Foreign Students Enrolled in Public Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Limiting Foreign Students in Florida Public Colleges

This bill requires public colleges and universities in Florida to limit the number of foreign students who are not permanent U.S. residents to no more than 10% of their total student population.

What This Bill Does

• Requires Florida's public colleges and universities to set a cap on the number of enrolled students who are citizens of a foreign country and who are not permanent residents of the United States.
• Limits these foreign students to no more than 10 percent of each institution’s total student enrollment.
• Directs the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors to create rules for enforcing this limit.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public colleges and universities in Florida
• Foreign students studying at these institutions who are not permanent U.S. residents

Terms To Know

Permanent resident

A person who has been granted the right to live and work permanently in the United States.

Postsecondary educational institutions

Colleges, universities, and other schools that offer education beyond high school level.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if an institution exceeds the foreign student limit.
• It is unclear how existing foreign students will be affected by this new rule.

Official Summary Text

Foreign Students Enrolled in Public Postsecondary Educational Institutions; Requires FCS institutions & state universities to limit number of enrolled students who are citizens of foreign country & who are not permanent residents of United States to specified percentage of students enrolled at institution or university.

Current Bill Text

HB 721 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb721-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to foreign students enrolled in public 2
postsecondary educational institutions; creating s. 3
1004.0983, F.S.; requiring Florida College System 4
institutions and state universities to limit the 5
number of enrolled students who are citizens of a 6
foreign country and who are not permanent residents of 7
the United States to a specified percentage of 8
students enrolled at the institution or university; 9
requiring the State Board of Education and the Board 10
of Governors to adopt rules and regulations, 11
respectively; providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Section 1004.0983, Florida Statutes, is created 16
to read: 17
1004.0983 Limiting the number of foreign students enrolled 18
in public postsecondary educational institutions.— 19
(1) Each Florida College System institution and state 20
university must limit the number of enrolled students who are 21
citizens of a foreign country and who are not permanent 22
residents of the United States to no more than 10 percent of the 23
total number of students enrolled at the institution or 24
university. 25

HB 721 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb721-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(2) The State Board of Education and the Board of 26
Governors shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to 27
administer this section. 28
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 29