University of Miami is not in downtown Miami; it’s seven miles away, in Coral Gables, Florida. A private university, it was established in 1925, and is comprised of about 20,000 students, 13,000 of them undergraduates. Of those 13K, about 60% come from out of state, 32% come from Florida, and 8% are international.

The campus is absolutely gorgeous. And it tends to draw a very wealthy student body. I knew this, but I was still surprised to see valet parking attendants at 2 different locations on campus. Just in case you can’t park your own BMW. I haven’t seen that at any other campus among the couple of hundred I’ve toured, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist elsewhere. What’s important to know is that at University of Miami, it can be expensive to keep up with your classmates’ lifestyles.

University of Miami has a College of Arts and Sciences, as well as Schools of Architecture, Business, Communication, Education and Human Development, Engineering, Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, Music, and Nursing and Health Studies. So, the College of Arts and Sciences notwithstanding, it does have a strong pre-professional vibe.

Here are some cool facts:
·      The School of Architecture offers a 5-year B.Arch degree, and each student has a designated space for their work.
·      The library has the largest Cuban artifact collection outside of Cuba
·      The university has a private beach for its students
·      The nursing program is direct-admit
·      Business school students take classes in all areas of business for their first year.
·      The national average of women in engineering is 20%. At UM it’s 40%.
·      The School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science is on an 18-acre waterfront campus on Virginia Key, 20 minutes from the main campus, and contains the only Category 5 hurricane simulator in the US.

UM has a system of residential colleges, not unlike those at Oxford, and housing is required the first year. Greek life is very popular, with 20-25% of the students participating. However, rush happens in the spring, which gives freshmen a chance to adjust before making that commitment. Division One sports are also a big deal.

The acceptance rate here is 18%, so admission is very competitive, especially since UM is requiring standardized scores again. Keep in mind that 77% of admitted students in fall 2025 applied early action or early decision. And of the 23% admitted in regular decision, 10% were actually taken from the waitlist. That’s a tricky bit you want to be aware of, and serious yield protection.

With an all-in price close to six figures, it’s one of the most expensive institutions in the US. However, they do meet almost 100% of demonstrated need and are very generous with merit scholarships up to full cost of attendance. Realistically, it’s not uncommon for a student to receive $20-30K per year. And it is really, really beautiful. So if the weather in South Florida appeals, it could be a really nice place to spend 4 years.