First-Year Applicant

Apply Now for Summer and Fall 2024!

 

Graphic mural on the Barron Building welcoming people to FSU Panama City

First-Year Applicants

We have the tools to become the best version of yourself, whether you're still weighing your options on your dream job or have envisioned your future since kindergarten.

 

Summer and Fall Term 2024 Application Deadlines

Application Plan Application & Materials Deadline Decision Release Date

Rolling Admissions
*Florida Students Only

October 15, 2023 Begins October 15, 2023

Scholarship Eligibility
 

March 1, 2024

Released on a rolling basis

Regular Decision
 

May 31, 2024 Summer 2024
July 29, 2024 Fall 2024
Released on a rolling basis

The University reserves the right to close first-year admission earlier if warranted by enrollment limitations and the number and quality of applications. Generally, the University does not accept first-year applications for the spring term.

 

Spring 2024 Application Deadlines

Application Plan Application & Materials Deadline Decision Release Date

Scholarship Eligibility
 

November 1, 2023

Released on a rolling basis

Regular Decision
 

December 1, 2023 Released on a rolling basis

When to Apply

FSU Panama City begins accepting Summer and Fall applications as of August 1st the prior year. Starting October 15, completed applicants will begin receiving a decision from FSU Panama City. The Office of Admissions must receive all of the information used to make an admission decision by the published deadlines. The University reserves the right to close first-year admission earlier if warranted by enrollment limitations and the number and quality of applications. Spring term admission is awarded on a case by case basis. Contact the Office of Admissions for more information.

At least one test score must be submitted before the application deadline, but additional tests may be considered.

How to Apply

Important Dates
August 1, 2023 Application opens for summer/fall 2024
October 15, 2023 Decisions roll out begins
March 1, 2024 Scholarship consideration/eligibility deadline
July 29, 2024 Deadline for first-year student application

Close up of FSU Panama City branded sunglasses with the back of the Holley Academic Center faded out in the background

Ready to Apply?
Graphic of step 1 in the admissions process

Apply online using our institutional application. Students should only submit one application.

 
 
Graphic of step 2 in the admissions process

Create your Self-reported Student Academic Record (SSAR), using your official high school transcript as a guide. To learn more about the SSAR, view our FAQ and watch our how-to videos.

 
 
Graphic of step 3 in the admissions process

Complete the following items on the Application Status Check by the application deadline:

  • ✔ Self-report all ACT and/or SAT scores.
  • ✔ Link your SSAR through your Application Status Check. Please allow one to two business days after linking for the checklist item to be satisfied.
  • ✔ Upload one resume/list of activities.

Application Fees & Waivers

FSU Panama City is currently waiving the application fee for first year applicants. 

Track Your Application Status

We use email as our official method of communication. Students should regularly monitor their Application Status Check to confirm the status of their application, required materials, missing items, and admission decision. Please ensure that we always have your most up-to-date email address, and include admissions@pc.fsu.edu in your address book.

Application Requirements

First year admission is a holistic and selective process, and no single criterion guarantees admission. Rather, we consider all the documentation you submit, and we carefully review your academic record and test scores to ensure you are prepared for the rigorous curriculum you will encounter at Florida State University.

Required High School Course Units

The Florida Board of Governors sets the minimum eligibility requirements in the State University System. Satisfying these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to Florida State University. Admission is selective, and admitted students typically exceed the minimum requirements.

Upon graduation from high school, applicants must have earned four units of English (at least three with substantial writing requirements); four units of mathematics (algebra I level and higher); three units of natural science (at least two with laboratory); three units of social science (includes history, civics, political science, economics, sociology, psychology, and geography); two sequential units of the same world language; and two elective units (preferably from the English, mathematics, natural science, social science, or world language areas).

Subject Minimum Courses Required Average Courses Completed
English 4 4.5
Math 4 5.5
Natural Science 3 5
Social Science 3 5
World Language 2 sequential  3.5 3.5

The units listed above represent the minimum required for admission consideration but do not guarantee admission. Most students accepted to the University exceed the minimums. The averages courses completed represent the Fall 2022 Accepted Students.

ACT/SAT Information

ACT/SAT Info: Requiring an ACT or SAT test score for admissions consideration is not an institutional choice. FSU, along with Florida's 11 other public universities, is subject to Florida Board of Governors admissions regulation 6.002 which requires first-year students seeking admission to submit an ACT or SAT test score.

We require all first-year applicants to submit at least one ACT and/or SAT test score. Florida State does not require the optional ACT writing score or the optional SAT essay. FSU allows students to self-report their SAT and/or ACT scores through the  Application Status Page. Since accuracy is critical, students must have a copy of their SAT/ACT score report(s) available to reference when self-reporting their scores. We recommend using your complete score report which can be found on your  MyACT or College Board account. 

