- A veteran as defined in s. 1.01(14), Florida Statutes;
- An active duty members of the United States Armed Forces;
- An active duty member of the Florida National Guard; or
- A nontraditional student who has not been enrolled in a postsecondary institution for more than 5 years.
Apply:
The Free Seat Program is available to a limited number of eligible students on a first-come, first-served basis at UCF. Students can apply for the tuition waiver by using this form and instructions.
Submit completed application forms as a scanned attachment in an e-mail to saswaivers@ucf.edu.
Grandparent Tuition Waiver
Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, the state university Grandparent Waiver was created by the Florida Legislature to allow a limited number of out-of-state students with a grandparent who is a legal Florida resident as defined in the Florida Statutes to attend a state university and have non-resident fees waived. The tuition waiver is applicable for 110 percent of the required credit hours of the degree program for which the student is enrolled. A written declaration attesting to the student’s familial relationship to a grandparent and other corroborating documentation will be required.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Student must have a grandparent who is a legal resident as defined in Florida Statutes 1009.21(2) a.
- Student must have a grandparent who has a legal relationship to their parent as the natural, adopted, or legal guardian.
- Student must have earned a high school diploma comparable to a Florida standard high diploma, or its equivalent, or completes a home education program.
- Student must have a minimum of 1340 total SAT score, 29 ACT composite score, or 96 CLT score .
- Student must enroll as a full-time undergraduate student in the Summer or Fall term immediately following high school graduation.
- Student must continuously enroll full-time every Fall and Spring term until bachelor’s degree program completion to maintain eligibility for the tuition waiver.
Apply:
The Grandparent Tuition Waiver is available to a limited number of eligible students on a first-come, first-served basis at UCF. Students can apply for the tuition waiver using the form and instructions found here.
Linkage Waiver
The Florida Legislature has established 11 International Linkage Institutes as defined in the Florida Statutes 288.8175. According to statue 1009.21, students who qualify will be eligible for non-resident tuition fee waivers. The Institutes are:
- Florida-Brazil Institute
- Florida-Canada Institute
- Florida Caribbean Institute
- Florida-China Institute
- Florida-Costa Rica Institute
- Florida-Eastern Europe Institute
- Florida-France Institute
- Florida-Israel Institute
- Florida-Japan Institute
- Florida-Mexico Institute
- Florida-West Africa Institute
The Linkage Institutes notifies the students that they are certified to receive an out-of-state exemption/waiver. The student must submit the award letter to Student Account Services prior to the Fee Payment Deadline each term and pay any remaining fees by the Fee Payment Deadline. See the Academic Calendar for the Fee Payment Deadline. The letter is very specific and it will state the terms, program of study and the number of hours that the award covers. Submit letters by fax or as a scanned attachment in an e-mail (preferred method) to saswaivers@ucf.edu.
Out-of-State Tuition Waiver for Specific Florida High School Graduates (effective Fall 2014)
Students who have attended a secondary school in Florida for three (3) consecutive years immediately before graduating from a high school in this state; have applied for enrollment in an institution of higher education within 24 months after high school graduation; and who submit an official Florida high school transcript as evidence of attendance and graduation are eligible for an out-of-state fee waiver, as defined in the Florida Statutes, Chapter 2014-62, Section 5, 1009.26 Fee Waivers. The waiver is applicable for 110 percent of the required credit hours of the degree or certificate program for which the student is enrolled.
Incoming students need to apply for the waiver using the waiver form and instructions on the Undergraduate Admissions website.
Current students need to apply for the waiver by visitng the Out-of-State Tuition page on the Registrar’s office website for the waiver form and instructions.
Reciprocal Exchange Student Waiver
The “Reciprocal Student Exchange” is a program in which degree-seeking students from UCF attend a foreign partner university in exchange for students from the partner university attending UCF. Participants must stay registered at their university of origin (home institution). An official agreement between UCF and an institution abroad establishes the reciprocal exchanges.
