment of a 2.0 grade point average during the first 24 semester hours attempted after readmission.
Admission Decisions, Procedures, and Deposits
Admission Criteria
Admission decisions at Florida Southern College are based on a holistic review of academic achievement, aptitude, personal character, and leadership or citizenship within the school and community. The College seeks students with the academic ability and motivation to succeed in both liberal arts and pre-professional/professional programs.
Applicant Profile
Florida Southern welcomes students who demonstrate strong values, a commitment to study, and the academic preparation necessary to complete the College’s rigorous programs. The Office of Traditional Undergraduate Admissions and the Admissions Committee evaluate all application materials carefully, with no single criterion determining acceptance.
Decision Process
Once all application materials are submitted, decisions are typically rendered within two to four weeks. Additional information, such as updated grades or test scores, may be requested before finalizing an admission decision. Decisions are made without regard to race, creed, color, gender, marital status, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin.
Deposits and Enrollment
Accepted students must submit a deposit to secure a place in the entering class and on-campus housing. This deposit is partially retained as a continuing deposit, with the remainder applied toward tuition or housing fees. Deposits are refundable if requested in writing by May 1 (excluding early decision).
Before enrolling, students must provide official high school transcripts and test scores, immunization history, and provide a government-issued photo ID.
Admission Policy
Florida Southern reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission if a student’s academic record or character conflicts with the College’s expectations.
Common Admission & Enrollment Forms
Financial Aid
Connect with Admissions
Send Required Materials
Florida Southern College
111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive
Lakeland, FL 33801-5698