State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota

Key Highlights

• Public college founded in 1957
• Operating across Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, and online in Fall 2026
• Institutionally accredited to award associate and baccalaureate degrees
• Traditional and shorter Flex Start sessions were available for Fall 2026

Student Life & Environment

SCF’s student experience is distributed across three campuses rather than concentrated in one residential setting. The Office of Student Life organizes activities such as Club Rush, Fall Festival, Spring Fling, and student forums. Student Government Association, academic and professional organizations, honor societies, cultural and interest-based clubs, and veterans’ groups provide routes to participate outside class. The available organizations differ by campus, with the largest published selection based in Bradenton and additional groups in Venice and Lakewood Ranch. The college also supports NJCAA athletics, performing arts, galleries, wellness programming, campus dining, a food pantry, and other student services. Examples of current organizations include Phi Theta Kappa, STEM groups, Student Veterans of America, discipline-related health-professions clubs, arts organizations, and campus student government. Students may also seek approval to create a new organization. This structure may suit students who want activities alongside a flexible academic schedule, but involvement can require planning around work, commuting, and the campus where an organization meets. Online students should not assume that every in-person activity has a remote equivalent. Prospective students interested in a particular sport, ensemble, club, dining option, or support service should verify its current campus and participation requirements before enrolling.

Location & Surroundings

SCF serves two adjoining counties on Florida’s Gulf Coast through three physically separate locations. The Bradenton campus is at 5840 26th Street West in Bradenton and functions as the institution’s principal campus. The Lakewood Ranch campus is at 7131 Professional Parkway in Sarasota, while the Venice campus is at 8000 South Tamiami Trail in Venice. Online classes add a fourth mode of access without creating a separate residential campus. The multi-campus arrangement gives students options across the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice region, but it also makes course-level planning important. A student’s preferred degree, laboratory, clinical component, student organization, or support office may not operate at every site. Applicants should compare the published class schedule with each campus address before making housing or transportation decisions. The official cost materials distinguish students living at home from those living independently rather than publishing a single residential-campus price. Students relocating to the area should therefore investigate local housing and commuting costs separately and should not interpret the college’s financial-aid living allowance as a quoted housing charge.

Costs & Career Outcomes

SCF publishes tuition by credit hour and distinguishes lower-division from upper-division study. As of the official page reviewed in August 2026, lower-division tuition and mandatory fees totaled $102.48 per credit for Florida residents and $386.52 for nonresidents. Upper-division totals were $112.08 per credit for Florida residents and $442.08 for nonresidents. Additional course, laboratory, insurance, or program fees may apply, and SCF publishes a separate 2026–2027 course-fee schedule. Students should calculate costs from their actual credits and division rather than treating a general annual figure as a guaranteed bill. The newest detailed cost-of-attendance table available on the official site was labeled 2024–2025, so its housing, food, books, transportation, and miscellaneous allowances should not be treated as current 2026 prices. Living costs will also vary substantially according to whether a student lives at home or independently. Tuition is due on assigned dates, and the college offers online payment and a Nelnet payment-plan option. Financial support may include federal and state aid, grants, scholarships, loans, and student employment. Completing the FAFSA is the starting point for most aid, while SCF Foundation scholarships use a separate application and individual eligibility criteria. The college says aid applications submitted by May 1 receive priority consideration for many programs, but students should verify the applicable aid year. Career preparation is incorporated through internships, clinical experiences, service learning, capstones, job shadowing, and volunteering where applicable. The Career Accelerator supports internship processes, and Handshake connects students with job and internship postings. These resources provide access to opportunities but do not constitute a placement or salary guarantee.