School Psychology Waiver
Graduate students in a state-approved school psychology program of study are entitled to a waiver of tuition and fees associated with internship credit hours, as defined in the FL Statutes, Title XLVIII, K-20 Education Code, Chapter 1009 Educational Scholarships, Fees, and Financial Assistance, 1009.26(5) Fee Waivers. The School Psychology Program Coordinator will inform Student Account Services of each term’s recipients. Recipients of this waiver will have all tuition and fees waived if the internship is the only course registered. Students must pay tuition and fees for all other registered courses by the Fee Payment Deadline. See the Academic Calendar for deadlines.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Tuition Waiver
Effective Fall 2021, students enrolled in a Program of Strategic Emphasis, as adopted by the Board of Governors, shall receive a tuition and fees waiver for an equivalent course as defined in the Florida Statutes, Title XLVIII, K-20 Education Code, Chapter 1009 Educational Scholarships, Fees, and Financial Assistance, 1009.26(18)(a) Fee Waivers. The tuition waiver is applicable to the Board of Governors’ identified Programs of Strategic Emphasis in science, technology, engineering, or math for upper-division courses.
Programs of Strategic Emphasis:
Accounting (Effective Fall 2022)
Computer & Information Sciences
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Elementary Education & Teaching (Effective Fall 2023)
Finance (Effective Fall 2022)
Information Technology
Mathematics
Management Information Systems
Mechanical Engineering (Effective Fall 2024)
Physics (Discontinued)
Special Education & Teaching (Effective Fall 2023)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Students must be a Florida resident for tuition purposes under Florida Statute 1009.21.
- Students must have earned at least 60 semester credit hours towards a baccalaureate degree within two academic years after initial enrollment at a Florida public postsecondary institution.
- Students must be accepted into one of the ten Programs of Strategic Emphasis.
Eligible students receive a 50 percent tuition waiver for specified tuition and associated fees for upper level 3000/4000 courses required within the degree program. The tuition waiver is applicable for 110 percent of the required credits of the baccalaureate degree program for which the student is enrolled. Graduate and second-degree seeking students are not eligible to receive this waiver.
Students are not required to apply or request this tuition waiver. Students eligible for this tuition waiver will be automatically identified by the University based on academic record. Students meeting all eligibility guidelines will be notified by email after the Add/Drop registration deadline.
Please direct questions regarding the STEM Waiver to: saswaivers@ucf.edu.
Please direct questions regarding your academic record to: registrar@ucf.edu.
Senior Citizen Waiver
Persons 60 years of age or older who meet Florida Residency requirements may register only to audit classes without payment of tuition and application fees as defined in the FL Statutes, Title XLVIII, K-20 Education Code, Chapter 1009 Educational Scholarships, Fees, and Financial Assistance, 1009.26(4) Fee Waivers. Registration is on a space-available basis and occurs on the last day of regular registration, at the time specified on the Academic Calendar for each term. See the Academic Calendar for Registration and Fee Payment Deadlines.
The Registrar’s Office personnel are responsible for verifying senior citizen status, residency and eligibility for enrollment in the requested courses, as well as enrolling senior citizens in the classes. Then the Registrar’s Office staff delivers the Senior Citizen Audit Registration Forms to Student Account Services for waiver processing by the Fee Payment Deadline each term. Contact the Registrar’s Office for information regarding eligibility and/or what form to submit.
Special Risk Waiver- Dependents of Law Enforcement Officers, Correctional, Correctional Probation Officers, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, and Firefighters
Dependents of Law Enforcement Officers, Correctional, Correctional Probation Officers, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, and Firefighters killed in the line of duty are eligible for an education tuition and fees exemption as defined in the Florida Statutes Title X Public Officers, Employees and Records, Chapter 112 Public Officers and Employees: General Provisions; Section (112.19(3)) and/or Florida Statutes Title X Public Officers, Employees, and Records, Chapter 112 Public Officers and Employees: General Provisions, Section 1912 First responders, death benefits for educational expenses (112.1912).
A maximum of 120 credit hours in an authorized undergraduate or postgraduate education may be covered for spouses and dependent children (under 25). Spouses must request to use the benefit within 5 years after the death date of the officer and may continue to receive the benefit until the 10th anniversary. Students must be in good standing with the University to receive the waiver each term.
Eligible students may request this tuition waiver by submitting a letter of verification from a superior official or the Human Resources department of deceased officer’s employer. The verification letter should include all pertinent information as it relates to the statutes as well as student name, date of birth, relationship type, deceased officer’s date of death, etc. Please submit the letter to: saswaivers@ucf.edu.