To complete this form, you must list at least one set of test scores, including all sub-scores. To reference your SAT sub-scores, please visit your College Board account and select Score Overview then Skills Insight. If admitted, student will be required to submit official score reports prior to enrollment at FSU PC. 

We encourage applicants to take both the ACT and SAT, and to attempt each exam more than one time to earn the highest possible score. 

When evaluating students for admission, we use the highest earned ACT and SAT sub scores to calculate the ACT composite and/or SAT total (a process known as "super scoring"). 

The June SAT and June ACT are the latest tests that we will use in the admission process for applicants applying for the summer or fall term. 

FSU Panama City is proud to offer the Testing and Education Reference Center (TERC) in our beautiful Library and Learning Center. We encourage prospective students to access the Testing and Education Reference Center (TERC) available for all prospective students free of charge. TERC allows users to Prepare for a test (AP, SAT, ACT, CLEP, PSAT), get general skills or STEM help, search for a school or scholarship, get career advice, and more. Additionally, both  ACT and the College Board now offer test preparation programs. ACT has partnered with Kaplan Test Prep and will offer an ACT preparation program at no cost to low-income students and to all students at a significantly lower cost than traditional prep programs. The College Board has partnered with the Khan Academy and offers free, personalized SAT practice based on the student's PSAT/SAT test results. 

At least one test score must be submitted before the application deadline, but additional tests may be considered if provided.

To make changes to your application click here.

Essay & Resume

Although the essay is not required but highly recommended, it provides another opportunity to learn more about you. The essay should be no longer than 500-550 words, and may be uploaded after the student's application has been received. Applicants should choose one topic from the list below:

  1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  2. The resume should be no longer than two pages, and may be uploaded after the application has been submitted. It should include a list of activities such as (but not limited to) service work, employment, family contributions such as caring for siblings or sick relatives, and extracurricular and summer activities.
  3. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
  4. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  5. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
  6. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  7. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
  8. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Accelerated Credit

Up to 45 semester hours of credit can be awarded by taking AICE, AP, IB, or CLEP tests and achieving appropriate scores.* To receive credit, official test scores must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions. Credit will be awarded only once for the same subject, whether from credit by examination, dual enrollment, transfer credit, or FSU course credit. Credit awarded for dual enrollment or transfer courses takes precedence over credit by examination.

Students enrolled in college coursework prior to graduation from high school (dual enrollment) may be awarded college credit. An official college transcript will be required for the posting of credit. We will not post college credit from a high school transcript.

Subject to change. Legislation calls for an annual review to determine the appropriate examination scores and courses for which credit is to be granted.

Home Education and GED Information

Florida State University considers applications from students who participated in a Home-Education program, or who have earned a GED. Home-Education applicants must complete the SSAR, while students earning a GED must submit official GED results along with an official, partial high school transcript. In addition, all applicants must submit at least one ACT and/or SAT test score by the application deadline to be considered for admission. First-Year admission is a holistic and selective process, and no single criterion guarantees admission to our university.

Making Changes to Your Application

To make any changes to your application please complete the Application Change form.

First Year Application Decisions

Summer or Fall Admit

If you were admitted for the summer or fall term, we recommend that you complete the following steps by May 1st to secure a spot in our first-year class:

  • Claim the FSUID
  • Complete the mandatory orientation registration, select a session, and submit payment.

Seminole Pathway Offer Students start their FSU experience in the summer term at the FSU Panama City campus and automatically continue into the fall term. After the spring term, students may choose to continue their education at the FSU Panama City campus or request a transfer to the FSU Tallahassee campus for the summer or fall term. Students will need to complete a Campus Location Change Form at the end of the spring semester if transferring to the Tallahassee campus. More information on this pathway is available on the FSU Panama City website.

Spring Transfer

Students who choose this pathway enroll in at least 15 semester hours of college credit at  Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) in the fall and must earn a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) college grade point average with no grade below C. If students take classes in the summer at GCSC, their college GPA for that term must also be 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) with no grade below C. Our 15-hour fall requirement cannot be split between summer and fall, so if students take courses during the summer, they must still take 15 semester hours during the fall. College credit earned in high school through AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, or dual enrollment cannot reduce the 15-hour fall requirement. Their coursework must include ENC 1101 (English Composition) and either MAC 1105 (College Algebra, preferred math), MGF 1106 (Mathematics for Liberal Arts), or MGF 1107 (Topics in Practical Finite Mathematics) 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 the Academic Program Guide for their major's math requirement. Students should refer to Accelerated Credit for college credit awarded through acceleration. More information on this pathway is available on the Spring Transfer FAQ.

Seminole Pathways Offered

Students selected by the Office of Admissions to participate in this program will be able to join the Tallahassee campus after completing one of the four pathways outlined.

