Florida Tech’s F.W. Olin Physical Science Center has a telescope dome and observing deck.
Florida Institute of Technology—better known as Florida Tech—is a private nonprofit research university. Florida Tech is located in Melbourne, Florida, on what is known as the Space Coast region along the Atlantic Ocean, within an easy drive of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. In fact, the school was originally founded in 1958 as a training ground for professionals at the Kennedy Space Center.
Today, Florida Tech comprises four academic colleges: Engineering and Science, Aeronautics, Psychology and Liberal Arts, and the Nathan Bisk College of Business. The university also offers online degrees (associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s) in various programs of interest such as Aviation, Business, Cybersecurity, Criminal Justice, Information Technology, Healthcare Management, Psychology and Liberal Arts.
The advancement of science and technology has always been one of the primary missions of Florida Tech. A pioneer in aerospace technology, it is also one of the few universities to offer aviation degrees. Florida Tech has trained numerous NASA scientists and astronauts. Seven residence halls built in 2003 were named after the seven fallen astronauts of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster of February 1, 2003, and dedicated to their memory.
Besides aerospace, another popular department is Ocean Engineering and Sciences which attracts oceanography, marine biology, and underwater technology students. The Physics/Space Science department conducts cutting-edge research in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Planetary Sciences, High Energy Physics, Solid State and Condensed Matter Physics, Space and Magnetospheric Physics, Lightning, Wind and Hurricanes.
Since the university is mainly focused on STEM fields, approximately half of Florida Tech students are enrolled in the College of Engineering and Science (COES). Ten faculty members currently or previously associated with Florida Tech were named by Stanford University on a list of the top two percent of scientists worldwide. Florida Tech students are not just science nerds, however. They also study business, humanities, psychology, and communication – and they enjoy sports.
The Florida Tech Panthers play at the NCAA Division II level as part of the Sunshine State Conference. The school fields 20 sports, 10 each for men and women including football, baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, swimming and diving. In addition to the varsity athletics programs, students at Florida Tech have the opportunity to participate in a number of club and intramural sports.
Florida Tech’s 130-acre main residential campus is located near the Orlando Melbourne International Airport and the Florida Tech Research Park. Melbourne also is the home of annual events such as the Independent Filmmaker’s Festival, Arts Festival, and Aviation Day. Students can bask in the sunshine on miles and miles of Melbourne’s unspoiled beaches, or find all types of shopping and restaurants in Historic Downtown Melbourne.
The college has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,000 students with a gender distribution of 71% male and 29% female. Notable alumni of Florida Tech include Ann Dunwoody, the first female four-star general in the U.S. Army; David King, former director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center; Richard Hatch, original winner of the CBS Survivor TV series; Virgin Galactic President Mike Moses; and professional golfer Daniela Iacobelli.
Admissions
Florida Tech is a “Tier One” university known for world-class research, academic excellence, an exceptional student body, and the highest levels of innovation, creativity and scholarship. As such, its admissions process is somewhat competitive, with an acceptance rate of 66 percent. The majority of admitted students have above average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs.
However, Florida Tech also has a holistic admissions process and their decisions are based on more than numbers. Every application for admission to Florida Tech is a packet of information that illustrates your potential to succeed as a Florida Tech student and contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways.
Homeschooled applicants must submit:
- Transcript of academic work including an assessment of the level attained in mathematics and the sciences and the texts that were used.
- A self-descriptive, one-page essay that addresses academic, community and athletic accomplishments, career goals and work experience.
- Standardized test results (ACT or SAT).*
- Two (2) letters of recommendation.
- Applicants who present G.E.D. scores must also present secondary school records.
*Although SAT II (Subject Exam) scores are not required, it is strongly suggested that SAT II results in Mathematics Level 2, Chemistry, Physics and Literature be submitted if you have them. SAT/ACT writing sections are not required.
A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule that demonstrates preparation for college-level work.
Of course, the privilege of Florida Tech admission comes with a high cost: tuition and fees are approximately $45,000. But Florida Tech offers a variety of scholarships that can be combined with state and federal scholarship and grant programs.
Florida Tech’s academics and research, hands-on experiences, campus diversity and Sunshine State benefits are the focus of episode two of The College Tour, a new series now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.