Two months after Florida’s public universities moved to bar undocumented students, the State University System Board of Governors is set to reconsider. On Friday, the board will take up a change that would allow undocumented students into the state’s public universities if they were enrolled in a state college before spring 2027. The board meets at Florida International University in Miami.
In September, the board approved a rule barring anyone “who is present in the United States unlawfully” from enrolling in a public university starting with the 2027-2028 academic year. Florida law already guarantees that graduates of the state’s 28 public colleges can move into one of its 12 public universities, and the 2+2 articulation agreement ensures 60 credits transfer toward a bachelor’s degree.
Republican leaders backed the original rule. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins called it “common sense,” and Education Commissioner Henry Mack said taxpayers had built the campuses and they were not a prize for unlawful presence.
The Board of Education has also approved other immigration-related rules this year, including limits on undocumented students in career and technical education programs. Several bills aimed at blocking undocumented students from higher education failed to advance in the 2026 Legislature.
Former Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said she was pleased the board is considering a carve-out for Florida College System graduates. She said she wants both boards to repeal the rules entirely. For South Florida families, the outcome will determine whether students who started at colleges such as those in Miami-Dade and Broward can continue to a four-year degree.
