Florida Scholarships for International Students: 120 Awards Across 12 Public Universities, F1 and J1 Eligible

| Updated On - Aug 3, 2026

The State University System of Florida opened its new Florida 10 for 10 scholarship on August 3, 2026. The award reaches Indian undergraduates on F-1 and J-1 visas at Florida International University (FIU) and 11 sister campuses. The Board of Governors launched the pot to mark 10 straight years at No. 1 in U.S. News state rankings for higher education. Money flows into Spring 2027 financial aid at each campus.

Each of the 12 System campuses will pick 10 winners, for a total of 120 scholarships worth up to $1,000 (about ₹87,000 at ₹87 per USD, August 2026) each.
Applications close on Friday, October 2, 2026 (October 3 IST), giving students an eight-week window.
FIU’s international admissions office states that students on F-1 or other eligible visas qualify for its merit awards, and the university treats J-1 exchange visitors as inside that group.

The launch lands as Florida deepens its pitch to international enrolment, even after cutting the older Latin American and Caribbean waiver in late 2025. The new pot is small in dollar terms but wide in reach, spanning research flagships and specialist institutes alike.

What it means for Indian Students: The $1,000 award covers roughly one month of on-campus housing at FIU, not the full year. Treat it as a top-up on your existing offer, not a route to a fully funded seat.

Must Check,

What the Florida 10 for 10 Scholarship Covers

The scholarship is a one-time cash award. Each winner gets up to $1,000 credited to their Spring 2027 financial aid account. There is no renewable tenure and no tuition waiver attached. The Board of Governors funded the pot from system resources, not federal aid. That matters for Indian applicants because it sidesteps the U.S. citizenship rules that lock most federal grants. Award selection sits with each university.

Detail	What the Board of Governors Confirms
Applications open	Monday, August 3, 2026
Applications close	Friday, October 2, 2026
Award value	Up to $1,000 (roughly ₹87,000) per student
Scholarships per campus	10 winners
Total awards	120 scholarships across the system
When money is paid	Spring 2027 financial aid cycle
Renewable?	No, one-time award

Must Check,

The 12 Universities Where Indian Students Can Apply

The Board of Governors names every campus in the State University System as a participant. Indian students already enrolled or admitted at any of these 12 campuses can compete for a local slot.

Florida International University (FIU), Miami
University of Florida (UF), Gainesville
Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee
University of Central Florida (UCF), Orlando
University of South Florida (USF), Tampa
Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Boca Raton
University of North Florida (UNF), Jacksonville
University of West Florida (UWF), Pensacola
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Fort Myers
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Tallahassee
Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland
New College of Florida, Sarasota

FIU carries the largest Indian cohort of the group, drawing from strong computer science, business, and hospitality tracks. UF and FSU sit next in visibility for Indian STEM applicants.

Important Distinction: Applications are handled campus by campus, not once at the system level. A student admitted to two Florida universities has to file two separate 10 for 10 entries to be considered at both.

How FIU’s F-1 and J-1 Eligibility Rule Works

FIU’s international admissions office spells out the visa rule for its merit awards. Its published guidance requires an applicant to be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or an international student holding an F-1 or other eligible visa. The J-1 exchange visitor visa falls inside that "other eligible" bracket.

Indian degree-seeking students in the U.S. usually hold F-1 status. J-1 status covers exchange scholars, some funded research pairs, and dual-degree partners. Both routes now sit inside the 10 for 10 pool at FIU.

Each of the remaining 11 campuses sets its own visa rule for the award. The Board of Governors has asked applicants to check with the campus financial aid office where they are enrolled, per its Florida 10 for 10 announcement.

Must Check,

How Do Indian Students Apply Before October 2?

The Board of Governors runs a single hub page. From there, each applicant clicks through to their own campus form. FIU’s portal opens at go.fiu.edu/10for10. The core submission is a short personal story about the student’s experience at their Florida university. The Board describes it as sharing "your story" of what a Florida degree has meant. Campuses will layer their own extra fields on top, such as GPA and enrolment status.

Key Caveat: The Board of Governors calls the award open to "eligible undergraduate students" but does not publish a fixed GPA floor. Each campus can set its own bar, so an FIU cutoff may not match one at UF.

Indian students already at a Florida campus for the Fall 2026 semester are the most direct fit. Fall 2026 admits who land on an F-1 visa in August can also apply once enrolled.

The eight-week window is short by U.S. financial aid standards. There is no fee to apply and no separate visa document required beyond what the campus already holds. The State University System teaches more than 431,000 students across the 12 campuses, per the Board of Governors release, so Indian applicants are competing inside that wider pool.

The 10 for 10 award is modest in size but carries a clear signal. After the state ended its Latin American and Caribbean waiver in late 2025, this launch reopens a small pipeline of merit money that international students can chase. The October 2, 2026 deadline is firm, and the money hits Spring 2027 accounts, so applicants must be enrolled that term to draw down the funds.

Action Plan for Indian Applicants

Confirm you are enrolled or admitted for Spring 2027 at one of the 12 State University System campuses.
Visit the Board of Governors hub at flbog.edu/FL10for10 and click through to your campus.
Check your F-1 or J-1 visa status with the campus international admissions office before you submit.
Draft your short story on why a Florida degree matters to you, keep it tight and personal.
File the application before October 2, 2026 (October 3 IST), and save the confirmation email.

Next Key Date for Indian Applicants: The 10 for 10 window closes on October 2, 2026. Award decisions and Spring 2027 aid credits are expected before the January 2027 term start at each campus.