Estimated Costs & Budgets
To better budget for their exchange program, inbound exchange students can find estimated cost considerations for the semester.
UF Tuition Waivers: First and foremost, Exchange Agreements between UF and foreign institutions permit the students at each institution to pay tuition to their Home University directly. Therefore, while being hosted at UF, Exchange Students are not required to pay UF tuition. UF tuition is originally applied to every exchange student’s One.UF account. After the course enrollment period, requests to waive the tuition, called Tuition Waivers, are submitted and tuition charges are removed. Exchange student’s can expect this to occur after the drop/add week of courses.
Other Costs: Exchange Agreements allow waivers for tuition costs, but do not include waivers for other types of fees, for example: on-campus housing, library fines, labs, computer services, parking tickets, sports courses, leisure courses, etc. Exchange students are responsible for paying non-tuition related expenses through their One.UF account portals after program acceptance. Financial services are managed by the Bursar’s Office. Withstanding fees are required to be paid prior to issuance of a UF transcript upon completion of the exchange program.
Policy in consideration of COVID-19: The UF Exchange Program application has no cost associated, nor is there any cost associated with orientation or other UF International Center services. We would not recommend applicants to attempt to book travel, or incur any others cost related to your future programs (ie. housing deposits, health insurance, visa fees) until formal acceptance from the University of Florida.
| Item | Estimated amount in US Dollars* |
| UF International Center Application fee | None |
| UF Tuition | Waived; Tuition refers to the cost of UF courses, calculated by credit hour of each course. |
| Student ID card ("Gator One" Card) | $15 |
| SEVIS I-901 Fee | $220 |
| U.S. Visa Application | May vary by US Embassy/Consulate; Typically $185 fee for DS-160 processing |
| U.S. Visa Interview/ Issuance | May vary by US Embassy/Consulate |
|
Housing (On Campus) |
Weaver Hall: current rates below |
| Double Room $3,200/semester | |
| Single Room $3,022/semester | |
| Room/Utilities (Off Campus) | $4,000-$6,000 per semester. Wide range of rental prices: $500-$1500 rent per month. Utilities, internet/cable may be in addition to rental rate. NOTE: Upon signing lease, security deposits are often required as well as the first and last month's rent payment. |
| Local Transportation | Regional bus system - FREE with student ID card< |
| Food Services | $1600-2000 estimated per semester |
| On-Campus: Meal plans available | |
| Off-Campus: budget for groceries/take-out can vary $1,000 per semester is recommended | |
| Personal | $500 per semester |
| UF Health Insurance Plan | Current rates below |
| Fall 2023: $1,226 | |
| Spring 2024: $1,065 | |
| Books/Supplies | $300 per semester |
| Entertainment | Budget weekly per 16-week semester (estimated $500) |
| Phone Plan | Rates vary by provider and typically range from $40 - $150 monthly |
| Between Term Expenses | $500; Please note, on-campus housing between the Fall and Spring semester is billed separately. |
| TOTAL: | Estimated Budget is $4,500 - $6,000 per semester, but can vary based on personal preferences and lifestyle. |
* Amounts are approximate and estimated for Gainesville, Florida. See http://www.sfa.ufl.edu/cost/ for more detailed cost information.
Application Funding Requirement: The U.S. government requires J-1 students to prove sufficient funds for the duration of their program. To meet this requirement, students must show they have a minimum USD $2300 per month of the program.