Florida college news roundup, October 5th to 11th, 2026. Everything below happened last week at FSU, UCF, FAMU, USF, straight from each university's own newsroom.
Last week, October 5 through 11, brought concrete wins for four Florida universities. FSU's film school hit national rankings, UCF landed a $20 million federal grant for business innovation, USF researchers cracked a breakthrough in pediatric heart surgery, and FAMU announced a recruitment tour across the state. If your kid is considering any of these schools, there's something here worth knowing.
The short version
- FSU: FSU's undergraduate film program ranked No. 1 nationally, and its graduate program No. 3, in the first FilmSchool.org rankings.
- UCF: UCF is leading a $20 million National Science Foundation initiative to help small businesses scale technology-driven growth.
- FAMU: FAMU is touring Florida and beyond in November with student leaders and university representatives for prospective students.
- USF: USF researchers developed tissue-engineered heart valves that could eliminate repeated open-heart surgeries for children born with heart defects.
Is FSU's film school actually competitive nationally?
FSU's undergraduate film program ranked No. 1 nationally, and its graduate program No. 3, in the first FilmSchool.org rankings.
FilmSchool.org evaluated programs on student outcomes, affordability, selectivity, faculty and class size, and student satisfaction. FSU was the only school with two programs in the top three. The ranking recognizes both program quality and the value FSU provides students after they graduate.
If your kid is serious about film, this gives you a concrete way to compare FSU against other programs. Florida State admits about 22 percent of applicants, and the middle half of admitted students scored between 1380 and 1480 on the SAT. Worth a conversation at dinner if she's interested in motion picture arts.
Source: news.fsu.edu · What FSU takes to get in
What does UCF's $20M NSF grant mean for students?
UCF is leading a $20 million National Science Foundation initiative to help small businesses scale technology-driven growth.
The National Commercialization and Translation Institute is a two-year pilot program designed to move promising federally funded technologies into the marketplace. UCF has a track record here, running the Business Incubation Program and three other NSF-funded programs including I-Corps and the Florida Semiconductor Engine.
This signals real momentum in UCF's innovation ecosystem. If your kid is considering engineering, computer science, or business at UCF, she'll be on a campus where there's actual infrastructure to turn research into companies. UCF admits about 41 percent of applicants, and the middle half of admitted students scored between 1310 and 1420 on the SAT.
Source: ucf.edu · What UCF takes to get in
When can I meet FAMU recruiters in Florida?
FAMU is touring Florida and beyond in November with student leaders and university representatives for prospective students.
The Office of Enrollment Management maintains a recruitment schedule with college fairs, high school visits, and student outreach initiatives across the state and country. Student leaders are actively representing the university at these events.
If your kid is interested in FAMU, November is the time to catch them. FAMU admits about 19 percent of applicants, and the middle half of admitted students scored between 1080 and 1230 on the SAT. Meeting student leaders face-to-face can help her get a real sense of campus culture before she applies.
Source: news.famu.edu · What FAMU takes to get in
What research is USF doing that matters?
USF researchers developed tissue-engineered heart valves that could eliminate repeated open-heart surgeries for children born with heart defects.
The lab, led by Assistant Professor Neda Latifi in the Department of Medical Engineering, combines biomaterials with a patient's own cells. The goal is a living replacement that integrates with the body and mimics natural heart valve tissue. Children like Meadow, who had three major heart surgeries by age four, inspired this work.
This is the kind of discovery that shows what research-focused universities actually do. USF admits about 41 percent of applicants, and the middle half of admitted students scored between 1290 and 1420 on the SAT. If your kid is considering biomedical engineering or health sciences, knowing that faculty are solving real medical problems matters.
Source: usf.edu · What USF takes to get in
What this week means for your student
Not sure what these schools actually require? Our Florida College Playbook has the SAT scores and GPAs for the top five, plus the Bright Futures cutoffs and a checklist by grade. Book a free SAT Game Plan call and we will map the score your student needs for the school on their list.
This roundup covers October 5th to 11th, 2026. We publish one every week, compiled from the Florida universities' own newsrooms.