Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) General eligibility criteria. To receive
aid, a student shall meet the provisions of Sections
1009.40,
1009.42, and
1009.72, F.S., and Rules
6A-20.001, 6A-20.003 and
6A-20.0371, F.A.C., and:
(a) Be a Hispanic-American or a person of
Spanish culture who was born in, or whose natural parent was born in, either
Mexico, or a Hispanic country of the Caribbean, Central America or South
America, regardless of race.
(b)
Complete and submit annually, a need analysis form known as the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017, and
incorporated herein by reference, in time to be processed error-free by May 15.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (
http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-06466)
form is available at
www.fafsa.gov.
(c) Have been a bona fide Florida resident
for twelve (12) months prior to the first day of classes for the fall term of
the academic year for which funds are being requested pursuant to Section
1009.21, F.S., and Rule
6A-20.003, F.A.C.
(d) Be a United States citizen or permanent
resident pursuant to regulations established by the U.S. Congress or the U.S.
Department of Education for the receipt of federal financial
assistance.
(e) Be enrolled in a
degree program in a state university or Florida college authorized by Florida
law, or any Florida, university or college which is accredited by an
association whose standards are comparable to the minimum standards required to
operate a postsecondary institution at that level in Florida.
(f) Be enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12)
credits for undergraduate study, or nine (9) credits for graduate study, at the
end of the regular registration period inclusive of the drop-add period for
each academic term in which aid is received.
(g) Demonstrate sufficient financial need to
receive a full two thousand (2, 000) dollar scholarship. Student financial need
is the student's cost of education less the family contribution as determined
by the need analysis service.
(h)
Not owe a repayment of a state or federal student grant or scholarship unless
satisfactory repayment arrangements have been made.
(i) Not be in default on a state or federal
student loan unless satisfactory repayment arrangements have been
made.
(2) Eligibility for
initial awards. To be eligible for an initial award a student must:
(a) For undergraduate study, submit Form
FFAA-1, Florida Financial Aid Application for Students, as incorporated by
reference in Rule 6A-20.019, F.A.C., and Form
CHS-1, High School Certification, which is hereby incorporated by reference and
made a part of this rule to become effective with the effective date of this
rule, postmarked or electronically dated by April 1 during the applicant's last
year in high school. For graduate study, submit Form FFAA-1 and Form CPSI-1,
Postsecondary Institution Certification, as incorporated by reference in Rule
6A-20.019, F.A.C., postmarked or
electronically dated by April 1 immediately prior to the academic year for
which funds are being requested. A copy of Form FFAA-1, Form CHS-1, and Form
CPSI-1 may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Assistance,
Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida
32399-0400.
(b) For undergraduate
study, have earned by the end of the seventh semester of high school, a 3.0
unweighted grade point average on a 4.0 scale for high school subjects
creditable towards a diploma. For graduate study, have earned a 3.0 cumulative
grade point average on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate college level course work
completed by the date of application. Grades must be certified for
undergraduate study by the applicant's high school or graduate study by the
applicant's postsecondary institution no later than May 15. Eligibility
determinations shall not be influenced, positively or negatively, by grade
point averages calculated subsequent to the application period. Unweighted
grade point averages shall be computed to three (3) decimals and shall not be
rounded.
(c) Meet the general
eligibility requirements in subsection (1) of Rule
6A-20.023,
F.A.C.
(3) Eligibility
for renewal awards. Eligibility for renewal of an award shall be evaluated at
the end of the second semester or third quarter of each academic year. A
renewal award may be made to an applicant who used one (1) or more terms of
eligibility for an award during the academic year immediately preceding the
academic year for which applying, and who:
(a)
Meets the general eligibility requirements in subsection (1) of Rule
6A-20.023, F.A.C.
(b) Has earned, at the last institution
attended, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0
scale.
(c) For undergraduate study,
has earned during the previous two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters, at
least twelve (12) credit hours per term or the equivalent for the number of
terms for which the award was received. For graduate study, has earned during
the previous two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters, at least nine (9) credit
hours per term or the equivalent for the number of terms for which the award
was received. An undergraduate or graduate student who does not earn the
required credits shall be ineligible to continue on the program, except as
provided in subsections (7) and (8) of Rule
6A-20.023,
F.A.C.
(4) Probationary
awards. A student who has received funds through this program and who fails to
earn a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale may be granted a
probationary award for one (1) academic year, not to exceed two (2) semesters
or three (3) quarters. A student who does not earn a 3.0 grade point average on
a 4.0 scale by the end of the spring semester or third quarter of the
probationary academic year shall be ineligible to continue for one (1) academic
year.