Special Risk Waiver- Dependents of Deceased Teachers and School Administrators
Dependents of Deceased Teachers and School Administrators killed or is injured and dies as a result of an unlawful and intentional act are eligible for a tuition and fees exemption provided such killing or injury was inflicted by another person and the motivation for the act is related in whole or part to the fact that the individual is a teacher or school administrator, or such act is inflicted while he or she is engaged in the performance of teaching duties or school administration duties while employed by a Florida district school board as defined in the Florida Statutes Title X Public Officers, Employees, and Records, Chapter 112 Public Officers and Employees: General Provisions, Section 1915 Teachers and school administrators; death benefits (112.1915).
A maximum of 120 credit hours in an authorized undergraduate education or a postgraduate education may be waived for dependent children under 25. Students must be in good standing with the University to receive the waiver each term.
Eligible students may request this tuition waiver by submitting a letter of verification from a superior official or the Human Resources department of deceased teacher’s or school administrator’s employer. The verification letter should include all pertinent information as it relates to the statutes as well as student name, date of birth, school official’s date of death, etc. Please submit the letter to: saswaivers@ucf.edu.
Special Risk Waiver- Dependents of Active Duty Members of the Unites States Armed Forces
Dependents of Active Duty Members of the Unites States Armed Forces killed while on active duty and engaged in the performance of his or her official duties or receives a bodily injury that results in the loss of life are eligible for an education tuition and fees exemption as defined in the Florida Statutes Title XX Veterans, Chapter 295 Laws Relating to Veterans: General Provision, Section 061 Active duty servicemembers; death benefits (295.061(8)).
To qualify for the tuition exemption benefit, the deceased military member must have been a resident of the state of Florida, or his or her duty post must have been within the state of Florida, at the time of death. A maximum of 120 credit hours in an authorized undergraduate or postgraduate education may be covered for spouses and dependent children (under 25). Spouses must request to use the benefit within 5 years after the death date of the officer and may continue to receive the benefit until the 10th anniversary. Students must be in good standing with the University to receive the waiver each term.
Eligible students may request this tuition waiver by submitting a support documentation from a superior official to the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success.
Sponsored Institute Waiver
Participants of sponsored credit institutes and programs are eligible for a waiver of tuition and fees of all courses of the designated program as authorized by the board of trustees of each university. The department offering a sponsored program will submit a list of all participants to Student Account Services for processing. Students should view the Fee Invoice before the fee payment deadline to ensure waiver is processed.
State of Florida Employees Tuition Waiver
Full-time state employees who meet academic requirements are entitled to a waiver of tuition and fees as defined in the FL Statutes, Title XLVIII, K-20 Education Code, Chapter 1009 Educational Scholarships, Fees, and Financial Assistance, 1009.265(1-5) Fee Waivers. State employees are any individuals who work in any of the State of Florida agencies (i.e. Department of Corrections, Department of Children and Families, Department of Transportation etc.). State University employees as well as educators of the different counties of the state are not state employees. Eligible employees may be allowed to enroll for up to six (6) credit hours of eligible instruction per Fall, Spring and/or Summer terms without payment of tuition and fees including the late registration fee.
- State Employee registration occurs on the last day of regular Registration for each term, at the time specified on the Academic Calendar for each term.
- Summer term has two employee dates: one for sessions A, C, D, and a separate one for session B.
- The following registration activities prior to the state employee registration timeframe may invalidate the use of the waiver:
- The initial registration attempt of the course(s) to be waived even when the course(s) were dropped and later added to the schedule during the State/UCF employee registration timeframe.
- Department/Advising registration.
- The initial request to waitlist course(s).
Any state employee who uses an Employee Tuition Waiver for approved courses must submit a completed and signed tuition waiver form to Student Account Services by or prior to each term’s Fee Payment Deadline. See the Academic Calendar for each term’s Fee Payment Deadlines. To view a complete set of instructions, employees may obtain the “State Employee Tuition Waiver Form and Instructions” from the Registrar’s Office Web site. Students are encouraged to list alternate courses on the waiver form to substitute for preferred courses that are closed. Student Account Services will not waive courses not listed on the waiver form.
Waived amounts above the I.R.S. threshold are reportable.
Submit completed waiver forms by fax or as a scanned attachment in an e-mail (preferred method) to saswaivers@ucf.edu.
