State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota

Located in Bradenton, Florida, approximately 45 miles south of Tampa, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) serves as a public institution with additional campuses in Venice and Lakewood Ranch. The main campus features modern academic buildings spread across a suburban setting near the Manatee River. Originally established in 1957 as Manatee Junior College, SCF has evolved into a state college offering associate and bachelor's degrees, with particular emphasis on nursing, business, and technology programs. The institution maintains an open-admission policy for its associate degree programs while setting specific entrance requirements for bachelor's degree tracks. Students can access on-campus housing at the Bradenton location, where the college competes in NJCAA Division I athletics as the SCF Manatees.