The University of Central Florida (UCF) has welcomed its Class of 2029, which enters with the highest academic credentials in the university’s history. According to preliminary data, the incoming first-year students have an average GPA of 4.24 and average SAT and ACT scores of 1347 and 29.2, respectively. The university received a record 61,800 applications this year, with 8,400 first-time-in-college students enrolling for the fall semester.
UCF is providing new students with various support resources to help them succeed and graduate on time. These include academic success coaches who offer individualized guidance, as well as access to the Kenneth G. Dixon Career Center, Student Academic Resource Center, Mathematics Assistance and Learning Lab, and the University Writing Center.
Student Government President Luci Blanco welcomed new and returning students by saying: “It’s an exciting time to be a new or returning student at UCF. Welcome (back) to a university where you have the unique opportunity to discover new passions and turn skills into lifelong opportunities. I am so inspired by the many talented and driven students. Together we are the energy and possibility that makes UCF so special.”
Data from a Lightcast Economic Impact Study shows that UCF alumni contribute $6.7 billion annually to Florida’s economy, with about 85 percent of graduates remaining in-state after completing their degrees.
This fall also marks an expansion in faculty hiring at UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), which is adding 39 new faculty members—the third consecutive year it has hired more than 30 new professors. These hires bring expertise in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, hypersonics, and semiconductors.
President Alexander N. Cartwright commented on these developments: “In our rapidly evolving society, we need engineers, innovators, creators and critical thinkers who, working together, can transform bold ideas into reality. Our job is to prepare problem-solvers who are ready to lead — whether that is developing new medical technologies, designing sustainable cities, inventing immersive digital experiences or creating solutions for industries that do not yet exist.”
UCF has also introduced several new undergraduate and graduate programs aimed at meeting workforce needs in healthcare, engineering, space sciences, and public management fields. Among these are a bachelor’s degree in health informatics—a field combining information technology with clinical expertise—and a doctoral program in planetary and space sciences designed for future leaders in research and exploration.
Additionally, two graduate certificate programs—one focused on local government management and another on digital twins—have been launched alongside five new graduate degree tracks in clinical psychology; computer engineering; electrical engineering; human factors and cognitive psychology; as well as planetary and space sciences.
These additions reflect UCF’s ongoing effort to align academic offerings with industry demands while expanding research opportunities for its students.
