Florida State University welcomes Class of 2030 as new academic year begins

Jenny Ralph Moses

Thu, 08/20/26
New FSU students
Nearly 6,000 first-year students will join Florida State University as the fall semester kicks off Monday, Aug. 24. (Brittany Mobley/Undergraduate Studies)

Florida State University will welcome its latest incoming class of nearly 6,000 first-year students this fall as the new academic year begins Monday, Aug. 24.

The Class of 2030 arrives as Florida State celebrates its 175th anniversary and builds on momentum in student success, entrepreneurship, research and FSU Health, FSU’s integrated academic health system.

“Florida State University has never had more momentum,” FSU President Richard McCullough said. “We’ve set records every year over the last five years in student success, research and impacts on our community, and this freshman class will be an integral part of that continued success and momentum. It’s one of the best times of the year to see all the students moving in and the campus populated by so many people. It’s just so fun to be here at Florida State University.”

FSU received more than 96,000 applications for its first-year class, a 12% increase from the 2024-2025 application cycle. The admitted class included students from all 50 states, all 67 Florida counties and 55 countries, representing more than 2,700 U.S. high schools.

This year’s admitted students posted an average core GPA of 4.5, average SAT score of 1430 and average ACT score of 32. Additionally, 92% ranked in the top 10% of their high school classes, and 80% earned A/B grades. The five most popular areas of study among admitted students were business, engineering, biology, exploratory and political science.

Florida State continues to break its own graduation and retention rate records, strengthening its position as a national leader in student academic success. Last year, the university retained first-year students from their fall to spring semester at a record 99.2% rate, among the highest in the country. FSU also ranks among the nation’s top four public universities for its first-year retention rate, with 97% of students returning for their second year.

FSU offers a variety of pathways for first-year students. More than 600 students will start their FSU experience at Tallahassee State College through FSU Next, and approximately 300 students will begin their studies abroad at one of FSU’s four study centers through First Semester Abroad or First Year Abroad.

Class of 2030 Presidential Scholars
Class of 2030 Presidential Scholars. (Brittany Mobley/Undergraduate Studies)

The start of the academic year also brings new faculty and academic leaders, expanded programs and continued investment in the student experience. Some notable items:

Students

  • FSU’s graduate programs will enroll about 3,200 new students this fall, bringing total graduate enrollment to nearly 11,000 students across the university. The university received more than 16,000 graduate applications for the fall semester.
  • This year, 6,300 students will live in one of FSU’s 18 on-campus residence hall complexes, including nearly 4,550 first-year students. University Housing offers a variety of living options for undergraduate and graduate students, including 11 Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) that will house more than 700 first-time-in-college students this year. Students living in LLCs are advised by faculty from one of the colleges or FSU’s Division of Undergraduate Studies. Earlier this year, FSU started construction on the northwest side of campus for a new residence hall, dining hall and parking garage.
  • FSU continues to invest in programs for high-achieving students. The Presidential Scholars Program, FSU’s premier undergraduate merit scholarship, will welcome a cohort of 60 first-year students, while more than 780 students will join the University Honors Program. Nearly 700 Honors students will live in on-campus residence halls this academic year.

Faculty and academics

  • For the fourth consecutive year, more than 200 new faculty have joined FSU since the start of the previous academic year.
  • FSU also welcomed several new academic leaders this summer. Gregory Bell joined the university in July as dean of The Graduate School. Kirk Foster began serving as dean of the College of Social Work on Aug. 17. Assistant Provost and Marketing Professor Mike Brady has been appointed interim dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, the university is searching for its next dean of the College of Law as Dean Erin O’Hara O’Connor prepares to step down.
  • Florida State University continues to expand its academic offerings with several new programs this fall, including new online MBA majors in Healthcare Administration and Alternative Investments and Finance through the Wertheim College of Business, an undergraduate program in Interdisciplinary Design through the College of Fine Arts, an undergraduate degree in Civics and Liberty Studies, a one-year graduate program in Data and Society and new undergraduate majors in Intelligence Students and Emergency Management through the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, and FSU Panama City’s undergraduate Clinical Professions major through the College of Medicine.

New around Tallahassee and upcoming events

  • From everyday travelers to fans arriving for FSU gamedays, campus tours or move-in week, anyone passing through Tallahassee International Airport can now step onto the turf and snap a photo with a 7-foot, hand-painted aluminum replica of FSU’s flaming spear. #PlantTheSpearTLH
  • The FSU Health Research and Collaboration Building will open later this fall on the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare campus, providing space for clinical research, laboratories and a family medicine residency clinic, creating new opportunities for education, patient care and scientific discovery.
  • “Welcome FSU” offers events and activities to kick off the fall semester through Saturday, Aug. 29. These events give students opportunities to learn about campus resources, get involved and make FSU and Tallahassee feel like home.
  • FSU Nite, Florida State University’s official welcome event and pep rally, kicks off the academic year at 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, at Langford Green with performances by the Marching Chiefs, FSU Golden Girls & Company Dance Team, FSU Cheer, other spirit groups and DJ Demp.
  • The FSU football team opens its season at Doak S. Campbell Stadium against New Mexico State at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29. Students are invited to the first Garnet & Gold Tailgate of the season from 4-6 p.m. at the Union Green.
 
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