Downtown Scholars Initiative FAQs
Pre-College
DSI visits vary each semester. Please see your college and career counselor for more information. Contact your UCF Coach to learn more!
UCF has over 240 programs. If you are still undecided, that is ok. You could use your first few semesters to explore your options and receive personalized assistance in exploring your interests and selecting the right major for you. Visit here to learn more! Click here to connect with your UCF Coach one-on-one on possible majors!
Visit our Tuition Rates page for info on tuition costs. Note the options on the left side of the chart to change between undergraduate, graduate, medical, and other tuition groups. You'll also want to factor in room and board costs if you'll be exploring housing options. See bit.ly/ucf-costs for info on Cost of Attendance. Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) students who get into UCF for the 6-week summer bridge term will have their tuition, downtown housing, books and other expenditures covered by the program. Click here to connect with your UCF Coach for additional questions on cost!
Admissions
Students enrolled in the Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) are expected to submit their UCF or Common Application (listing UCF), and other requirements for the summer bridge program term by the end of November. Your UCF Coach will help you complete all these steps! Click here to connect with your UCF Coach!
UCF does not have a minimum SAT/ACT requirement for admissions. Students are encouraged take whichever test preferred more than once. All freshmen must submit an official SAT [code: 5233] or ACT [code: 0735] score — they must be reported directly to the university electronically (preferred) or via U.S. mail. UCF superscores both the SAT and the ACT and students are encouraged to take both exams if possible. Click here to connect with your UCF Coach on questions related to the SAT or ACT!
Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) students may qualify for an application fee waiver if you meet one of waiver requirements listed on the admissions website.
Click here to connect with your UCF Coach on how to obtain a fee waiver!
You must complete the SPARK form if you have not yet graduated from high school. When you graduate, you will then send us your final high school transcript. Review the virtual SPARK form workshop for assistance and review frequently asked questions. Click here to connect with your UCF Coach for one-on-one support completing this step!
Although not required by the Admissions Office, students enrolled in the Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) are strongly recommended to submit the Essay (or Personal Statement) portion of the admissions application. This allows the university to know more about you and your experiences that are separate from test scores or GPA. Click here to connect with your UCF Coach for essay topics!
Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) students usually receive an admissions decision between January – April. This may depend on how quickly you submit the required items, including your SPARK form. You can review the status of your application by logging into your Future Knights Portal. More information and instructions can be found Click here to connect with your UCF Coach for additional questions!
Financial Aid
You can make changes to your FAFSA online by logging into your FAFSA application and clicking "Make FAFSA Corrections." Changes will be processed & received by UCF in 3-5 days. Click here to learn more.
Housing
There are multiple off-campus apartment communities that you may be interested in. UCF Student Neighborhood Relations helps students search for off-campus housing options. More information about Neighborhood Relations, including an off-campus housing search, can be found at sdes.ucf.edu.
On campus housing pricing varies by community. You can visit our Housing page to see current prices for communities you are interested in.
Each residence hall on the UCF main campus is different. You can view video tours on ucf.edu/tours/videotours/ to see each community virtually. You can also schedule an in-person tour by visiting housing.ucf.edu/tour/dailytours.
There are multiple off-campus apartment communities that you may be interested in. UCF Student Neighborhood Relations is dedicated to assisting students with searching for off-campus housing options. More information about Neighborhood Relations, including an off-campus housing search, can be found at our Neighborhood Relations page.
Summer Bridge Program
Downtown Scholars Initiative (DSI) students will take two 3 credit hour courses during summer bridge. These classes will be in person at the downtown campus. Detailed course information will be provided closer to the start of summer bridge portion of the DSI program.
Please review calendar of events provided by either your UCF Coach or Summer Bridge Peer Mentor.
If you are currently enrolled in the program or are interested in learning more; email lorena@ucf.edu to discuss enrollment related topics such as admissions and financial aid. To schedule an appointment to discuss the summer bridge program or transitioning to college related topics, email Heather Cohen-Stanley at heather.cohen-stanley@ucf.edu
Notify your UCF Coach or peer mentor as soon as possible.
Most pre-college events are open to Parents/Guardians; however, summer bridge events are not. Please reach out to your UCF Coach or peer mentor for more information.
There are a variety of mandatory events to be part of summer bridge. These include but are not limited to: UCF Orientation, Summer Bridge Onboarding, and End of Summer Ceremony. You must also attend all scheduled workshops and events throughout the 6-week summer semester. Please review the events calendar provided to you at the onboarding or reach out to your peer mentor.