INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The University of Florida welcomes international students and faculty from all over the world. There are more than 40,000 students, of whom about 2,700 of whom are international students. The UF International Center exists to help international students adjust to life in the US and to give advice on visa issues, etc. Also, since about 50 percent of our graduate students in physics are typically international students, the Student Services Office in the Physics Department also tries very hard to accomodate your special needs.

UF International Student Center

The University of Florida International Student Center mission is "To enhance the educational experience and environment of UF's students, faculty, and staff by promoting a global perspective". Please visit their website at International Student Center.

Admissions

Admissions Page
The graduate school and physics department have some additional admissions requirements for international students. These are associated with English proficiency, certification of financial responsibility, and visas. Please read the associated material below carefully, and if you have questions first consult our FAQ page.

English Proficiency
The University of Florida requires proficiency in spoken and written English. This helps ensure that students who speak English as a second language are able to participate fully in university life, both in and out of class. International students must submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language:computer=213, paper=550, web=80), IELTS (International English Language Testing System: 6), MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery: 77) or successful completion of the University of Florida English Language Institute program.

International students with unsatisfactory scores on the TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB; unsuccessful completion of the University of Florida English Language Institute program; or an unacceptable score on the verbal part of the GRE must achieve an acceptable score on an essay administered by the Academic Written English program at UF. If English skills are not acceptable, then performance on the essay will be used to place students in appropriate courses that will not count toward a graduate degree.

TOEFL Exceptions:
International students whose native language is English
International students who have spent at least 1 academic year in a degree-seeking program at a college or university in a country where English is the official language, if their attendance was in the year immediately prior to UF admission.

Graduate students whose native language is not English must also submit satisfactory scores on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or the university-administrered SPEAK Test to be eligible for teaching assignments. This test can be taken when arriving at the University of Florida.

To teach in the classroom, laboratory or other instructional activity, the Physics Department requires that students:
Score 55 or above on the TSE or SPEAK
If you score 45 - 50 on TSE or SPEAK you will be eligible to teach on the condition that you enroll concurrently in EAP 5836, a course designed to improve public speaking skills.
If you do not score 45 points you cannot receive teaching appointments. To raise your TSE score you should take EAP 5835, a course designed to improve general spoken language skills. After completing the course and then achieving a TSE or SPEAK score of 45 or higher, you can receive a teaching appointment, following the guidelines described above. With a score below 45 upon arrival, you will be given a grading assistantship, which carries a stipend of several thousand dollars per year less than the teaching assistantship.

Certification of Financial Responsibility Form All non-US applicants must submit a Certification of Financial Responsibility Form to the UF International Center (UFIC) as part of the application process. Without this form, UFIC cannot determine your eligibility for the student visa required for your admission. This form verifies that you have pre-existing funds on hand to cover your first year of studying and living in the United States. This form may be completed and submitted after you receive the offer of admission based on funds you will be receiving from your assistantship). This form can be found on the Admissions page.

International Student Visas International Student Visas are required after admissions. For more information on what you must do to receive a student visa from the US government, please visit Destination USA: Official US State Department Visa Information Website.