Undergraduate Admissions
STEM
Freshman applicants should be aware that additional requirements are necessary for engineering and computer science, science, and nursing majors.
College of Engineering and Computer Science Admissions Requirements
The College of Engineering and Computer Science is competitive and selective. Foundational coursework in mathematics is key to success in engineering and computer science. The following high school courses are strongly recommended to prepare for the rigors of our programs:
- Algebra 1
- Geometry
- Algebra 2
- Precalculus / Trigonometry
- Calculus 1 / AP Calculus
The following courses are not recommended for a degree in engineering or computer science:
- Statistics
- Math for College Readiness
- Financial Algebra
Pre-engineering students who are not yet prepared for college calculus and who demonstrate a capacity to be successful in college-level coursework will be considered for the STEM Bridge Program.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Admissions Requirements
A student's overall academic GPA and performance in math courses are factors that weigh heavily in the admissions decision. To be best prepared for any major in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, foundational coursework in the following areas are strongly encouraged:
Math Courses
- Algebra 1
- Geometry
- Algebra 2
- Precalculus / Trigonometry
- Calculus 1 / AP Calculus
- AP, AICE and/or IB math
Science Courses
- Biology
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- AP, AICE and/or IB science
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Admissions Requirements
To be considered for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Freshman Direct Admit Track, students must apply to the College of Nursing by the January 15 application deadline. All decisions are typically released by late March.
Application Review Minimum Criteria:
- High School GPA: 3.60 recalculated high school cumulative grade point average
- SAT 1200, ACT 25, or CLT 83
The College of Nursing does not accept self-reported test scores. Applicants must order official score reports to be sent directly from the testing agency to Florida Atlantic. To order your official scores, visit the following websites:
- SAT: collegeboard.org (use FAU code 5229)
- ACT: act.org (FAU code 0729)
- CLT: cltexam.com
Please note: It can take a few weeks for us to receive your official test scores after you have ordered them. All materials, including official test scores, must be received by Nursing’s final application deadline of January 15.
When students apply for admission for Nursing, they will be asked for a second-choice major. If an applicant does not meet the requirements for the College of Nursing, they will be considered for their second choice, as long as they meet FAU's admissions requirements.
The only way to earn a BSN is to enter FAU in the Freshman Direct Admit Track. Students are unable to change their major to Nursing if they are offered admission in another academic program. Students cannot transfer into the College of Nursing later in their FAU career, as there is no upper-division option. If a student is not admitted into the Freshman Direct Admit Track, there is no other way to study Nursing at FAU.
For additional information, view application steps for the Freshman Direct Admit Track. Admission to the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing's BSN Program is determined by the College.
School of Architecture Admissions Requirements
Freshman applicants should select pre-architecture on their application for admission. Students will automatically be considered for direct entry into the lower-division architecture program. The program is limited and selective. The deadline for consideration is January 15.
Minimum Requirements for Freshman (Lower Division) Consideration:
- 3.60 Recalculated High School GPA and 1100 SAT or 22 ACT or 74 CLT
- Must demonstrate readiness for College Algebra (MAC1105)
Please note that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
A portfolio of work is
not
required for Freshman (Lower Division) applicants.
Students taking dual enrollment courses in science and/or math must earn a grade of “C” or higher.
Students who are considering dual enrollment (while in high school), and are interested in pursuing an architecture degree at FAU, are encouraged to prepare for this program with the following courses:
- ENC 1101, 1102
- MAC 1105
- ARC 1301, 1302
The Foundation Pre-Architecture Program covers the first and second-year curriculum in the Florida Atlantic University School of Architecture. Please note that there is another admission review process upon completion of your first two years in the lower-division pre-professional architecture program on the Boca Raton campus, and prior to entering the accredited professional Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) program, which is offered in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Music Majors Admissions Requirements
Students interested in the music program are required to audition before their applications are evaluated. To view specific audition requirements for instrument or voice, visit:
https://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/music/auditions/.
To schedule your audition, please email
music@fau.edu
to inform us of your instrument and the degree you are interested in.
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College Admissions Requirements
If you would like to be considered for admission to the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, please apply using the
Common Application.
Students should only submit one application for admission to FAU. Students who are not admitted to the Wilkes Honors College will automatically be considered for admission to the FAU Boca Raton campus. For more information about the nation’s only university-affiliated, free-standing honors college, please visit
fau.edu/honors.
Student Profile 2025
| GPA* | 4.00-4.55 |
| SAT | 1230-1370 |
| ACT | 26-31 |
Admissions Requirements
Admission to Florida Atlantic is selective and is based on high school GPA, grades in academic core courses, course selection, college readiness in math, writing and reading, class rank, and your ACT, SAT, or CLT standardized test score. In some cases, FAU also considers special talents through audition, portfolio, or tryout.
