text: More than 3,000 students are facing an unexpected decision after they received acceptance notices from the University of Florida - only to find they would have to spend a year taking online classes. The 3,118 unidentified applicants were presumably delighted when they were accepted as freshmen by the university in Gainesville for the fall after sending in applications for traditional first-year slots. But after reading their congratulations notices, they apparently realized they would need to agree to spend their entire first year taking classes on the Internet in order to attend the public college. The classes are part of a new program - the Pathway to Campus Enrollment (PaCE) - which started in 2015 and aims to accommodate a higher number of students, The Washington Post reported. New program: More than 3,000 students are facing an unexpected decision after they received acceptance notices from the University of Florida (pictured) - only to find they would have to take online classes for a year . The students who were accepted to the university - on the basis they agreed to undertake online classes for a year - had not applied to the program, which will likely help expand enrollment in the university's new $15million online undergraduate program, created by state legislators in 2013. They were also in addition to the estimated 12,000 students offered traditional freshman slots. Steve Orlando, senior director of UF's media relations, told the newspaper the move 'allows us to offer admission to additional qualified applicants with academic potential and demonstrated success'. Joe Glover, who has been the university's Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs since July 2008, added: 'The market for freshman is by no means clear anywhere in the country. 'We are trying different things to identify that market. That is one of the motivations.' On its website, UF says that PaCE helps deal with the 'limited space of campus' and gives students 'the chance to start [their] degree online and then transition to campus in order to complete it.' It adds it 'offers an excellent academic experience, combining online and campus-based learning'. New iniatitive: The classes are part of a new program - the Pathway to Campus Enrollment (PaCE, pictured) - which started in 2015 and aims to accommodate a higher number of students at the flagship university . Extending space: On its website , UF says that PaCE helps deal with the 'limited space of campus' and gives students 'the chance to start [their] degree online and then transition to campus in order to complete it' It tells students: 'Because of limitations to our freshman enrollment on UF's residential campus, we are unable to accommodate every capable student who applies to the university. 'However, because of your demonstrated potential, we are offering you a pathway to UF's residential campus different from our traditional transfer program.' With legislators keen to expand online learning at Florida universities, UF's online graduate program became available to students in 2014, with a huge $15million assigned to start-up and initial costs. But PaCE 'didn’t fully exist' last fall for the 2016 admissions season, Mr Glover told the newspaper, describing the initiative as 'an experiment' that some of the 3,118 students may not wish to accept. Provost: Joe Glover (pictured), the university's Provost, said: 'The market for freshman is by no means clear anywhere in the country.'We are trying different things to identify that market. That is one of the motivations' He admitted that many parents were surprised to find their children had been accepted to UF on the condition they took online classes - and had bombarded him with calls asking questions about it. On its website, UF states that to be achieve a degree through the PaCE program, students must be willing to 'enroll for at least two semesters and a minimum of 15 credits through UF Online'. It adds: 'After earning a total of 60 credits and meeting program requirements, students may submit a transition form to move from online learning to a guaranteed place on the UF residential campus.' The program offers 60 majors in seven colleges, including psychology and telecommunication. Students in PaCE  receive a 25 per cent tuition discount, the website says. They will also not have to pay some of the fees required for residential students.
target: 3,118 applicants accepted as freshmen by University of Florida, Gainesville .
  But after receiving acceptance notices, they realized there was a condition .
  Students had to agree to spend their entire first year taking online classes .
  Classes are part of new program Pathway to Campus Enrollment, or PaCE .
  They aim to accommodate more students at flagship college, officials said .