Florida Becomes Fourth State to Bar Undocumented Students From Certain Universities

Florida’s State University System Board of Governors voted unanimously on September 3, 2026, to bar undocumented students from initial enrollment at the state’s more selective public universities, beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year. The policy applies to any of the system’s 12 universities that did not admit all academically qualified applicants over the previous two academic years, which could include competitive schools like the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, and the University of Central Florida. It does not affect currently enrolled students or Florida’s separate state college system. Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the decision, while critics warned it could restrict opportunities for as many as 8,000 undocumented students graduating from Florida high schools each year and stifle economic growth in the state. Florida becomes the fourth state, joining Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, to adopt this kind of enrollment restriction, and the move follows the state’s earlier decision to eliminate in-state tuition for undocumented students. The vote also comes just ahead of a separate U.S. Department of Education proposal to bar undocumented students from public colleges and GED programs nationwide, reports the Tallahassee Democrat.