FSU Panama City Pathways

Students start their FSU experience in the summer term at the FSU Panama City campus and automatically continue into the fall term. After the spring term, students may choose to continue their education at the FSU Panama City campus or request a transfer to the FSU Tallahassee campus for the summer or fall term. Students will need to complete a Campus Location Change Form at the end of the spring semester if transferring to the Tallahassee campus. More information on this pathway is available on the FSU Panama City Seminole Pathways website.

FSU International Programs First Semester Abroad Pathway

Students start their FSU experience in the summer by completing INR3932 Global Foundations, an online course offered through FSU International Programs. Following successful completion of the summer course, students will enroll for the fall term at one of our study abroad centers in London, England; Florence, Italy; Valencia, Spain; or Panama City, Republic of Panama. Students will be eligible to start at the FSU Tallahassee campus in January. More information on this program is available on the International Programs website. (Note: Separate fees apply.)

FSU International Programs First Year Abroad Pathway

Students start their FSU experience in the summer by completing INR3932 Global Foundations, an online course offered through FSU International Programs. Following successful completion of the summer course, students will enroll for the fall, spring, and following summer terms at one of our study abroad centers in London, England; Florence, Italy; Valencia, Spain; or Panama City, Republic of Panama. Students will be eligible to start at the FSU Tallahassee campus the following August. Non-Florida residents will have the opportunity to earn an FYA out-of-state tuition waiver for the remainder of their first undergraduate degree; Florida residents can earn up to $3,000 in non-recurring scholarship funding for the FYA program. More information on this program is available on the International Programs website. (Note: Separate fees apply.)

Spring Transfer Pathway

Students who choose this pathway enroll in at least 15 semester hours of college credit at Tallahassee Community College in the fall and must earn a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) college grade point average with no grade below C. If students take classes in the summer at TCC, their college GPA for that term must also be 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) with no grade below C. Our 15-hour fall requirement cannot be split between summer and fall, so if students take courses during the summer, they must still take 15 semester hours during the fall. College credit earned in high school through AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, or dual enrollment cannot reduce the 15-hour fall requirement. Their coursework must include ENC 1101 (English Composition) and either MAC 1105 (College Algebra, preferred math), MGF 1106 (Mathematics for Liberal Arts), or MGF 1107 (Topics in Practical Finite Mathematics) 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 the Academic Program Guide for their major's math requirement. Students should refer to Accelerated Credit for college credit awarded through acceleration.

More information on this pathway is available on the Spring Transfer FAQ

Defer

Please note a deferral is not a denial. However, we would like some more information before we make a final decision. Deferred students should complete the Deferral Reply Form through their Application Status Check and submit an updated SSAR with first-semester grade. We will also accept new test scores including the February ACT. Updated test scores can be submitted through the Self-Reported ACT and/or SAT Scores Form on the Application Status Check. Early Action Deferred students will receive an updated decision in February, while Regular Decision Deferred students will receive an updated decision in early April.

Early Action Applicants

  • The deadline to submit this form and all additional information is Wednesday, January 11, 2023.
  • The last test scores that will be considered for Early Action deferrals are December ACT and SAT.
  • Decisions will be available beginning in February.

Regular Decision Applicants

  • The deadline to submit this form and all additional information is Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
  • The last test score that will be considered for Early Action deferrals are February ACT.
  • Decisions will be available on a rolling basis in early April.

Deny

If a student is denied admission and still wishes to attend FSU, they are encouraged to re-apply in the future as a junior level transfer student, preferably with an Associate in Arts degree earned from Gulf Coast State College. Denied students should not reapply for first-year admission. We will consider an appeal only if it reveals new academic or personal information that was not present in your initial admission application. Detailed information about our appeals process may be found here. Appeals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Residency Declaration

All students who wish to claim Florida residency for tuition purposes must complete the residency declaration. The residency form is optional for application review; however, it must be completed prior to the start of the first term of enrollment. Depending upon the review of your declaration, additional documentation may be required to support your claim of residency for tuition purposes. If you have any questions regarding the residency process, please contact our office at 850.770.2160 or admissions@pc.fsu.edu.

Cost & Aid

Florida State University offers a high-quality education at an affordable price. FSU was ranked the No. 1 Best Value College Among Florida Public Universities by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges 2022." Additionally, FSU received high marks among public colleges and universities coming in at No. 3 on the Best Schools for Financial Aid, and No. 17 on the Best Value Colleges for Students with No Demonstrated Need. Florida State's numerous value-focused rankings reflect the University's commitment to high standards of academic excellence and a dedication to affordability, accessibility, and student success.

Graphic of Best Value College by US News and World Report

Tuition & Fees

For First Year students at FSU Panama City in-state tuition is 180.49 per credit hour and out-of-state tuition is $686.04 per credit hour. FSU PC is currently waiving the $30 application fee. For a full breakdown of tuition and fees visit Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

FSU Panama City offers hundreds of scholarships each year, many of which you automatically apply for when you are accepted as a student. For more information on the scholarships we offer or how to apply for FAFSA visit Financial Aid & Scholarships.