Study abroad at Lakeland

Lakeland is a vibrant, rapidly booming STEM technology, logistics, and higher education metropolis in Polk County in Central Florida, situated strategically along the Interstate 4 (I-4) High-Tech Corridor directly between Tampa (35 minutes west) and Orlando (45 minutes east). Celebrated for its 38 picturesque lakes (including Lake Mirror and Lake Morton famous for its royal swans), historic Downtown Lakeland, the corporate global headquarters of Publix Super Markets (Fortune 100), Amazon Air regional air hub, and 0% state personal income tax in Florida. Lakeland is the flagship home of Florida's premier dedicated STEM powerhouse: Florida Polytechnic University (Florida Poly - founded in 2012 as Florida's 12th and only 100% STEM public state university, ranked #1 Public Regional College in the South for four consecutive years and #2 Best Value College in the South by US News & World Report). Florida Poly is internationally acclaimed for its iconic Santiago Calatrava-designed Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) building, ABET-accredited Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Game Development & Simulation, and Autonomous Systems / Advanced Mobility Institute AMI), Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Data Science. Lakeland is also home to Florida Southern College (FSC - prestigious private college boasting the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, top-ranked Barney Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise, and Nursing) and Southeastern University (SEU). Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from zero state income tax, 99% STEM graduate employment/grad school placement, generous Florida Poly International Merit Scholarships ($5,000 to $10,000/year), and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Lakeland for international undergraduate students at Florida Polytechnic University (Florida Poly - #1 Public Regional College in the South) range between $21,000 and $22,500 per academic year for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Mechanical Engineering, and Data Science (with Florida Poly awarding generous International Merit Scholarships discounting $5,000 to $10,000/year from out-of-state tuition for qualified applicants with a GPA of 3.25+, bringing net tuition down to approx. $12,500–$16,500/year). At Florida Southern College (FSC), undergraduate tuition is approx. $41,500/year with international merit scholarships of $15,000 to $25,000/year. Postgraduate Master's degrees in Computer Science and Engineering range from $13,000 to $19,000 per year. Ultra-modern on-campus student residence halls (Florida Poly Phase I & Phase II Residence Halls - fully furnished private bedroom suites with high-speed fiber internet) cost between $700 and $1,150 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Lakeland, Polk Parkway, and Florida Ave range from $550 to $950 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $750 and $1,250.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses minus scholarship awards), the International Student Services Office (Florida Poly ISS) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. 100% of degree programs at Florida Poly are STEM-designated, qualifying international graduates for the full 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization).