Discounted Tuition

Certain non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, temporary permanent residents, asylees, parolees and refugees who have applied for and been approved for such status, and who otherwise meet the 12-month legal residence requirements, are eligible to establish Florida residency for tuition purposes. It is not necessary to wait 12 months from the date he/she becomes an eligible alien (e.g., the date the resident alien card [I-551] is issued).

Required: Proof of permanent immigration status

Non-U.S. Citizens With Certain Visa Categories

Students who are non-U.S. citizens in the following visa categories are eligible to petition for Florida's discounted tuition rates:

• A - Government official
• E - Treaty trader or investor
• G - Representative of international organization
• H1B - Temporary worker performing professional services or in a specialty occupation
• I - Foreign information media representative
• K - Fiancé of U.S. citizen
• L - Intra-company transferee (including spouse or child)
• N - Parent or child of alien accorded special immigrant status
• 0-1 - Workers of “extraordinary” ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics
• R - Religious workers
• NATO I-7 - Representatives and employees of NATO and their families
• S - Alien witnesses and informants, including spouse and Children
• T - Victims of trafficking (and spouse and children) who cooperate with federal authorities in prosecutions of traffickers
• U - Victims of certain crimes, including spouse and children
• V - Spouse and children of lawful permanent residents

Other Non-U.S. Citizen Categories

Non-U.S. citizens who fall within the following categories shall also be considered eligible to establish residency for tuition purposes:

• Citizens of Micronesia
• Citizens of the Marshall Islands
• Individuals granted Withholding of Removal status
• Individuals granted Suspension of Deportation status or Cancellation of Removal.
• Individuals granted Asylum
• Applicants for Adjustment of Status
• Individuals granted Refugee status
• Individuals granted Parolee status
• Applicants for Asylum
• Individuals defined as Cuban or Haitian entrants under the Refugee Education Assistance Act All students who are unable to provide proof of Florida residency by the first day of classes for their first term and attend classes as out-of-state students must petition for reclassification through the Office of the Registrar in order to obtain Florida residency for tuition purposes.

Santa Fe College will notify students through their SantaFe account (My Status) if they are required to submit proof of citizenship.

Certain circumstances may excuse students from needing to prove the 12-month legal residency requirement. Documentation is still required, however, to prove that they qualify for any exception. The persons listed below shall be classified as residents for tuition purposes.

For purposes of this booklet, an Institution of Higher Education (IHE) means any charter technical career center as defined in s. 1002.34, career center operated by a school district as defined in s. 1001.44, Florida College System institution as defined in s. 1000.21(3), or state university as defined in s. 1000.21(6).

1. Persons who were enrolled as Florida residents for tuition purposes at a Florida public IHE, but who abandoned Florida domicile and then re-enrolled in Florida within 12 months of the abandonment– provided that he/she continuously maintained the re-established domicile during the period of enrollment. (This benefit only applies one time.)
2. Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States residing or stationed in Florida (and spouse/dependent children) and; active drilling members of the Florida National Guard [s. 1009.21(10)(a), F.S.]; or military personnel not stationed in Florida whose home of record or state of legal residence certificate, DD Form 2058, is Florida (and spouse/dependent children).
3. Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States and their spouses/dependent children attending a public college or university within 50 miles of the military establishment where they are stationed, if such military establishment is within a county contiguous to Florida.
4. United States citizens living on the Isthmus of Panama, who have completed 12 consecutive months of college work at the Florida State University Panama Canal Branch, and their spouses and dependent children.
5. Full-time instructional and administrative personnel employed by the public school system and IHEs (and spouse/dependent children).
6. Students from Latin America and the Caribbean who receive scholarships from the federal or state government. The student must attend, on a full-time basis, an IHE.
7. Southern Regional Education Board’s Academic Common Market graduate students attending Florida’s state universities.
8. Full-time employees of state agencies or political subdivisions of the state when the student fees are paid by the state agency or political subdivision for the purpose of job-related law enforcement or corrections training.
9. McKnight Doctoral Fellows and Finalists who are United States citizens.
10. United States citizens living outside the United States who are teaching at a Department of Defense Dependent School or in an American International School and who enroll in a graduate level education program which leads to a Florida teaching certificate.
11. Active duty members of the Canadian military residing or stationed in this state under the North American Air Defense (NORAD) agreement, and their spouses and dependent children, attending a public community college or university within 50 miles of the military establishment where they are stationed.
12. Active duty members of a foreign nation’s military who are serving as liaison officers and are residing or stationed in this state, and their spouses and dependent children, attending a community college or state university within 50 miles of the military establishment where the foreign liaison officer is stationed.
13. Qualified beneficiaries under the Stanley G. Tate Florida Pre-Paid College Program per s. 1009.98, F.S. (Pre-Paid ID Card Required).
14. Linkage Institute participants receiving partial or full exemptions from s. 1009.21, F.S., based on criteria approved by the Florida Department of Education per s. 288.8175(5), F.S., which establishes linkage institutes between postsecondary institutions in this state and foreign countries.

There are certain provisions within Florida Statute that allow for the out-of-state portion of fees to be waived, if the student cannot be classified as a Florida resident. A student who qualifies for these waivers will still be responsible for the in-state portion of fees. All attempts to be classified as a Florida resident should be made prior to exploring these options.

1. Any student, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, who meets all of the following criteria qualifies for a waiver of out-of-state fees:
   1. Attended a Florida high school for at least three years immediately prior to graduation from a public or private school.
   2. Graduated from a Florida high school.
   3. Applied to a Florida state college or university within 24 months of high school graduation.

An official high school transcript and verification of an application to a Florida state college or university are required to prove eligibility for this waiver. A student who uses this provision to waive out-of-state fees is not eligible for state or federal financial aid.

2. Any veteran of the United States Armed Forces with an equivalent of an honorable discharge on record is qualified for a waiver of out-of-state fees if he/ she is currently residing in Florida. A copy of the student’s DD-214 and a valid Florida ID proving that the veteran resides in Florida must be provided for this waiver. The student must apply for this waiver each semester.
3. Any active duty member of the United States Armed Forces is qualified for a waiver of out-of-state fees if he/she is residing or stationed past 50 miles outside of the state of Florida. A copy of the student’s current Military Orders showing proof that Active Duty Member is residing past 50 miles outside of Florida or a copy of his/her most recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) must be provided for this waiver. The student must apply for this waiver each semester.

In accordance with Florida House Bill 851, these waivers are applicable to no more than 110 percent of the required credit hours for the degree or certificate program in which the student enrolls. Courses that are outside the required curriculum for the student’s program of study will be billed at the out-of-state tuition rate. Changing the program of study or the courses in which the student enrolls may affect his or her tuition rate and the total cost of the degree or certificate program.

Florida Statutes provide some tuition and fee exemptions for students who fall under the categories below (appropriate documentation required):

• Students who are homeless. (Required: Unaccompanied Youth form, which is available from the student's high school.)
• Students who are or were in foster care or adopted from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) after May 5, 1997.
• Students who have been placed in the custody of a relative or non-relative by DCF.
• Students who are dependents of Deceased Teachers or School Administrators.
• Students who are the spouse and/or dependents of Public Safety Officers killed in the line of duty.
• Students who have been wrongfully incarcerated.
• Students who are in foster care.
• Students who are in the Welfare Transition Program. Students who are eligible to receive an exemption based on one of the circumstances above should speak with an admissions advisor in Room R-101 at the Northwest Campus.