(5) Reinstatement. A student
who met the requirements for an award but did not accept an award during the
first full year of eligibility and wishes to re-establish use of the
scholarship must apply for reinstatement no later than April 1. A student who
applies for reinstatement must also complete a need analysis form in time to be
processed error-free by May 15.
(6)
Restoration. A student who failed to meet the requirements for renewal of a
probationary award is eligible to apply for restoration after one (1) academic
year if the student has earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
on a 4.0 scale as of the end of the second semester or third quarter of the
academic year preceding the year the award is sought. A student who applies for
restoration must also complete a need analysis in time to be processed
error-free by May 15.
(7) Appeals.
A student who receives state student aid and subsequently fails to meet state
academic progress requirements described in paragraph (3)(c) of Rule
6A-20.023, F.A.C., due to
verifiable illness or other emergencies may be granted an exception from the
academic requirements, pursuant to Section 1009.40(1)(b)4., F.S.
(8) Maximum terms of eligibility.
(a) An undergraduate student shall be
eligible to receive financial aid for a maximum of one hundred ten (110)
percent of the number of credit hours required to complete the program of study
in which enrolled, or until receipt of a first baccalaureate degree, whichever
occurs first. Five-year eligibility may apply to a program of study which leads
to a simultaneous award of a graduate and an undergraduate degree. Additional
terms of eligibility for five-year programs will be allowed based on the number
of credit hours required by the institution for completion of the program of
study.
(b) A graduate student shall
be eligible to receive financial aid for a maximum of four (4) semesters or six
(6) quarters.
(c) A student who
used any terms of eligibility as an undergraduate student may subsequently
apply for an award for graduate study. However, such student will be considered
as an initial graduate applicant for purposes of eligibility determination and
award distribution.
(9)
Amount of awards. The amount of each annual award is two thousand (2, 000)
dollars.
(10) Award distribution.
The department shall make awards based on the annual appropriation and the
amount of contributions received by the department. Priority in the
distribution of funds will be as follows:
(a)
Eligible renewal applicants shall be first given priority,
(b) Second priority for awards will be given
to initial undergraduate applicants who shall first be ranked by the least
family contribution as determined by the need analysis form,
1. Then by high school grade point
average,
2. And, if necessary, by
the postmarked or electronic receipt date of Form FFAA-1,
(c) Third priority for awards will be given
to reinstatement applicants. If the number of awards remaining is insufficient
to award all such applicants, they will be ranked and selected first by the
least family contribution as specific on the need analysis form and second by
the earliest postmark or electronic receipt date of Form FFAA-1. If the number
of awards remaining is insufficient to award all equally ranked applicants, the
tie will be broken through random selection.
(d) Fourth priority for awards will be given
to restoration applicants. If the number of awards remaining is insufficient to
award all such applicants, they will be ranked and selected first by the least
family contribution as specified on the need analysis form and second by the
earliest postmark or electronic receipt date of Form FFAA-1. If the number of
awards remaining is insufficient to award all equally ranked applicants, the
tie will be broken through random selection.
(e) From funds remaining, initial graduate
applicants shall be ranked and awarded, based on the least family contribution
and then by undergraduate grade point average and, finally, on the postmark
date of the Form FFAA-1.
(11) Institutional responsibilities.
Participating institutions shall verify the continued eligibility of awarded
students, provide for the disbursement of funds to students, and comply with
the department's reporting requirements. Within thirty (30) days of the end of
the regular registration period each term, the institution shall notify the
department of the eligibility status of each awarded student. The institution
shall remit refunds and submit accompanying documentation to the department
within sixty (60) days of the end of the institution's regular registration
period. For supplemental awards, the institution will notify the department of
the eligibility status of awarded students within thirty (30) days of the date
that the warrant was mailed by the department. Refunds and accompanying
documentation shall be received by the department within sixty (60) days of the
date that the warrant was mailed by the department.
(12) Award procedures. The department shall
notify students and institutions of the students' eligibility for awards, and
shall provide for the delivery of funds to students by transmitting funds each
academic term to the institutions for distribution.
(13) Contributions from private sources.
Scholarship contributions to the Jose Marti Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund
from private sources may be accepted by the department and deposited in the
State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02(1),
1009.72(1) FS.
Law Implemented 1009.40,
1009.72
FS.
New 12-28-86, Amended 5-16-90, 2-15-95, 10-15-02, 9-22-08,
3-22-12, 3-23-16.
