Campus Visits and Tours

Weather in Central Florida can be unpredictable, so plan accordingly. For your safety, and that of our Student Ambassadors, the campus tour portion of your visit may be canceled in the event of inclement weather. Don’t worry, though — you’ll still receive the same valuable information from our Student Ambassadors through a virtual tour and Q&A panel.

You will choose your own sessions based upon the times they are offered. Many of our sessions do not repeat, and some even overlap, so you’ll have to decide which sessions best suit your interests. While activities are scheduled through 3:00 p.m., we advise that you arrive early and stay for the entire event to make the most of your visit.

Yes! A limited number of campus tours are offered during each Knight for a Day Open House. Because there are so many activities for you to choose from, your tour may be shorter than a regular Campus Visit Experience, but we’ll squeeze as much information in as possible. Housing tours are self-guided, giving you the flexibility to view only those communities that interest you. We’ll post signs on campus directing you to our housing areas. Once you get there, a member of our housing staff will be on hand to answer questions and show you around. Not every housing community is open, but you’ll be able to view a broad selection.

And finally, our tours do not include the library or our bookstore, but we encourage you to stop in during your free time.

UCF is a Smoke-Free Campus.

Yes, each student must register to attend a campus event, though parents and other family members can register as guests under one student’s name. We want to make certain that everyone gets the attention they need, and fewer people means more one-on-one attention for you, so we limit space.

If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can allow others to attend. A cancellation link appears in the confirmation email that was sent to you when you signed up.

Yes, each prospective student must register to attend, though parents can register as guests under one student’s name. We want to make sure everyone gets the attention they need — fewer people means more one-on-one attention for you. For that reason, we limit space. So, if you need to cancel, please let us know so we can allow others to attend. A cancellation link appears in the confirmation email that was sent to you when you signed up.

Attending an open house is optional for all prospective UCF students. It’s true that most of the information at our open house events will be geared toward freshmen, but there are still many presentations beneficial to transfer students. One of the presentations is specifically about transferring to UCF, for example.

There is an optional housing tour offered at the end of the campus tour. The housing tours are offered at noon and 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday).

It’s not part of the program, but UCF does have several options on and near the campus. There are plenty of places to get a drink and eat on campus too. It gets warm in Florida, so be sure to bring some water with you.

Knight for a Day Open House events give you more information about UCF’s campus, programs, housing, student life and more. The Campus Visit Experience is a tour of the campus — it’s included in the Open House event, but may be condensed due to time constraints. In addition, you will also learn about admissions, financial aid and academics. You don’t have to take the tour during an Open House event, but we highly recommend you attend.

During your campus visit, Student Ambassadors will lead you on a 90-minute walking tour around campus, making 10 stops. You’ll take a walk through Memory Mall, stroll by the Reflecting Pond, and visit the Student Union in the center of campus.

The best time to experience UCF is when classes are in session.

Consider visiting our campus:

• On Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays
• In January, February, May, June or November

Avoid Holidays & University Breaks

Avoid visiting the campus on holidays or during special campus events — you’ll miss out on important features.

UCF is closed on the following holidays:

• • New Year’s Day
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Thanksgiving Day (and the day after)
  • Christmas

Tours may also be canceled or limited during university breaks when classes are not in session:

• • Winter Break (3rd week of December – 2nd week of January)
  • Spring Break (varies, but typically 2nd week of March)
  • Fall, Spring & Summer Intersession (period between semesters)

Pet Policy

Pets are not permitted on campus except as authorized by the university or when a disability requires the presence of a service or support animal that is both necessary and reasonable under the circumstances.

UCF is a Smoke-Free Campus.

You can grab a sandwich on the go from Subway, Jimmy John’s, Chick-fil-A or one of the numerous other convenient eateries on campus. Knightro’s and The Marketplace ’63 South offer all-you-can-eat dining, or you can catch a game and a burger at Chili’s or Huey Magoo’s. There is also a wide selection of area restaurants off campus, many of which are located within 1 mile of campus.

Once you get to the main campus, park in Garage A (free of charge), then walk to the Student Union — there will be signs in place to help you find your way. Once inside, go to the Pegasus Ballroom. Our campus is a walking campus, so there is no transportation between the garage and the Student Union. Consult your confirmation for the event’s start time and arrive early to avoid waiting in line.

