Oct 11, 2024  
2019-2020 Academic Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Financial Information



Florida Poly Scholarship

Students who have been admitted to attend Florida Polytechnic University may be eligible for a Florida Poly Scholarship. Total yearly scholarship amounts are awarded in two disbursements - one in the fall semester and the other in the spring semester.   

  1. Enrollment Status - Students must maintain full time enrollment in the fall and spring semesters.
  2. GPA - Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  3. Completion Ratio - A student must complete 67 percent of all attempted credit hours, including transfer hours. The calculation used to determine successful completion is: Total Cumulative Credit Hours Successfully Completed ÷ Total Cumulative Hours Attempted = Percentage of Completed Courses Result.
  4. Code of Conduct - Students must not have any code of conduct violations.

Bright Futures Scholarship

Florida Bright Futures programs provide scholarships to students who meet specific academic requirements throughout their high school enrollment. This scholarship is renewable for eligible students for up to a specific number of credit hours and is administered by the State of Florida. Scholarship funds are paid on a per credit hour basis and require students to maintain minimum GPA and credit hour completion requirements. Additional information regarding the Bright Futures program can be found on the State’s website at http://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org.

Pursuant to Florida statute, Bright Futures scholarship funds may not be used to pay for courses dropped by a student after the end of the drop/add period. This includes all courses dropped as part of the official withdrawal process. Students will be required to reimburse the University for the appropriate Bright Futures portion disbursed based on enrollment. A waiver of repayment requirement may be granted in the event of a documented illness or emergency. Appeals to waive the repayment requirement can be made to the Office of Financial Aid. Students with balances from Bright Futures repayments will have their accounts placed on financial restriction until the funds are paid back. For additional information, see University policy-FPU-7.00255P Bright Futures Scholarships.

Federal Student Aid

Eligible students may apply for Federal Student Aid, also known as Title IV funding.  Students will apply for Federal Student Aid by first completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.  FAFSA information will be used by the Office of Financial Aid to determine which Federal Student Aid programs the student may be eligible for.  Current Federal Student Aid Programs offered at Florida Polytechnic University include:

  • Federal Pell Grant (Need Based)
  • FSEOG Grant (Need Based)
  • Work Study ( Need Based)
  • Direct Subsidized Loans (Need Based)
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans (Non-need Based)
  • Direct Parent PLUS Loan (Non-need Based)
  • Graduate PLUS Loan (Non-need Based)

Each Federal Student Aid program requires the completion of a current year, error free, FAFSA.  Other aid programs may require additional documentation such as FAFSA Verification, Master Promissory Note or Entrance Counseling.

To learn more about Federal Student Aid programs student may visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/ or https://floridapoly.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/federal-student-aid/.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Financial aid recipients must comply with Florida Polytechnic University’s satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirement for GPA, completion ratio, and maximum time frame.

  1. GPA - Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  2. Completion Ratio - A student must complete 67 percent of all attempted credit hours, including transfer hours. The calculation used to determine successful SAP completion is: Total Cumulative Credit Hours Successfully Completed ÷ Total Cumulative Hours Attempted = Percentage of Completed Courses Result.
  3. Maximum Time Frame - The maximum time frame for a student to complete his/her degree is 150 percent of the required number of credit hours needed to graduate.

The Office of Financial Aid will review a student’s SAP at the end of each semester to determine if the student has met the minimum requirements to remain eligible for Federal Student Aid.

Please refer to the FPU 5.00742 Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for additional information on SAP, including Warning, Appeal and Probation.

Financial Aid Appeals

A student attending the University may appeal decisions related to his/her financial aid award as required by Florida Statutes Section 1009.42. A student who applies for or receives financial aid may appeal certain decisions related to his/her financial aid award.

A student may make the following types of appeals:

  1. Appeal an Office of Financial Aid decision or administrative error.
  2. Appeal for reinstatement of Federal/State/Institutional aid due to extenuating circumstances.
  3. Appeal of repayment of Bright Futures.

Students must submit appeals within the deadlines and time frames established by  University policy FPU-7.0021P Financial Aid Appeals.

Veterans Education Benefits

Florida Polytechnic University is proud to train and educate our Veterans of the U.S. Armed Services.  Student’s eligible to utilize Veteran’s Benefits may log into www.va.gov/education to apply and monitor their education benefits.  They may also speak with Florida Poly VA Certifying Officials to assist them in certifying their benefits.

Students utilizing Veterans Benefits are required to submit a Letter of Eligibility to the university before we are able to certify and disburse any VA Funds.

