The University of South Florida is a public research university with three campuses in the Tampa Bay region - Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee - serving nearly 50,000 students. Founded less than 70 years ago, USF has risen to top-50 public university status and holds membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU), a distinction shared by only the most research-intensive institutions in North America. The university carries Florida's Preeminent State Research University designation and generates approximately $750 million in annual research funding.
Research and academic activity spans a broad range of disciplines, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, computing, engineered materials, and health sciences. USF recently established the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, reflecting a deliberate institutional investment in these fields. USF Health, the university's medical arm, advances medical research and clinical practice. Applied research efforts include work on environmental challenges such as combating Florida's red tide using engineered materials.
Undergraduate and graduate education is structured around interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty mentorship, and hands-on learning. Global learning programs extend across 68 countries, giving students international exposure alongside their core studies.
The university's culture emphasises innovation, belonging, and a tangible connection between academic work and real-world impact - locally in the Tampa Bay area and beyond.