The Campus Visit Experience is offered Monday – Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. year-round, except on holidays. During university breaks and periods where classes are not in session (e.g. intersession, spring break, etc.), we may cancel or reduce the availability of tours.  The Campus Visit Experience includes a 15-minute information session led by an admissions representative.  A 90-minute walking tour of campus follows.  Optional tours of select UCF housing communities are offered at 12-noon at 4 p.m. for interested parties.

“Knight For A Day” Open House events are held on select Saturdays throughout the year and are daylong programs intended to provide more in-depth information about UCF.  Activities and sessions are subject to variation, but typically include presentations by academic colleges, campus tours, housing tours and housing information sessions.  Representatives from support services and student activities exhibit in an expo-style setting at each event.  Special programs, such as LEAD Scholars, the Burnett Honors College, EXCEL and COMPASS, and others may provide opportunities to engage with program administrators or peers.  Sessions on transferring, student financial assistance, scholarships and admission are also offered.

It’s usually hot in Florida. Dress in layers to adjust to the changes in temperature from the heat outside to the air-conditioned buildings. There will be a lot of walking and Florida is sometimes rainy, so wear comfortable shoes and bring an umbrella — just in case. Shuttle service is not offered during Open House events.

When you arrive on campus, stop by the Visitor and Parking Information Center to purchase a daily parking pass ($5) before parking in any student lot, including spaces reserved for guests with disabilities. You can also purchase a parking pass at one of the daily permit dispensers located in all student parking facilities. Cashless short-term parking spaces are available adjacent to the Welcome Center and require the Passport App to be downloaded onto your smart device. Parking is available in student lots B-4, B-5 and B-6, all of which are in close proximity to the Duke Energy University Welcome Center.

A hotline with directions to campus is available 24/7 by calling 407-882-0909.

Pets are not permitted on campus except as authorized by the university or when a disability requires the presence of a service or support animal that is both necessary and reasonable under the circumstances.

Yes! All students have access to our 149,000-square-foot facility with fitness equipment, a track, multipurpose courts and a climbing wall, plus outdoor amenities like sand volleyball courts, a leisure pool, a lap pool and intramural sports fields.

The UCF Recreation and Wellness Center (RWC) comprises many programs, such as intramural sports, sport clubs, outdoor adventure, fitness and aquatics. The RWC is open to all students; paid memberships are available for non-students.

For students with disabilities: If you are in need of special accommodations to participate, please visit the Adaptive Recreation page.

We have an active Greek community, with 43 fraternities and sororities represented and about 3,000 students involved.

Yes! Intramural sports offers all activity and service fee paying UCF students (and UCF faculty and staff who purchase Recreation and Wellness Center memberships) the opportunity to participate in a variety of team, dual and individual sports.

Participating is a great chance to get involved. Several divisions of play are offered for most activities to accommodate various skill levels for both recreational and competitive participation.

There are over 650 student clubs and organizations you can get involved in.

Yes. The Florida Board of Governors requires all students who enter a Florida public university with less than 60 semester hours to complete at least nine semester hours prior to graduation by attending one or more summer sessions. University presidents or their designees may waive the application of this regulation in cases of unusual hardship to the individual.

Known as the “heart of campus,” the Student Union sits at the center of UCF’s main Campus. The Student Union provides space for students and members of the UCF community to study, socialize, eat, host events, attend meetings and engage in campus life.

UCF offers many different choices of housing on the Orlando main campus and at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management. First-year and transfer students can choose from shared-bedroom residence hall-style or single-bedroom apartment-style housing. There are also living-learning communities where you can live with other students who share similar interests.

Housing applications are available for freshmen after they are offered admission, however, the timing depends on several factors.

For students admitted on the Nov. 15 Early Action decision notification date:

• You may submit a housing application on your Housing Portal Open Date. This date will be determined by the date and time that you pay your $30 admission application fee or submit an approved application fee waiver to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. ​
• The Housing Portal Open Date is the first day that Early Action admitted students can enter the Housing Portal and submit an application for on-campus housing. ​
  • This is not the ONLY date you can submit an application – just the first date. 

​For students who are NOT admitted Early Action:

• You will be able to apply for housing after you have been offered admission to UCF.
• Admissions decisions made after the Nov. 15 Early Action notification date will be released on a rolling basis beginning in early January.
• A Housing Portal Open Date will not be assigned to you if you did not apply Early Action.

There is limited availability for on-campus housing, so we advise students who are able to apply Early Action for faster access to the Housing Portal.