Students expecting Veterans Benefits to cover their educational costs, and have completed all steps required to receive their funding, will have ALL university ledger costs deferred without penalty until funding has been received.

Any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA.  Florida Poly will not:

  • Prevent the student’s enrollment;
  • Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
  • Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

  • Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
  • Provide a written request to be certified;
  • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies. 

Material and Lab Fees

Students enrolled in certain laboratory courses are assessed a fee that is used to offset the cost of materials or items consumed in the course of the students’ laboratory activities. These fees are assessed based on the course. Specific lab fees may be found listed on the semester course schedule. For additional information see FPU-4.003.

Reclassification of Residency for Tuition Purposes

Matriculated students who are classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes and who believe they may qualify for in-state tuition, may submit a Residency Reclassification Form to the Office of the Registrar. Supporting documentation is required to substantiate in-state residency for tuition purposes.

If denied Florida residency for tuition purposes by the Office of the Registrar, the student may submit a written appeal to the Residency Committee. The decision of the Residency Committee will be mailed to the student and considered final. For additional information see FPU-4.0012P.

Repeat Course Surcharge

Rule 6C-7.001, Florida Administrative Code, states that each student enrolled in the same undergraduate course more than twice, shall be assessed an additional fee per credit hour for each repeated course. For example, if a course is repeated twice a student will be assessed the surcharge for the third and subsequent attempt.  Only courses repeated at Florida Poly will count in attempts. Transfer coursework will not count in the repeat calculation. 

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are established by the Florida State Legislature and the University Board of Trustees and are subject to change without notice. Tuition and fees are assessed on a per credit hour basis and are affected by residency status. Tuition and fees are charged on a per semester basis.

The following tuition and associated fees shall be levied and collected on a per credit hour basis, for each student regularly enrolled, unless provided otherwise by law, or Board of Governors or University regulation:

Florida Polytechnic University Estimated Tuition and Fees Schedule

 

UNDERGRADUATE

GRADUATE

FEE

RESIDENT

NON-RESIDENT

RESIDENT

NON-RESIDENT 

Tuition

105.07

105.07

385.00

385.00

Out-Of-State Fee

****

510.00

****

608.00

Financial Aid Fee

5.25

5.25

19.25

19.25

Non-Resident Financial Aid Fee

****

25.50

****

30.40

Capital Improvement Trust Fund Fee

4.76

4.76

4.76

4.76

Transportation Fee

3.00

3.00

3.00

3.00

Activity And Service Fee

17.62

17.62

17.62

17.62

Athletic Fee

14.12

14.12

14.12

14.12

Health Fee

9.58

9.58

9.58

9.58

Technology Fee

5.25

5.25

19.25

19.25 

Tuition and Fee Statements 

Students may access their ledger 24/7 on their CAMS Student Portal or at the Bursar’s Office during regular business hours. Each student’s Invoice and/or Ledger includes all tuition and fee charges and payments associated with the account. Students are encouraged to review their ledger statement prior to payment, after initial registration and any time registration changes are made to ensure fees are adjusted accordingly. Paper statements are not mailed.

Fee Payment Deadlines

Tuition and fees must be paid by the published dates. The University reserves the right to assess late fees and cancel classes in the event tuition and fees are not paid by the payment deadline. For tuition and fee payment deadlines, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

Tuition and Fee Payments

Tuition and fee payments must be received by the University or postmarked no later than the deadline specified on the Academic Calendar. Payments may be submitted by mail, in-person at the Bursar’s Office, or online via the CAMS Student Portal. Tuition and fee payments cannot be made by telephone.

Special Fees, Fines and Charges

  • Orientation Fee: $35.00
  • Security/Access/ID Cards: Annual cost of card, $10.00; replacement card, $15.00
  • Miscellaneous Health-Related Charges: The University charges miscellaneous health-related fees at cost for services provided by the University Health Clinic not covered by the student health fee.
  • Housing Rental Rates and Miscellaneous Charges: The Board of Trustees approves the basic rates for housing rental and the miscellaneous housing charges.  The rates and charges are published on the University’s website. 
  • Library Fees and Fines: The University charges for damaged or lost library materials, overdue reserve library books, overdue books, interlibrary loans, and literature searches, etc.  Such fee and fine amounts are available at the University Library.
  • Duplicating, Copying & Binding Services: The University charges reasonable fees to persons receiving duplicating, photocopying, binding, microfilming, and/or copyright services. Fee amounts are available at the University Library.
  • Standardized Testing: The University charges a fee to persons taking standardized tests. 
  • Incidental Non-Academic Services Fees: The University charges reasonable fees for incidental non-academic services provided directly to individuals, such as for lost keys, copyright material, breakage, or library loans. If items are lost or broken, the charge will be the cost of repair or replacement; however, if items are damaged or lost as a result of misconduct, disciplinary action may also be imposed.
  • Equipment Use Fees and Fines: The University charges a fee for the use, late return, loss, or damage of University facilities and equipment. 
  • Transient Student Fee: Transient students are charged a $5.00 per course fee to cover the University’s costs in accepting and processing the student’s application for admission.
  • International Student Service Fee: International students enrolled in the University who are not currently a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States are assessed a $50.00 fee per semester.  This fee covers the University’s costs associated with reporting requirements of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System administered by the Department of Homeland Security for F-Visa and J-Visa degree seeking students.
  • Convenience Fee: A 2.0% fee is assessed to each web-originated financial transaction when the payment is made by credit card, charge card, or debit card. This fee is nonrefundable.
  • Service Charge on Loans in Lieu of Interest and Administrative Handling Charges: A $10.00 fee will be charged to each University loan in lieu of interest and administrative handling.
  • Collection of Overdue Accounts: The University assesses a reasonable charge for the cost of collection efforts to effect payment for overdue accounts.
  • Returned-Check Fee: The University assesses a service charge in accordance with Florida Statutes, Section 832.07 for each unpaid check returned to the University.
  • Transcript Fee: A $10.00 fee is charged per transcript.
  • Diploma Replacement Fee: A $10.00 is charged for replacement diplomas.

Excess Hours Surcharge

Florida Statute 1009.286 defines “excess hours” as credit hours that exceed the completion requirements for a baccalaureate degree program at State universities. For students enrolling in a State University or a Florida State College System institution for the first time in or after the fall 2009 semester, a tuition rate surcharge will be applied for excess hours. The amount of the surcharge and the allowable “excess hours” are determined by the initial term of entry as indicated below:

  1. For the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years, an excess hour surcharge equal to 50 percent of the tuition rate for each credit hour in excess of 120 percent. For a degree program of 120 required hours this means any credits above 144 will be subject to the surcharge.
  2. For the 2011-2012 academic year, an excess hour surcharge equal to 100 percent of the tuition rate for each credit hour in excess of 115 percent. For a degree program of 120 required hours this means any credits above 138 will be subject to the surcharge.
  3. For the 2012-2013 academic year and thereafter, an excess hour surcharge equal to 100 percent of the tuition rate for each credit hour in excess of 110 percent. For a degree program of 120 required hours this means any credits above 132 will be subject to the surcharge.

In determining excess hours the following will be included when calculating the number of hours taken by a student; all credit hours taken while you are at Florida Polytechnic University including courses that you fail, courses that you drop after the Drop/Add period, courses that you repeat, withdrawals and transfer credit earned at another institution and subsequently applied to your degree program here at Florida Polytechnic University.

The law does allow for exceptions to the excess hour surcharge. For example, the courses taken under the following circumstances would not count as excess hours:

  • Articulated accelerated credit (e.g. Advance Placement, International Baccalaureate, CLEP, Dual Enrollment, etc.)
  • Internship credit
  • Certification/Recertification and certificate program credits
  • Credits withdrawn due to medical or personal hardship
  • Credits taken by active-duty military personnel
  • Credits required for a dual major
  • Remedial and English as a Second Language (ESOL) credit
  • Military Science credits in Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs

All students should make every effort to enroll in and complete only those courses that are required for their degree program. Repeating courses, changing majors and enrolled in courses that are not required as part of a major may result in excess hours. Students should regularly review their degree audit and consult with an academic advisor or success coach to ensure that they are not enrolling in excess hours.

Waivers

Late Payment Fee Waiver

Upon a student’s request, the Bursar may waive the late payment fee, if the Bursar determines that the student was unable to make payment on time due to exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control. The student must submit a Late Payment Fee Waiver Request Form to the Bursar’s Office for review, and may request a waiver for one or more of the following reasons:

  • Student illness which was of such severity or duration, as confirmed in writing by a physician, to preclude timely payment of the student’s tuition and fees;
  • A death in the student’s immediate family (parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) that precluded timely payment of tuition and fees, as confirmed by documentation indicating the death and the student’s relationship to the deceased;
  • Student’s active military duty or return from active duty that precluded timely payment of tuition and fees, as confirmed by military orders;
  • University error which precluded the student’s timely payment of tuition and fees, as confirmed in writing on University letterhead signed by an appropriate University official or confirmed by appropriate University documents;
  • Other documented exceptional circumstances (whether the circumstances are indeed “exceptional” will be determined by the Bursar) beyond the student’s control that precluded timely payment of tuition and fees, accompanied by a letter of explanation and appropriate documentation.

Additional Waivers

The University may waive tuition and/or certain fees, as specified for the following categories of individuals below. Such waivers are made in accordance with Florida Board of Governors regulations and Florida Statutes and are subject to any limitations or restrictions therein.

  • Full time University employees who meet academic requirements may receive a waiver of the tuition and related fees for up to six credit hours per semester on a space-available basis. Full time employees may assign up to six of their undergraduate credit hours or up to three graduate credit hours per semester to their dependents who meet academic requirements and are admitted to the University.
  • Full time public classroom teachers employed by a school district and who meet academic requirements may receive a waiver of tuition and related fees for up to six credit hours of undergraduate courses in mathematics and science courses approved by the Department of Education per semester on a space-available basis. This waiver may not be used for courses scheduled during the school district’s regular school day.
  • Florida residents 60 years of age or older auditing college credit courses that do not require selective admission criteria may receive a waiver of the tuition and related fees for such courses. No academic credit shall be awarded.
  • Intern supervisors who hold a certificate pursuant to Florida Board of Governors regulation 7.008 will be given a waiver of in-state tuition for a maximum of six credit hours for a single semester.
  • Non-degree seeking non-resident students participating in certain programs, as described in Florida Board of Governors regulation 7.008 (16),will receive a waiver of the out-of-state fee.
  • Participants in certain Sponsored Credit Institutes and Programs as described in Florida Board of Governors regulation 7.008 (2) will receive a waiver of tuition, associated fees and material and supply fees for credit courses taken in such Institutes and Programs.
  • The President or his/her designee may waive tuition, out-of-state fees, and/or associated fees for purposes that support and enhance the mission of the University.

Authority: BOG regulations 1.001, 7.002, FPU-4.004

Tuition Waivers

For additional information on tuition waivers see FPU-4.002 and BOG 7.008.

Student Rights and Responsibilities for Financial Aid

  • Students have the right to know about the financial aid programs available at Florida Polytechnic University, financial aid packaging criteria, financial aid disbursements, application procedures, and their deadlines.
  • Students have the right to appeal any decisions made by the Office of Financial Aid by using the financial aid appeals process. 
  • Each student will be analyzed and packaged on a case by case basis. But financial aid will be packaged and awarded without regard to race, gender, religion, creed, or physical handicap.
  • All student records concerning financial aid will be kept confidential, unless otherwise specified by a student’s FERPA release form.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to review and understand all information and instructions concerning their financial aid packaging and disbursement. 
  • It is the student’s responsibility to meet all deadlines set forth by the Financial Aid Office, and provide all required documentation requested by Florida Polytechnic. 
  • Students are required to provide needed documentation with accurate information. Errors and misrepresentation may delay, or even prevent, financial aid from being awarded. The misrepresentation of information concerning financial aid may also violate laws pertaining to Federal, State, and Institutional Aid.

Refunds

100% of tuition and registration fees will be refunded if notice of complete withdrawal or course withdrawal from the University is approved prior to the end of the drop/add period.

25% of tuition and registration fees will be refunded if notice of withdrawal from all courses from the University is approved prior to the end of the fourth week of classes, or at an appropriate time as designated by the University for summer sessions.

100% of tuition and refundable fees will be refunded if a student completes and files a Fee Adjustment Request Form within six months of the end of the semester to which the refund is applicable, citing recognized circumstances outside of the student’s control, which must be approved and confirmed by the Registrar.

Recognized circumstances include:
  • Illness of the student of such severity or duration, as confirmed in writing by a physician, to preclude completion of the course(s);
  • Death of the student or death in the student’s immediate family (parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) that precludes completion of the course(s);
  • Involuntary call to active military duty; or a situation in which the University is in error.

The amount of a payment in excess of the adjusted assessment will be refunded.

***Please refer to the Academic Calendar for important corresponding dates***

Students who withdraw from their enrollment during the term and have received financial aid may be required to pay the unearned portion of their aid back to the University. The amount of aid returned is dependent upon the amount of time the student has been enrolled for the semester. Students who withdraw from their entire schedule before completing at least 60% of the course may be subject to a partial or full return of their financial aid awards. This includes waivers, institutional aid, and any state or federal funds.

For additional information, see FPU-4.004 and FPU-7.0033.