Thinking About Starting at CF in the New Year? Three December Open Houses Let You Apply, Tour and Sort Out FAFSA in One Visit

For anyone who has been meaning to start college, or go back, the hardest part is often the first step: the application, the financial aid form, the question of which program fits. College of Central Florida is trying to put all of that in one afternoon. The college is holding three open houses in the first week of December, one at each of its campuses, aimed at residents who want to start classes in the new year, especially the spring term.

Where to go and when

The first stop is in Chiefland. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, the Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, at 15390 N.W. Highway 19, hosts its open house from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The next day is Ocala's turn. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, the Ocala Campus, at 3001 SW College Road, opens its doors from 12:30 to 3 p.m., and visitors are asked to start at the Ewers Century Center. The series closes on Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway in Lecanto, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. There, visitors start at Building 4, the Charles S. Dean Sr. Educational Center.

The Ocala event runs midday, while the Levy and Citrus events run into the evening, which may suit people coming straight from work.

What a single visit can get done

According to the college's announcement, the biggest practical perk is the application itself. CF is offering free on-site applications at each open house, which saves the $30 normal application fee for anyone who completes an application at the event. Staff from Admissions, Financial Aid, Dual Enrollment, Health Sciences and other offices will be on hand, and financial aid staff will help visitors complete the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

For a prospective student, that means the two forms that usually stall people, the application and the FAFSA, can be handled with someone standing next to them. The college also lists campus tours, information on workforce and academic pathways, and free CF merchandise for visitors.

A campus that keeps growing

The Ocala open house lands in a busy year on the college's main campus. We have reported on the new CF Center for Career Development in Ocala and on the groundbreaking for the Criminal Justice Institute. Anyone weighing a program can read the College of Central Florida listing first, and compare options in our guide to trade schools in Ocala.

How to register

The college asks visitors to register at cf.edu/openhouse. The college's media contact for the event is Rachel Cote at 352-873-5800, ext. 1374.

Source: College of Central Florida news release, published Nov. 2, 2026, and the college's open house event pages. Read Nov. 10, 2026.