Campus Spotlight: 5 Cool Things You May Not Know About the University of Florida
When the University of Florida comes up in conversation, the topic of athletics is never far away. After all, the gators recently won the 2025 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, making college sports history with three national basketball championships and three national football championships.
But UF is far more than an athletics powerhouse. The Gainesville-based school is continually breaking ground across multiple fields that include technology, emerging agricultural crops and wildlife research. Little surprise, then, that it’s a popular destination for Floridians who want to enjoy in-state tuition rates and a strong education. Fun fact: One in five UF students are using Prepaid Plans!.
Here are a five unique areas where UF is leading the way:
- Affordability. At a time when college tuition is only growing more expensive, UF was ranked by Research.com as the most affordable college in the country. The website’s analysis was based on the average cost of in-state tuition ($6,381), room and board ($11,500) and books and supplies ($1,060) for an annual total of $18,941. Roughly 94 percent of UF students, both undergraduate and graduate, receive financial aid, with the average aid package totaling $10,555.
- Artificial Intelligence. UF is embracing the past, present and future of artificial intelligence, offering AI courses in every one of its 16 colleges. AI-focused programs include B.S. degrees in business administration and data science, as well as a minor in bioinformatics. Perhaps most notable is the university-wide AI Fundamentals & Applications certificate that can be added to any major. Students in both technical and nontechnical fields can master AI basics, gain an awareness of ethical questions and learn to apply the technology to solve real-world problems in areas ranging from tourism to public health.
- Hemp Production. As a top university in agricultural research, it’s no surprise that the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is investigating hemp as a potential emerging crop for Florida farmers and casual growers. Hemp — which is not marijuana and contains only 0.3% THC — is a Cannabis sativa plant that has been grown for thousands of years for fiber, grain and essential oil. Modern hemp can be used to make textiles, clothing, shoes, rope, bioplastics and insulation. UF/IFAS is continually seeking federal, state and industry funding to advance its hemp program.
- Bats! UF is home to the world’s largest occupied bat houses, which are part of the Florida Museum. The colony living inside the elevated bat houses, located on the north side of Museum Road, comprises 450,000 to 500,000 bats, most of which are Brazilian free-tailed bats, southeastern bats and evening bats. Like all bat species living in Florida, the UF bats are insectivores, feasting on huge amounts of flies, wasps, moths, ants, mosquitoes and more every night. Visitors are encouraged to visit the bat houses and even watch the colony’s evening emergence. Pro viewing tip? Arrive before sunset to park in a nearby field. While weather can impact their nightly emergence, the bats typically fly out 15 to 20 minutes after sunset.
- Honey Bee Research. At UF, honeybees are a big deal. They even get their own lab — the UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory (HBREL) where renowned researchers and students study these vital pollinators, their productivity and the diverse communities they support. The program also features Bee College, which offers training and education for beekeepers of all experience levels, bee clubs and a biannual honey show. HBREL also offers a variety of graduate and undergraduate honeybee-oriented courses that include honey bee biology, practical beekeeping, insect research and business of beekeeping.
If you are the parent of a college-bound student who has an interest in attending UF, we encourage you to start the academic preparation as early as possible. Often called the “Harvard of the South,” UF is highly selective, with a 24% acceptance rate. Even for in-state students, the competition is stiff, so boost your student’s profile by ensuring they have a blend of rigorous academic courses and unique extracurricular activities starting now.
Have more questions? We’ve got answers! Explore our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about our Prepaid Plans and Savings Plan. And click here to start your savings now!