UCF Tuition Waiver Benefit Program-UCF Employee
UCF employees who are classified as Faculty, Administrative and Professional (A&P), University Personnel Systems (USPS), on Sabbatical, undergoing professional development, using grants-in-aid, or on medical and educational leave; who are employed in an established full-time position with a 1.0 FTE on the date fees are due; and who meet academic requirements to enroll are eligible for a waiver of tuition and fees as defined in the FL Statutes, Title XLVIII, K-20 Education Code, Chapter 1009 Educational Scholarships, Fees, and Financial Assistance, Section 26 Fee waivers, (1009.26(3)). Eligible employees may enroll for up to six (6) credit hours of eligible instruction per Fall, Spring and/or Summer terms without payment of tuition and fees on a space-available basis. Adjunct instructors, employees employed as Other Personnel Services (OPS) and part-time employees are not eligible to participate.
- UCF Employee space-available registration begins on the last day of regular registration, at the time specified on the Academic Calendar for each term.
- Summer term has two employee registration dates: one for sessions A, C, D, and a separate one for session B.
- The following registration activities prior to the employee registration timeframe may invalidate the use of the waiver:
- The initial registration attempt of the course(s) to be waived even when the course(s) were dropped and later added to the schedule during the State/UCF employee registration timeframe.
- Department/Advising registration.
- The initial request to waitlist course(s).
Any UCF employee who uses an Employee Tuition Waiver for approved courses must submit a completed and signed tuition waiver form to Student Account Services by or prior to each term’s Fee Payment Deadline. See the Academic Calendar for each term’s Fee Payment Deadlines. Prior to enrolling into courses each term, refer to the Human Resources Web site for eligibility requirements, course restrictions, and the Employee Waiver Form. Students are encouraged to list alternate courses on the waiver form to substitute for preferred courses that are closed. Student Account Services will not waive courses not listed on the waiver form.
Waived amounts above the I.R.S. threshold are reportable.
Submit completed waiver forms as a scanned attachment in an email to saswaivers@ucf.edu.
UCF Tuition Waiver Benefit Program-Dependent Child/Spouse
Full-time UCF employees who are classified as Faculty, Administrative and Professional (A&P), University Support Personnel System (USPS) on Sabbatical, undergoing professional development, using grants-in-aid, or on medical and educational leave; who are employed in an established full-time position with a 1.0 FTE on the date fees are due, are eligible for a dependent or spouse tuition waiver benefit. The benefit allows employees to assign some or all of their unused portion of their six (6) credit hours to family members (defined as spouses and dependent children under the age of 26).
Spouses and dependent children of employees employed as Other Personnel Services (OPS), Adjunct instructors, and part-time employees are not eligible to participate.
Eligible spouses and dependent children must meet academic requirements to enroll, and may take up to six (6) credit hours of eligible instruction per Fall, Spring and/or Summer terms without payment of tuition and fees including the late registration fee.
- Registration occurs on the last day of regular Registration for each term, at the time specified on the Academic Calendar.
- Summer term has two registration dates: one for sessions A, C, D, and a separate one for session B.
- The following registration activities prior to the registration timeframe may invalidate the use of the waiver:
- The initial registration attempt of the course(s) to be waived even when the course(s) were dropped and later added to the schedule during the State/UCF registration timeframe.
- Department/Advising registration.
- The initial request to waitlist course(s).
Spouses and dependents must submit a completed and signed Tuition Waiver Form to Student Account Services by each term’s Fee Payment Deadline. See the Academic Calendar for each term’s Fee Payment Deadlines. Prior to enrolling into courses each term, refer to the Human Resources Web site for eligibility requirements, course restrictions, and the UCF Tuition Waiver Benefit Program Contingent Tuition Waiver Transfer Form. Both the UCF employee and spouse/dependent must sign and date the form. Students are encouraged to list alternate courses on their waiver form to substitute for preferred courses that are full. We will waive up to six (6) credit hours of courses listed on the approved waiver form.
Submit completed waiver forms by fax or as a scanned attachment in an e-mail (preferred method) to saswaivers@ucf.edu.
Wrongful Incarceration Waiver
Students, who were wrongfully incarcerated and had a felony conviction and sentence vacated by a court and the original sentencing court has issued its order finding that the person neither committed the act, nor did not aid, abet or act as an accomplice or accessory to the act or offense, are eligible for a tuition and fees exemption for up to 120 credit hours at a state university.
A student who is eligible for this tuition and fees waiver must provide court-verified documentation that the conviction and sentence were vacated to: saswaivers@ucf.edu.
The University Waiver Liaison is Philomene Dorlus. For questions regarding tuition waivers and exemptions, please email saswaivers@ucf.edu or call 407 823-2433.