Student Profile 2025
| Middle 50% of Admitted First-Year Students | |
|---|---|
| GPA* | 3.68-4.31 |
| SAT | 1090-1280 |
| ACT | 22-27 |
| CLT | 72-90 |
* Recalculated GPA based on academic core courses; requirements vary by major.
View additional requirements below.
ACT/SAT/CLT Information
Requiring an ACT, SAT, or CLT test score for admissions consideration is not an institutional choice. Florida Atlantic University, 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, SAT, or CLT test score.
Starting in April 2025, the ACT exam no longer requires the Science subsection, though the 1-36 scoring scale remains unchanged. Beginning with the 2025-26 application cycle, Florida Atlantic will no longer require a Science score to be eligible for admission. The ACT composite score (or, if using multiple test attempts, the composite superscore) used by FAU for admissions will now only include the English, Mathematics, and Reading subsections.
Guidance from the state of Florida is:
Florida Board of Governors: The ACT Science subsection is not required for admission to Florida public universities under FL BOG 6.008.
Florida Department of Education: Starting with 2025-2026 graduating class, the ACT Science section is optional for Bright Futures.
- Students that have already reported ACT with Science scores to Bright Futures, will have all 4 sections (English, Math, Reading, Science) added together and divided by 4 to calculate the composite score.
- Students that have already reported ACT without Science scores to Bright Futures, will have 3 sections (English, Math, Reading) added together and divided by 3 to calculate the composite score.
Required High School Units
The following units of study in high school are minimally required to be considered for admission to FAU. These are also the only courses that are calculated in the grade point average (GPA) used to determine admissions eligibility:
- English (3 with substantial composition): 4 units
- Mathematics (Algebra 1 level and above): 4 units
- Natural Science (2 with lab): 3 units
- Social Science: 3 units
- Foreign Language (of the same language): 2 units
- Academic Electives: 2 units
Total: 18 units
If you are currently taking or have taken courses that are clearly marked as Honors, Advanced, Gifted, Advanced Placement, Advanced International Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate, additional weight will be given for these courses. If you would like to read more about the courses that will count towards your degree, visit our Exam Credit page.
High School students earning both the standard high school diploma and an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree through dual enrollment from a Florida College System or State University System institution and who do not meet Freshman admission requirements may be admitted to Florida Atlantic under Florida Board of Governors Regulation 6.005.
Students admitted under this regulation will be considered freshmen students for admissions purposes. They must submit a $200 non-refundable deposit to enroll, attend a freshman orientation (S.O.A.R.) session, and be eligible to apply for freshman on-campus housing, as long as these steps are completed by stipulated priority dates and deadlines. However, if SAT/ACT/CLT scores are not submitted, these students will not be eligible for any merit scholarships from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Students being considered for admission under FL BOG 6.005 will be required to submit an official Florida College System or State University System transcript for evaluation prior to an admissions offer being made. They must also provide a final official college transcript displaying the A.A. before enrolling at Florida Atlantic.
We recommend that students review our academic program prerequisites to ensure they are as prepared as possible for their Florida Atlantic degree plan.
Any freshman student admitted under this regulation must immediately notify the Office of Undergraduate Admissions if they do not intend to receive their degree for any reason. Any freshman student admitted under this regulation who does not receive their A.A. may have their admission revoked.
Students completing a home education program according to 6.002, Florida Statutes, are eligible for admission consideration. Students applying for admission who have participated in a non-traditional high school program must present credentials determined to be equivalent to a standard high school diploma and high school transcript. An applicant whose high school educational program is not measured in Carnegie Units must present the following:
- Transcript or grade report for four years for all instructional methods – high school, virtual school and or dual enrollment
- Official SAT, ACT, or CLT scores
- Any available AP, AICE, IB and/or CLEP score reports
- Home School Transcript Form
Once you finish your home-school program, you will be required to submit a final official transcript that includes a list of all coursework, showing final grades and units earned for each course completed and a date of graduation.
An applicant whose high school educational program is not measured in Carnegie Units must present the following minimum section scores on each/either exam for admissions consideration:
- 490 on the EWR section of the SAT & 480 on the Math section of the SAT
- 17 on English section of ACT & 19 on Math section of ACT
- An overall combined test score of 1060 on the SAT or a minimum composite score of 21 on the ACT.
- CLT, Classic Learning Initiatives LLC: Sum of the Verbal Reasoning and Grammar/Writing Sections: 38 Quantitative Reasoning Section: 16
Additional Admission Requirements
Freshman applicants should be aware that additional requirements are necessary for the following majors:
College of Arts and Letters
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
- College of Engineering and Computer Science
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
All other Colleges and majors, except for those described above, fall under the Undergraduate Admissions standard requirements for admission and do not require a supplemental application.