All 12 Florida public universities are raising out-of-state fees by 15% for the 2026-27 school year — the first tuition increase for non-Florida students since 2012. If your financial aid award was issued in the spring, it was calculated before this change. The gap between what your award covers and what you now owe may be larger than you realize.

For more than a decade, one reliable thing about Florida public universities was a frozen price tag for out-of-state students. The last time a non-Florida student paid more at a Florida state university was in 2012. That streak ended this fall.

The State University System Board of Governors authorized a two-year increase for non-resident fees: 10% for 2025-26 and the maximum allowable 15% for 2026-27. All 12 universities are applying the full 15% increase.1 Five schools — UCF, the University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida State University, and Florida International University — applied both years, meaning their out-of-state fee has risen a combined 25% since 2024-25.1

Florida Polytechnic University is the exception. Its 15% increase is delayed until January 2027.1

Why This Matters More Than Usual

A 15% increase on the out-of-state fee component is significant on its own. But timing makes it worse. Financial aid packages issued in March and April were based on 2025-26 costs. If you're heading to a Florida state university this fall as an out-of-state student, there is a real chance your bill is higher than your award letter assumed.

At the same time, new federal Parent PLUS loan caps — $20,000 per year, $65,000 lifetime — took effect July 1. Families who planned to borrow the full cost of attendance through Parent PLUS can no longer do so. The combination of higher tuition and lower borrowing limits changes the math for many families. Our guide to Parent PLUS loan pros and cons covers what the new caps mean in practice.

What Current Out-of-State Students Should Do Now

If you're enrolled at a Florida state university and you're not a Florida resident, your first move is to log in to your student account and pull up your current cost of attendance. Compare it to the total in your spring financial aid award. If there's a gap, the next step is a phone call — not a wait.

Ask your financial aid office whether your award was recalculated after the Board of Governors vote. Some schools revise award packages automatically when the cost of attendance changes; many do not. A 15% increase to the out-of-state fee is a documented, quantifiable change in circumstances — which is exactly the basis for a formal financial aid appeal. Submit before the semester begins, not after the bill comes due.

Don't assume your spring award letter reflects fall 2026 costs. Florida's Board of Governors voted to implement the increase in 2025, but the actual billing impact hits student accounts now. Check your fall bill directly — it's the only number that matters.

What Prospective Students Applying for Fall 2027 Should Do

Florida remains a strong value for out-of-state students in some scenarios, especially with merit aid factored in. But the old assumption that Florida would hold fees flat indefinitely no longer applies. Here's how to recalibrate:

  1. Run the net price calculator now. Each Florida university's net price calculator uses current figures. Third-party aggregators may still show 2025-26 data.

  2. Check tuition reciprocity. Some states have agreements that reduce Florida out-of-state costs significantly. The tuition reciprocity guide breaks this down state by state.

  3. Look at merit aid carefully. UF, FSU, and UCF all offer institutional merit scholarships that can offset out-of-state fees. Our merit scholarships guide covers how institutional awards work and how competitive they are.

  4. Compare against in-state options. A Florida school's out-of-state cost now needs to be weighed against in-state schools in your home state — and against other flagship state universities that may be more affordable. The in-state vs. out-of-state guide walks through how to compare the full picture.

  5. Review total cost of attendance. Tuition is one line item. Use our college tuition by state data and the college costs for parents guide to see how Florida fits into the national picture.

Florida Is Part of a Broader Wave

Florida's increase is the largest single-year move among state systems this cycle, but it's not alone. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education voted unanimously on July 9 to raise tuition 4.3% for 2026-27 — the largest increase in a decade — contingent on whether the state legislature delivers a $31 million appropriation increase. That would bring PASSHE in-state tuition from $7,994 to $8,338 annually.2

Penn State University separately announced a 2% increase for in-state undergraduates and 4% for out-of-state, with lower-division in-state students at University Park paying $20,878 — up $410 from the prior year.3

Students at any school seeing increases this fall should follow the same playbook: verify your bill against your award, act before the semester starts, and request a revised financial aid package in writing.

Footnotes

  1. Florida Phoenix. (2026, July 16). Non-Florida students will pay higher public university tuition this year. Florida Phoenix. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/16/non-florida-students-will-pay-higher-public-university-tuition-this-year/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Moran, J. (2026, July 9). Tuition costs will increase 4.3% at Pennsylvania's 10 state universities for 2026-27. The Philadelphia Inquirer. https://www.inquirer.com/education/pennsylvania-state-colleges-universities-tuition-costs-increase-2026-20260709.html ↩

  3. Penn State University. (2026, July 18). Board of Trustees approves 2026-27 operating budget, tuition schedules. Penn State University News. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/board-trustees-approves-2026-27-operating-budget-tuition-schedules/ ↩