Students select their preferred term of entry - either fall, summer, or spring - on either the Florida Atlantic or the Common App application. Please note that Spring students may not utilize the Common App.
A student needs to only submit one application. Students are then reviewed and considered for the term and program for which they qualify. Please review application deadlines.
The Office of Admissions recalculates all high school grade point averages for applicants based on academic courses in English, Math, Science, Social Sciences, and Foreign Language. Academic electives, strength of schedule, and course rigor (Honors, AP, IB, AICE, Dual Enrollment) are all considered as a part of the evaluation process. Admission requirements vary by major.
Fall
Fall is our most competitive and desired term for entry. In addition to Fall entry, Florida Atlantic offers admission through three bridge programs that begin in summer term three.
Please note: students cannot directly apply to a bridge program. However, applicants are automatically considered for all available entry terms and bridge options during the application review process.
Jump Start
Florida Atlantic admits a select number of students for the summer, fall and spring terms. The Jump Start program is designed for students who begin in the summer – allowing them to get a head start on the rigors of college courses and experience a smoother transition from high school to college-level coursework.
The Jump Start Program is offered to many incoming first-year students to help prepare them for success in the traditional fall semester. Students begin enrollment in the Summer Term 3*, and upon successful completion - earning a 2.0 GPA or higher with a “C” or better in each course - progress to the fall term as a full-time student.
The six-week semester includes two general education courses that are three credits each. They count toward any intended major, along with a zero-credit i-Succeed course focused on academic success strategies. Courses can be taken in-person or online, based on course availability.
Starting in the summer supports a path to a four-year graduation and offers several benefits, including:
- Lighter course loads in future semesters
- Greater scheduling flexibility for internships, research opportunities, study abroad, or part-time employment
Additionally, the State University System of Florida requires nine summer credits before graduation. Participation in Jump Start fulfills six of those nine credits.
*Summer Term 3: June 27- August 7, 2026
Students graduating from high school in May/June 2026 may only enroll in Summer Term 3 at Florida Atlantic.
Jump Start Profile 2025
| Summer | |
|---|---|
| GPA | 3.42-3.76 |
| SAT | 1000-1100 |
| ACT | 20-23 |
STEM Bridge
The STEM Bridge Program helps students build a strong foundation in college-level science and math courses, which are essential for success in their chosen major. Students are required to enroll in the summer. Due to the timing of high school graduations, incoming freshmen can only enroll in the Summer Term 3, which runs from June 27 - August 7, 2026. Students begin enrollment in Summer Term 3, and upon successful completion – earning a 2.0 GPA or higher with a “C” or better in each course – can progress into the fall term.
All courses for summer 2026 are required to be in-person. This will include two general education courses and a two-week specialized math bootcamp to support preparation for higher level math in the fall semester.
STEM Bridge Program Profile 2025
| GPA | 3.38-3.96 |
|---|---|
| SAT | 1010-1150 |
| ACT | 20-24 |
Biology Immersion
Freshman/First-Year students entering Florida Atlantic during Summer Term three (June 27 - August 7) are strongly encouraged to participate in this newly designed Biology Course and Field/Lab experience. Students begin enrollment in Summer Term 3, and upon successful completion – earning a 2.0 GPA or higher with a “C” or better in each course – can progress into the fall term.
Biology Immersion students will enroll in person on our Boca Raton campus in one general education course and one Biological Sciences course featuring immersive, faculty-guided lab experiences.
Examples of immersive learning opportunities may include:
- Exploring Florida Atlantic's on-campus conservation area to observe tortoises and owls while also using the site to study antibiotic research and discovery
- Visiting the nearby Gumbo Limbo marine laboratory to investigate sand temperatures, sea turtles, biodiversity, and animal conservation
- Gaining hands-on experience with microscopes and developing skills in interpreting scientific papers and graphs
Spring Admission
Florida Atlantic University admits a limited number of students for full-time enrollment in the spring term. We encourage students to get a jump start on college courses before enrolling in the spring semester.
Florida residents can take classes at one of the 28 public community and state colleges of Florida, and out-of-state students can enroll in their local state/community college in the summer and/or fall. Students are welcome to enroll in as many credits as they believe they can manage successfully. If a student earns 12 or more college credits after graduating high school, they will be classified as a transfer student.
Please keep in mind the following requirements:
- Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Students must submit official transcripts for ALL institutions attended to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Failure to meet these requirements will cause the student's admissions file to be reevaluated and could jeopardize their admissions status.
GPA Requirement
Students must earn a minimum 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) college grade point average in their college classes with no grade below C. If you take summer classes, you must have an official transcript sent to FAU Admissions before the start of fall term. Fall term grades must be received by January 15th.
English Requirement
Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in ENC 1101 (the first English composition class), unless they have earned college credit for English composition through AICE, AP, IB, CLEP, and/or dual enrollment. Refer to Credit by Exam for college credit awarded through acceleration. If you have ENC 1101 credit, then taking ENC 1102 is strongly encouraged.
Math Requirement
Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in MAC 1105 (College Algebra, preferred math), MAT 1033 (Intermediate Algebra), MGF 1130 (Mathematical Thinking), or MGF 1131 (Mathematics in Context), depending on math placement and their major's math requirement, unless they have already earned comparable or higher-level course credit through an accelerated mechanism such as AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, or dual enrollment. Students should refer to Credit by Exam for college credit awarded through acceleration. Refer to the Academic Program Guides for their major's math requirement.
The Office of Admissions will periodically follow up with spring admitted students over the summer and fall as we prepare for their enrollment in the spring.
Waitlist
Florida Atlantic implements a waitlist when the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of spaces available in the first-year class. This has been the case in both 2024 and 2025.
Some qualified applicants will be placed on a waitlist specifically for our Nursing program, and others, for the class in general depending on the application volume each year until we determine if spots were available for them.
Defer
Deferred does not mean denied. If you were deferred, it means we are still actively considering your application. We are not ready yet to offer you a decision.
Deny
If you were not admitted and still wish to become an Owl, we have two guaranteed pathways to admission that we encourage you to explore:
Students who have been denied should not reapply for first-year admission. Florida Atlantic will consider an appeal only if new academic or personal information is revealed that was not present in your initial admission application. You can find information about the appeals process here.