Before we get into the nitty gritty of this article, I just want to tell you one thing. Congratulations. You were accepted to the University of Central Florida and that is amazing! Now that you’ve framed your acceptance letter, we need to start figuring out the important stuff: finances. I know, it’s not fun to think about UCF tuition and how you’re going to pay for it, but it’s a necessary step to making your college dreams a reality. Keep reading to learn more about UCF tuition and financial aid options so you can figure out if UCF is for you!

UCF Tuition vs UCF Cost of Attendance

There are two terms we need to differentiate when we’re talking about college and money.

Tuition refers to the cost of teaching. Your tuition will vary depending on how many credit hours you take and the cost per credit hour the university or college you’re attending charges. You’ll often hear about colleges and universities raising their tuition, because that’s how they make money, allowing them to construct new buildings and provide services for you, their students. UCF tuition is different for in-state students than out-of-state students so make sure you look at the right column when you’re figuring things out.

Cost of attendance takes everything into account, including tuition, and gives you the complete picture of how much money you’ll need to attend a specific college or university. Books, technology feeds, room and board, food, and even gas are all things that are considered part of the cost of attendance. The cost of attendance can vary from student to student. For example, you may choose to commute while the guy who sits next to you in Spanish class lives on campus and your English Lit class might require more textbooks than your Astronomy class.

Financial aid comes in by helping you offset the cost of attendance by providing scholarships, grants, work study, and loans. Your financial aid package tells you the amount of aid a college or university you’ve been accepted to is prepared to offer you. This includes federal, state, and college aid in the various forms I mentioned above. The University of Central Florida offers a fantastic breakdown of the specific aid available through their Office of Student Financial Assistance.

What is the UCF Tuition Rate?

College and university tuition is configured per credit hour. On the UCF website, they talk about their tuition for in-state and out-of-state students like this:

You’ll see numbers like this a lot when you look at tuition for the different schools you apply to. But this is not the cost per credit hour. In fact, if you read the fine print on the University of Central Florida’s website it says that numbers provided are based on you taking 30 credit hours, having a standard room, and having a meal plan for one year.

And while they’re trying to be helpful by providing these numbers, if you plan on taking a different number of credit hours each semester, you’ll be looking at a different cost of tuition.

Below, you’ll find a table that breaks down all the fees that make up the tuition and fees you’re expected to pay and how much that comes to per credit hour.

So let’s say you're a Florida resident who plans on taking 12 credit hours one semester and 15 credit hours the next. You simply multiply 12 by 212.28 to get $2,547.36 and 15 by 212.28 to get $3,184.20, meaning your tuition and fees for one year at the University of Central Florida would come to $5,731.56.

So What Next?

By now, you and your college consultant have probably had a few conversations about which colleges you want to go to. It’s time to go back to them and talk about options. Know that the UCF tuition will change from year to year and that colleges publish that information on their website. This means you’ll be able to find up up-to-date tuition rates by going online.

If cost is a concern, be sure to evaluate the other schools you’ve been accepted to and compare how much each school will cost in terms of tuition. Be sure to check out our College Shortcuts Classes for fast, fun, and proven methods of making sure you’re doing everything right from submitting your application to picking your major!

Being accepted into college is a big deal and making sure you can afford to go is a concern for many students. The UCF tuition rate is one of the most reasonable in the country and is a good value if you’re looking for a quality education in Orlando area. By now you understand that differences between the UCF tuition and the UCF cost of attendance and you know how to calculate how much you’ll be paying each semester depending on your course load. Congratulations, because you are well on your way to making one of the most important decisions of your life!

Are you planning to go to UCF in the fall? Still have questions about the tuition rate and financial aid? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below!